“Dee?”
Gentle rocking woke me and when I opened my eyes the face was so close, I had trouble adjusting my vision. Madeleine was leaning over me, and I looked beside her for my mother, aunt, Ruth and Sophia.
“Dee,” she said again in a small plea.
I wanted to answer but it was as if my body was still locked in a deep sleep. I wondered briefly if we were in Kos, or Rome. Was there a plane, a train to catch and I had overslept? At a deeper level, I knew this wasn’t the case. I felt different, physically lighter as though I had shaken a heavy burden.
My eyes slowly adjusted to my sister’s face. She was sitting back on the bed. When our eyes finally met, she smiled and gave a sigh that sounded like relief. I looked past her to take in the unfamiliarity of the room that was furnished more opu
