At four in the morning, while waiting for an urgent care clinic to open, she looked at the emergency number she had once saved for Preston’s office.

She nearly dialed it.

The last message from his mother’s lawyer was still in her drawer, and the thought of being dismissed again felt unbearable.

Instead, she called Mrs.

Alvarez, who arrived with clean towels and a thermos of tea.

Frank dropped off soup after his morning shift, and a school colleague covered Naomi’s class.

When Preston heard the story, he said, ‘I should have been there.’

‘Yes,’ Naomi answered.