“Today was a good day for her. Many days are good. Some days are bad. The doctor says the progression varies. I think it was a good day for her today because you were here.”

“You could have told me. I would have come home.”

“That’s why we didn’t tell you. Grandmother insisted. We both knew you would drop your studies to be here. 寶貝, your life will always be more important than ours.”

“No it won’t.” I brought my knees to my chest, hugged them close.

“You should be glad you stayed at school. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have found Meng.”

My eyes blurred.

“But . . .” I did not have the words. They had been so careful about maintaining their physical health. How unfair that her mind would betray her when it was so quick, so good at learning and adapting.

“How are you feeling?” I asked.

The question surprised him. I was grateful he didn’t brush it off and insist he was fine, grateful he seriously considered his own well-being.

“Well. I feel a bit like how you might feel coding. You’ve felt it, haven’t you?” He was hovering somewhere between his grandfather voice and his professor voice. “How desperate you get when you’re refactoring and breaking the problem down into smaller pieces and the computer still refuses to understand. How very human and small you feel then.”

I knew the feeling well. I grabbed hold of his hand. If I said anything, I knew I’d cry, so I held it together, for both of us.

“Is that why no Arby’s?” I asked eventually.

He nodded.

“She says it’s too far. She’s been getting nervous whenever she is far from home.”

“But you went to the train station to get me today.”

“She insisted.”

And I felt horrible all over again. The things she would do for me, if not for herself.

“You will see her writing,” he said. “She is trying to write something for Meng, before she forgets. You’ve given her something to hold on to.”

“But even if we can get her and Meng to meet, she might not remember.”

“Her family has always relied more on written words than talk.”

I could not think of anything else to say.

“Sleep for now,” he said gently. “We can speak more tomorrow. You must be tired.”