"Tell me everything," Lily said.
Tapping the ground with her foot, Mom caused a tree root to buckle up through the earth. She sat down on it and patted the spot next to her. Lily sat. "Your father was a wonderful man," Mom said, "for a human."
"Mom!"
Her mother laughed. "He had your eyes and your laugh, and he loved you so much. One time, when you were just a baby ..." Around them, the forest fell silent, as every tree listened with Lily.