“Not everyone is as strong as you are,” Pamela murmured.

“It’s not about strength,” Jenna said gently. “We’re not in a weightlifting contest here. It’s about what can be done, and how we can help each other to do it.” Why couldn’t they see that? Why did she have to keep repeating it? She loved her work, but there were times when it wearied her, made her feel as if she was fighting a losing battle. This was one of those times. Besides, she had another reason to wish the session was over: tonight, she would see her brother’s face and hear his voice. So would millions of other Americans. Malik was going to be on television, interviewed by Sandra Waters, on her magazine show.

Connie Jenks, a young sound engineer who dressed in high grunge style, raised a hand like a schoolgirl. “Yes, Connie?” said Jenna, although she could have recited what was coming.

“I want to say something,” Connie said. “What it is—what I keep hearing—I mean, it’s like all of you ignore me just because I’m trying to make my marriage work. You act like divorce or jail are the only ways to deal with a man who … has problems. Well, Steve is working on his problems just like we are, and I hope to get back with him once he gets himself straightened out. Which he will. Do you know what he’s been doing? Sending flowers. Twice a week. What about that? Why don’t we talk about that—I mean, about positive things—for a change?”

Jenna managed to sneak a glance at her watch without being caught. “No one is saying problems can’t be worked out,” she told Connie. “But flowers and apologies won’t do it, I promise you. First, he has to admit that he has a problem—his problem, mind you, not something you did or something you made him do. Then he needs to get counseling. Steve’s taken those first steps, and I hope he succeeds. But until you see and hear something very different from what’s been happening for the past three years, it’s best that you take things very, very slowly.”

“You always sound like you know so much about this stuff,” said Polly. “I mean really know. Were you ever with that kind of man?”

Jenna chose her words carefully. “Someone very close to me was. She felt as Pamela does, that her husband had all the power and she had none.” “So how did she handle it?”

“She left him. It was very hard. She took their son and moved to another … state. She changed her name so the husband wouldn’t find her.” “And how did she make out?” Polly demanded. “Is she okay?” “She’s okay. She has a job. It’s working out for her.”

“Another man in her life?”