Chapter 5: A Family Policy

I stepped out from under Russell's arm.

"I'm not unwell," I said, "and I'm not going home with you."

"Becky, you're confused. You haven't eaten. You've been at your sister's for two days."

"Don't talk to me like I'm one of your clients."

Virginia had her phone raised, and I realized she was filming me.

"This is what I mean," she told the room, in the voice she used for store openings. "She's been like this since the shower. We're so worried."

Kelsey had pressed a tissue to her lower lashes.

"I should have said something," she said softly. "She's been so fragile since the loss. She doesn't remember what's hers and what's mine."

The woman in the front row stood up with the stuffed rabbit in her fist.

"Is Moon real?" she said.

Kelsey turned to her.

"Of course she's real. Honey, I would never lie about that."

"What was her middle name?"

Kelsey opened her mouth, and for the first time since I had met her, nothing came out.

"What did she weigh?" the woman said. "When she was born?"

"That's a private thing," Kelsey said. "I don't share it."

"You shared it with us in March," the woman said. "You told us you couldn't say it out loud yet."

The man next to her put his hand on her back.

"We came here every month for a year," he said slowly. "She held our hands. She cried with us."

Nobody laughed.

Nobody said anything for several seconds.