She already had an apartment.
A job.
Friends.
A therapist.
Savings.
She was planning to take classes at a community college.
After years of having someone else control her choices, she had worked incredibly hard to build a life where she could decide things for herself.
Returning immediately to her childhood bedroom felt like going backward.
“I want you in my life,” she said. “I just don’t know what that looks like yet.”
I took her hand.
“We don’t know either.”
She looked nervous.
I squeezed her fingers.
“But we can figure it out.”
Michael and I stayed in town three extra days.
Nora had breakfast with us the next morning.
Then dinner.
Then she walked with us along the boardwalk.
She didn’t step onto the sand.
Neither did I.
Before we left, Elaine gave Nora the turquoise cover-up.
Nora stared at it for a long time.
Then she handed it to me.
“You keep it.”
“Are you sure?”
She nodded.
“I don’t want it right now. But I think it should stay with the family.”
I folded it carefully.
The yellow sun was faded
