“It’s hospital policy, dear,” the nurse says. I blink at her. “What is?”

“The test.” “Oh. Okay.”

“Now, I am leaving the room for just one minute. The ward is locked.

Are you going to behave yourself and wait right here?”

“Yeah,” I say, “I’ll wait.” She leaves me. I wrap my arms around my middle and press until my wrists ache. My eyes close. I’ll wait. And I’ll be okay.

And for the first time in years, I feel like things are going to turn out the way they were always meant to be.