Chapter 11 — The Envelope

Inside the envelope, when Martha opened it, were the official papers first.

A copy of the original specialist referral, the one that had been issued five weeks ago and had never been acted on.

And an insurance authorization form, filled out, prepared, and never submitted — a form that had sat in this envelope, in Mark’s jacket, for over a month, one signature and one fax away from setting the whole machinery of her daughter’s care in motion, and that he had carried around instead like a stone he could not decide where to bury.

That alone would have been enough to keep Martha’s hands shaking.