but quickly realized that the child meant

“Do you see, child?” Catherine was looking at her very seriously. “Of course you don’t, God bless you”; she squeezed her hand. “Don’t ever try too hard to understand, child. Just try to understand it’s so. He’d come if he could but he simply can’t because God wants him with Him. That’s all.” She kept her hand over Catherine’s a little while more, while Rufus realized much more clearly than before that he really could not and would not come home again: because of God. “He would if he could but he can’t,” Catherine finally said, remembering a joking phrase of her mother’s. Hannah, who knew the joking phrase too, was startled, but quickly realized that the child meant it in earnest, “That’s it,” she said gratefully. But he’ll come once more, anyway, Rufus realized, looking forward to it. Even if he is asleep. “What was it you wanted to ask, Rufus?” he heard his aunt say. He tried to remember and remembered. “What’s kuh, kuhkush, kuh ... ?” “Con-cus-sion, Rufus. Concus-sion of the brain. That’s the doctor’s name for what happened. It means, it’s as if the brain were hit very hard and suddenly, and joggled loose. The instant that happens, your father was—he ...” “Instantly killed.” She nodded. “Then it was that, that put him to sleep.” “Hyess.” “Not God.” Catherine looked at him, bewildered.