That was the first moment I believed she might one day recover not only physically but from the guilt Harold had tried to put inside her.

At home she asked whether she could call her school friend Maya.

They talked about stuffed animals for forty minutes, while I sat nearby pretending to read.

When Tessa laughed, it sounded different from before.

Not carefree yet.

But real.

Brian stood in the doorway, listening.

After the call he asked if she’d like him to read their old bedtime book.