.......... Alafia ........... "I feel like having something to drink," I said as we entered Gyda’s suite, and she mentioned there was apple juice, but I could have whatever I wanted. I didn’t want apple juice; I wanted something stronger. I needed something stronger. The past few hours had been rough, and now that I was out of the house, I felt like I could finally breathe. I told Gyda that and added that I felt like having champagne. She smiled and picked up the hotel phone, and as she spoke on the line, I shouted over to her to get some snacks too. While she placed the order, I took a moment to kick off my shoes and create a cozy space in the room. With a gentle push, I rearranged the small table, pushing it back to make room for us to sit comfortably on the soft rug right in fron

