“Hello, Layla,” I said.

Maggie smiled and said, “Hey there, baby girl, welcome home.”

Entering the apartment, Maggie lit a few candles and as we got ready for bed I couldn’t help but wonder what was next. The last four days had been a whirlwind of change. So much was happening and so much was being revealed to us about Layla.

Soon the room was aglow with soft candlelight. You could hear the light rain on the tin roof and it was very still, very full and still, with a kind of presence. Like a sanctuary, like sometimes when I’ve been in an empty church and there’s this deep, safe, peace.

Maggie pulled down the covers and said, “I love the sound of rain on this old metal roof.”

“Yes, it’s so soothing,” I said.

We both slipped into bed and wrapped our arms and legs around each other in our favorite position. Maggie sometimes would say “assume the position!” when she wanted to snuggle, but tonight she didn’t need to say it. The closeness was there and we went immediately into a kind of light sleep.