“Alexander.

Step out a minute.” She set the cups on the bedside table, one of them on the corner of the chart.

“I’m not leaving her.”

“Then hear it in front of her.

She never minded being talked about.” Victoria pulled the other chair back and sat with her knees together.

Deb kept her eyes on the tape and didn’t leave the room, and I was grateful for that.

“The doctors tell me she was upset that night,” Victoria said.