Both our families were gathered in the living room. My parents sat stiffly on the couch. His mother stood frozen near the fireplace. And I stood beside the coffee table holding Claire’s phone.
“Sit down,” I said.
Ryan’s eyes landed on the phone just as I pressed play.
The room stayed silent except for Claire’s shaky recordings and Ryan’s own voice coming through the speaker. By the time the first clip ended, his face had turned gray. During the second, his mother sat down without even looking for a chair.
After the third, my father whispered, “Dear God.””…continue reading…
