Radley said.

“Yes,” I told him.

“But please — don’t tell anyone I’m here first.

Not anyone.

Especially not my husband.” He studied my face for a moment, and whatever he saw there, he did not argue.

He simply nodded, and stepped out, and I understood that for the first time in longer than I could remember, I was in a place where the people in charge were on my side.

I lay back against the pillow, and I let myself, for just a moment, feel how tired I was.