We can decide slowly what to keep.”

She spent the evening arranging her books by color on Rachel’s spare shelf.

It was a small act of ownership, creating order in the room where we were temporarily living.

I helped her without telling her how much it meant to me.

Later I called my supervisor at the dispatch center.

I told her I wanted to return to work when I could do so safely and effectively, and asked about counseling services available to employees.

She gave me the contact information for a program I had recommended to distressed callers dozens of times without imagining I might need it myself.