Margo put her hands in her coat pockets.

“You were a frightened child trying to find help.”

“I thought he would come.”

Neither woman rushed to fill the silence.

I took out a small stone I’d collected from Colleen’s garden.

I’d planned to leave it near the roadside as a symbol, but standing there I realized I didn’t want to mark the place of my collapse.

I wanted something that belonged to me to stay with me.

I put the stone back in my pocket.