26

That night, before Emily went to bed, she decided she was going to go back to work tomorrow, Friday. So she made herself a list. It was something Dr. West had taught her. Something she did with her own patients now. It made things less overwhelming to break them down into small chunks, to be able to cross things off a list. And she wanted to be okay tomorrow. She wanted to go to work, like Ezra had suggested, to help someone. And then she’d see him afterward, for dinner, when his day was over, and they’d talk. They’d fix things, the way they always did for other people, only now it would be for each other. It would be hard, but they’d do it. And then when she reached over at night, she’d find him next to her in bed and be comforted. They’d be Emily and Ezra, for better or for worse, for now and forever.

  1. Shower

  2. Get dressed

  3. Eat breakfast

  4. Go to work

  5. Eat lunch

  6. Go home

  7. Make dinner for Ezra

  8. Talk to Ezra over dinner

  9. Go to bed

Nine things. All she’d have to do tomorrow was nine things. She could handle that.