Her mother rested a hand on her back, and neither spoke for several seconds.

Then Clara said the words she had been trying to find since she heard what happened.

“You saved us.

You saved all of us.”

Chloe cried then.

Not loudly at first.

Her shoulders moved, and she pressed her face closer to the blanket, as though she did not want to make another problem for the room.

Clara stroked her back.