I’d cleaned three more squares when I heard someone call my name from behind me. I turned to see Rebecca Sanders standing there, arms folded across her chest, an actual smile on her face. I guessed this was one of those surprise visits she’d warned me about. Thank God I hadn’t gone to the bar with the guys! I climbed down the ladder.

“So this is where you work,” Rebecca said. She pointed to the mural. “Are you cleaning that painting?” she asked. “That’s quite a difference.”

“Yes.” I set the dowel on one of the steps of the ladder and wiped my damp hands on my jeans. I motioned to the cleaned portion of the mural. “It’s taken me all day to do this much.” I didn’t think Rebecca was into art. She noticed clean and she noticed dirty, but she seemed disinterested in the images on the mural.

“I went to the address where you’re staying but the woman there—Lisa Williams?—told me you were probably still at work, so I’m glad to find you here.”

I nodded, glad she had found me there as well. “Everyone went out drinking, but I thought I should stay here.” I winced. I sounded as though I expected a medal for not going with the guys.

“Have you made it to a meeting yet?”

“Last night. I have the signed paper but it’s at Lisa’s.”

“Mail it to me,” Rebecca said. “You have the address on my card.”

“Okay.”

We were both quiet for a moment. “It must have been hard, saying no to going out for drinks with your coworkers,” Rebecca said finally.

I shrugged. “Not really.” I didn’t want to get sucked into counselor talk. I didn’t want to give Rebecca any more power over me than she already had.

“You’re doing well so far, Morgan,” Rebecca said.

I nodded. “I’m okay.”

“What’s been hardest for you?”

I remembered my visit to Instagram. Seeing everyone moving on with their lives. Feeling alone. “Nothing,” I lied.

“Come on,” Rebecca said. “I’m here to help. I’m on your side.”

“Nothing. Really. I’m happy to be out and I have plenty of work to keep me busy and everything’s cool.”

Rebecca looked doubtful, but she finally nodded. “What’ll you do when you leave here tonight?”

“Go back to Lisa’s. Go to bed. Sleep. Come back here in the morning and start all over again.”

Rebecca hesitated as though there were something more she wanted to say, but she simply nodded toward the mural. “All right, then,” she said. “Keep up the good work.”