“Do you want to talk about it?” Paula asks. “Sometimes just being able to verbalize our stress and anxiety can help relieve some of the pain.”

“No, that’s okay.”

With both hands Paula takes the mug from Katriina and sets it on the table, then grasps both of Katriina’s hands in hers. “I heard about your mother-in-law,” she says, her voice barely above a whisper. She closes her eyes. “Something like that…I just can’t even imagine what your family must be going through.”

Katriina’s breath catches in her throat. She hasn’t thought about Kate once since she opened her eyes this morning. Her body starts to tremble, and she can feel the blood racing through her veins, as though they are too close to the surface, about to break through. All she wants to do is rip her hands away from Paula and pull on her elastic. Instead, she bites down hard on the inside of her cheek and seconds later feels the soothing warmth of the blood spilling into her mouth, the metallic, tinny taste coating her tongue. She swallows. “Thank you, Paula,” she says with as much sincerity as she can call up. “It has been difficult.”

“I’ve been meditating on something,” Paula says, letting go of Katriina’s hands. “I think we should transfer the Paulsson house to Krista. It’s the only house on your roster. You need some time off to be with your family.”

“No!” Katriina jumps to her feet. “Paula, you can’t.” Krista Shepherd can’t have that house. Krista Shepherd can’t have Claudia.

Paula stands up and wraps her arms around Katriina, hugging her close. “Oh, Katriina. Always so passionate.” She draws away, holding her by the shoulders and staring into her eyes in what Katriina assumes is meant to be a meaningful way. “This is why your clients love you. Because you will work for them through thick and thin. Because you take care of them. But let me ask you this. Who is taking care of Katriina?”

Katriina jams her tongue into the wound on her cheek, and a fresh pain bursts inside her head. She removes her tongue. “I think I take care of myself just fine.”

“Just let us take the Paulsson house off your hands –”

“I sold the Paulsson house.” The words come out before she can stop them.

“You did?” Paula’s face breaks into a broad smile. “That’s wonderful! Who did you sell it to? Why didn’t you tell me?”

“They, uh, just agreed this morning. I still have to finalize it. It was an anonymous buyer. A developer, I think. Yeah, a developer.”