She said it like it was just an ordinary thing people said to one another within knowing each other for thirty minutes. There were people, adults, out in the world who could treat the world with intense attention and wanted to enjoy themselves. And then didn’t feel shame at all for encouraging other people to feel the same.

Once the tea was settled and steaming in their mugs, Professor Collins turned back to Ayanna. “What do you think this other place was? Don’t tell me based on your faith, don’t be afraid of being embarrassed. I’m not here to judge.” She pushed the glasses back up, they teetered and slid again.

“I think there’s a reality where all souls go while they’re waiting to be reborn. And we act like Earth is the only place with life, but there’s as good a chance you’ll be born on Earth as you will be reborn on any planet sustaining life. The, I don’t know what word to use, people, I guess. But there were people there who felt so profoundly other, yet we all go to the same place.” Ayanna hadn’t expected to say it so calmly.

What she did not say aloud was, “And maybe the ghost state is just spirits waiting for the people they want to be with to also die. Which means, maybe, Olivia, even if she died, isn’t avoiding me or furious with me but she’s being kind and waiting for me.” And then she thought, No, she’s still alive. But even that thought felt like a lie.

The professor was silent for a long time. Ayanna couldn’t read her expression, but thought her hands were shaking. On the desk was a plant with pink-and-green leaves in a planter designed to look like a greyhound. A stack of books in different languages and different subjects ranging from cave art to mediumship to a history of the Terra Nova expedition. Outside, it was gray and threatening to drizzle. The leaves on the trees around this building were still green and refusing to admit October was fast approaching.

“One of the hard things about running something like this,” Professor Collins finally said, “is people don’t want speculation, but hard data. I’m the type of annoying person who feels most alive when she’s speculating.”

“I’m sorry,” Ayanna said, but felt immediately certain it was the wrong thing to say.

Professor Collins waved it away. “I’m not saying I don’t believe you, or what you’re saying hasn’t given me a lot to think about, but now you’ve given me a new problem. How do we even prove this?”