Melissa nodded. “My point is that I was raised to be afraid of a boogeyman but nothing real. But Liz and whatever all of this is? I’m afraid of that. When I left Ohio, I told myself I wouldn’t let my upbringing ruin my life, so I promised myself that I wouldn’t be afraid anymore, especially of things I couldn’t see. Well, I can see this, and for that reason, I’m out.”

She turned to leave, and I scrambled to stand, knocking my chair to the side. It clattered as the metal hit our concrete patio. “Wait, please.” I held a hand in the air.

Stop. Please. Listen.

I had a momentary flashback to when my parents and I tried to convince June to go to rehab the last time. We had gathered for an intervention, and she took one look at the room and tried to run out. We knew if she left, it would all be over. She died three days later.

I couldn’t let Melissa leave.

Melissa stopped and crossed her arms over her chest, eyebrows raised. Jess remained seated, her mouth pressed together in a tight line that I knew was holding back everything she wanted to say. A physical indication of how badly she wanted to tell me that I was wrong. That I was being selfish to want them to stay. That this was more about my own fears than fears for Liz. Part of me was afraid she was right.

“Mavis murdered her family because she was alone, isolated. She didn’t have anyone. She didn’t have us. You guys.” I looked from Jess to Melissa, but their faces were impenetrable. “You guys—including Liz—saved me. Just knowing you guys were nearby, knowing that you guys understood, has saved my life. Your support, whether overt or quiet, has made me a better person, friend, wife, mother.”

Jess’s face softened, but Melissa’s remained stony. One down.

I continued. “I don’t talk about it much, but I need to. I was destroyed when June died. I couldn’t forgive her, or myself. It devastated my parents and made me doubt that there was good in the world. It made me feel helpless, alone, and afraid. But when we moved here, something changed. Your friendship made me realize that there were good things in the future. That life could be weird, funny, spontaneous.” I twisted my hands in my lap. “You guys brought me back to life.”

Jess looked down, and I realized she had begun to cry. Melissa’s face relaxed, but she wasn’t convinced.

“Our friendship, the four of us, means more to me than you guys could ever imagine. I know that other people see us and wish they had what we have. No one has what we do.”

Melissa’s eyes remained fixed on mine, and I saw a flash of emotion behind them.