Roman

Hearing Alpha William say that Sloane has shown improvement while she’s been away and seeing it in person is very different. He’s right. The sadness that was like a dark cloud hanging over her isn’t gone, but it’s shifted from the all-consuming grief that she was suffering when she left, to something that looks more manageable.

She smiles when she sees us pull up, which makes me happy. I wasn’t sure she would have missed us.

When we get out of the car, she rushes up to me, ...