On the writing desk was her notebook and pen, and she flipped to an open page to jot down a quick note to self: Tell people you appreciate them more. Her mother’s words, and Paul’s, had settled over her like a thin film, full of implications she was only beginning to confront. And she shuddered to think of what was happening back on the boat, the clipped conversations between Guy and Paul after his lunchtime disappearance. It was an area in which she felt uniquely unequipped to help him, especially with his constant evasion of the deeper questions. But then, she thought, he probably felt the same about her and Danial, tapping on the glass of their insular dynamic from outside.

Eager for a distraction, Alex walked over to the nightstand, grabbing her computer and flicking it open. She pulled up her email inbox and immediately began sorting through the accumulated messages. It wasn’t a solution to any of her problems, but it was vaguely productive, ensuring her return to work would be slightly less daunting. She sat cross-legged on the starchy bed, setting her laptop on her thighs as she scrolled.

It was reassuring to see the buzzing activity of the team she’d left for this trip. They were very competent when left to their own devices, and she had the warm thought that she should let her chicks fly the nest a little more often. As she dragged the emails under various labels along the side of her inbox, a calm began to settle over her: things may have been going very wrong here, but back home, she knew what she was doing.

At the top of her inbox, a new email appeared, a personal note from Congressman Stephens. Her heart fluttered, as he almost never emailed her directly, and she immediately clicked to open it.

Subj: HCP video

Alex, love the video on Horace – awesome research.

My staffers and I met this morning to discuss turning this into a series on PE and labor rights. Do you have the bandwidth when you get back? Let me know if you want to hop on a quick call to discuss.

Carter

She expelled the breath she didn’t realize she was holding, marking the email as unread and sorting it into its proper folder. This was something she would have to deal with soon, possibly even before she got back, but not right now. She closed out of her email, shutting the laptop and placing it on her nightstand, turning off the small lamp perched next to it. Her body seemed to fall of its own volition into a sleeping position, willing her to take a long overdue nap.

After a few minutes, the air conditioner clicked on, creating a gentle humming sound that willed Alex further into sleep. She considered getting under the blankets, but her body already felt too heavy, eyes already fluttering to a close.