I tugged harder, and it scraped open.

I laid the decree inside next to Micah’s drawing.

Then I shut the drawer.

The corner of the drawing snagged, and the drawer stayed open half an inch.

I left it like that.

The drawer slid shut with a soft click, and I stood there a moment with my hand flat on the wood, feeling the grain under my palm.

Saturday came up bright and unhurried, the way Saturdays used to before all of it.