This is The Writer's Voice, new fiction from The New Yorker. I'm Deborah Triesman, fiction editor at The New Yorker.

On this episode of The Writer's Voice, we'll hear Allegra Goodman read her story The Last Grown-Up

from the February 27th, 2023 issue of the magazine.

Allegra Goodman has published two story collections and seven novels, including Catterskill Falls,

a National Book Award finalist, the chalk artist, and most recently Sam, which came out earlier this year.

Now here's Allegra Goodman.

The Last Grown-Up

She heard their footsteps on the stairs, water running in their bathroom.

She sensed her daughters everywhere, but it was just her imagination. They were gone.

Of course, they would come back. They were safe, and it was just till Sunday.

It wasn't death. It only felt like that.

Her friend said, now you can rest. You can think. You can work out.

Theoretically, she could have done those things.

She could have been thinking and going to the gym and resting.

But when the girls left with their father, Deborah sat on the couch and cried.

Which was fine. Crying was good. Divorce was hard.

All she had to do was call, and her sister Becca would come right over.

But Deborah didn't want sympathy, so no one saw her tears except the dog.

Max was a Samoiet and pure of heart. If anyone was injured, he came running.

When Lily fell headfirst from her bike, Max had rushed to lick her better.

But where was Deborah hurt?

She couldn't explain, so she buried her face in his white fur.

...