“I explained them away.”

Dana did not scold me.

She asked whether Chloe had a safe place to live after discharge and whether she could access her own identification, phone, and bank accounts.

Those questions were so ordinary that I nearly cried.

I had spent the day imagining courtroom speeches, and this woman was thinking about keys and prescriptions.

“My house,” I said.

“She can stay with me.”

“Then let’s prepare it,” Dana replied.