That did not mean the siblings automatically understood one another.

Their relationship had been built through letters, cautious calls, and visits.

Christopher had been able to make something good out of that discovery.

He had also made a hiding place for it.

I asked about her condition only as far as she wanted to explain.

She described a chronic autoimmune illness, treatment, fluctuating energy, and difficulty keeping up with ordinary responsibilities during worse periods.

No one had promised her a simple course.