I closed the door to the empty hallway and engaged the locking bolts. When I faced her again, the previous upset she felt dissipated: her eyes softened, her shoulders relaxed, and her breathing calmed. “Hi,” I said, stripping the gloves from my hands and throwing them in some odd corner of this small room. “Hi,” she whispered back. The empty space between us felt immense, and I couldn’t stand it any longer. In two large strides, I crossed the room and scooped her into my arms.
