I had needed people to do their jobs and others to make room for me to tell the truth.

Afterward, a young woman waited until the folding chairs were being stacked.

“How did you know when to leave?” she asked.

I thought about the answer for a moment.

“I wish I’d recognized the danger sooner,” I said.

“But there isn’t a single perfect moment, and leaving can be complicated.

What helped me was making contact with someone safe and accepting help when it came.”

She looked at the pamphlets on the table, then at the door.