My hand moves on its own, placing the horse figurine dead center, then a small farmhouse.
Then, without looking, I grab the miniature soldier and set him outside the house, away from the horse, away from everything. A long silence stretches.
“That the truth?” she asks.
I don’t answer. I don’t have to.
She looks through the one-way glass at Ranger grazing in the corral outside. “He doesn’t want to be separate,” she says softly. “He’s waiting for you to come to him.”
My throat closes, it’s not about the horse and we both know that, but she doesn’t push and for once, neither do I.
“I don’t know how to go back,” I whisper.
She nods. “Then we’ll teach you.” I nod too because for once I have something outside of me to get better for.
Delta
Paige is already in the conference room when I walk in, and Lena follows a minute later with her giant neon tumbler like she’s about to run a marathon instead of look at spreadsheets. We’re supposed to be reviewing payroll and therapy rotation coverage. We make it exactly twenty-three seconds before the foolishness starts.
Paige doesn’t even look up from her tablet. “So… you and Trace still think y’all are being subtle?”
I freeze mid-chair-pull. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Lena laughs like she’s been waiting for that answer. “Girl. Please.”
I sit down slowly, already annoyed. “Are we working today or are we wasting time being weird?”
Paige sets her tablet down and folds her arms. “You used to scowl on Mondays. Now you come in smiling at nothing.”
Lena nods. “And you stopped stress-snacking, the Twix jar hasn’t been violated in three weeks.”
I stare at them. “Maybe I’m just in a good mood.”
They both shake their heads aggressively.
Paige leans forward, her voice low and dramatic. “Your walk has changed.”
My mouth opens because I’m offended on instinct. “My what?”
“Your walk,” she says, pointing at me. “Your hips are telling a testimony.”
Lena jumps in, eager. “It used to be CEO stride. Now it’s ‘my man puts in work’ stride.”
I cover my face with my hands. “Goodbye.”
Paige snickers. “We’re not judging. We are celebrating.”
Lena raises her tumbler like a toast. “We love character development.”
I drop my hands and glare. “There is nothing to develop. I have been the exact same”
Paige cuts her eyes at me. “You haven’t bit anyone’s head off in three weeks.”
“That is progress,” Lena says. “Trace needs a Certificate of Achievement.”
I shake my head. “He didn’t do anything. Nobody pissed me off lately.”
Paige looks at Lena like she has just solved the puzzle. “Because you are not stressed. Because somebody is keeping you… hydrated.”
