I only asked her, again, to send me the original documents, and she promised she would, and then she sent a photograph of herself smiling beside Chad with a message about building something wonderful together, and I saved it with the other records, because by then everything she sent me was evidence, including the pictures of her happiness.

The printed SWIFT confirmation stayed on my desk.

At 9:41 another bank notification appeared: the transfer status had not changed.

I called the security line and gave the reference number.

The review remained open.

The money had not been released.

But my sister believed the only obstacle left in the world was me.

I sat with that a long time after the call, the printed SWIFT confirmation glowing faintly under the lamp.