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phone. “That’s not a memory. I just keep saying things out of

nowhere and then when I do, I realize that they’re true, even

though I have no way of knowing how to verify that. It’s like

seeing green grass, and knowing it’s green grass, but not

knowing how you know that, and everyone has taken away all

the books on green and on grass and there’s no internet and no

proof, but you’re just so sure.”

“That sounds awful.” But maybe it was a little blissful too.

There were a lot of things that Coralyn would like to forget,

but there were so many more that she wanted to cling to. All

she had left were memories now. “My dad said all the time

that everything was going to be okay. He really believed it.” I

want to believe it too.

“Then it will be.” Giana was so sure. It made Coralyn sit up

a little bit straighter as a gust of cold air brushed over the back

of her neck. She looked around, but no one was watching her.

“I’m just pulling up now at the front entrance.”

Coralyn stood up. She’d never felt shakier. Giana was there

for her, and she was going to support her, help her, take her

home, and hold her. God help her, but she’d never wanted

anything more. She’d never wanted it to be real more than she

wanted it in that moment.

As Giana walked through the door, dressed like she would

for the office in expensive black slacks, five-inch heels, and a

black belted mid-length coat, her hair and makeup professional

and perfect, Coralyn expected to crumple in on herself, the

physical toll of grief more than she could handle, but instead,

she found strength she didn’t know she had left.

She was strong enough to walk over to her wife and take her

hand. She couldn’t pretend like she didn’t want Giana there.