I looked at her.
“She’s sitting right here.”
“Can I talk to her?”
Karen held out her hand.
I passed her the phone.
“Hello, sweetheart.”
I watched her become his mother again in an instant.
Her back straightened.
Her voice steadied.
She began protecting him from what was happening to her.
“I’m fine.”
A pause.
“No, don’t leave work.”
Another pause.
“No. Absolutely not. You have that presentation tomorrow.”
Another pause.
“I love you too.”
She ended the call.
Then she looked at my phone.
“You do it automatically,” I said.
“What?”
“Make yourself okay so everyone else can be okay.”
Her face went still.
“You really are observant.”
“You keep saying that like it’s a compliment.”
“I haven’t decided whether it is.”
At three in the morning, we finally left.
The rain had softened into mist.
On the drive back, Karen rested her head against the window.
