He added the documents to the file and gave me a copy of the submission receipt.

The printed transfer no longer looked like proof Monique had succeeded.

It was now part of the record that might stop her.

“If the transfer’s already moving,” I asked, “is there still a chance?” He gathered the pages.

“Yes.

There is still a chance.” He did not promise more than that, and I was learning to be grateful for people who would not promise more than they had.

The specialist never once told me it would be all right.