“Listen Gretty.” His voice was high again. “I’ll go through this door again. You want me to count again? You want we should go to court again? ” He cracked open the cracked door and counted down slowly.

She was huddled, wet eyed, in the bathtub wrapped in a blanket. She took the phone and sobbed softly to Carol’s voice, answering in monosyllables.

“Ok” she said very softly, getting out of the dry tub. Beneath the blanket he could see she was dressed warmly in clean clothes. She let him wipe her face. He hoped she thought he wiped only tears, taking pains to ensure she saw none of the blood smeared there and everywhere in her recent frenzy.