Money was tight because I could not return to work right away.
Emily picked up extra hours and tried to hide the strain.
I noticed anyway.
The old Rachel would have apologized until the apology became another burden.
Instead, I asked what I could do from bed.
I started handling the household bills online, planning grocery orders, and calling insurance offices when claims were delayed.
Small responsibility gave me back a shape Daniel had tried to erase.
Months after the assault, the doctor cleared me to walk short distances with a cane.
Emily drove me to a quiet park near her apartment, where the path was flat and the benches were close together.
There were no speeches.
She carried two paper coffee cups and kept pace beside me.
At the first bench, I sat and cried because my back hurt.
At the second, I cried because I had reached it.
