I’m completely out of my depth here. She’s not making a sound, but I can feel her pain in the way her body still shakes, in the way she’s trying to hold herself away from me even though we’re so close, and I know if I could see her face that there’d be tears in her eyes. My words didn’t seem to be having much effect on her, so I just sat there and held her until I felt the tension leave her body.

“Are you ready to listen to me now?” She jumped up like her ass was on ...