Her place was confirmed.

Her grandparents and friends celebrated with us over cupcakes from the grocery store.

I taped a photograph of her holding the acceptance letter to the refrigerator, right beside Ruth’s handwritten promise about kindness.

Neither paper erased our past.

Both pointed toward the future.

PART 24

The first time Sadie tried a supervised meeting with Curtis, she asked me to sit nearby in the waiting area.

A counselor had explained the process and made clear that she could tell the supervising professional if she needed a break.