“She made me write twenty-page apology letters whenever I cried in front of company,” Mariana said.

Noah reached out and pressed his palm against Mariana’s knee.

“Is Lily going to get her blanket back?” Noah asked.

“The nurse is washing it right now, sweetie,” Mariana said, her voice dropping to a whisper.

“Grandma said if I told you about the lock, Jesus would be angry with me,” Noah said.

Mariana looked up at me, her face pale in the bright courtyard light.

“She’s been telling him that for months,” Mariana said.