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you’ll excuse me, I’ll   —”
    “Just a moment, Mrs. Howard. Do you think it’s proper? In your opinion and with your experience, do you think it’s wise to have an untrained employee working so closely with the residents? She’s a janitorial worker, is she not?”
    Miriam nodded, but the woman wasn’t looking at her. “I hired her because she does everything we ask.”
    “She’s not scrubbing toilets and tile, is she? Most of the time she’s engaging patients.”
    “She is the most beloved person on staff. Once we discovered her gift, I didn’t give her as much to clean. We didn’t want to waste her ability.”
    “You’ve supported this because the ends justify the means. If something works, don’t question it   —is that right?”
    “Ms. Millstone, I’m not sure you fully understand what Treha offers.”
    The woman turned to face her. “I understand quite well. There is a liability issue. I’m surprised you haven’t seen that.”
    “Well, that’s absurd. Treha   —”
    “When something happens   —and I mean when   —this facility will be held responsible.”
    “You don’t know her.”
    A glance through the glass again. “I understand you had a dog once. You used it for therapeutic purposes.”
    “Yes. Bailey.”
    “What happened to Bailey?”
    “He grew old. We had to euthanize him.”
    “Not before he bit a child. Visiting a grandparent, as I understand it. How much did that family receive in the out-of-court settlement?”
    “The child was hitting the dog with a cane. Bailey reared back to protect himself and one of his claws scratched the child   —”
    “There was a settlement, wasn’t there?”
    “Yes, we did take responsibility.”
    “And you were vulnerable because you decided taking in this animal was worth the risk.”
    Miriam smiled. “I’m sure you’ve seen the studies. You can’t measure the reparative impact of an animal to . . . Bailey brought life to these halls. Smiles, joy.”
    “Many residents were traumatized. The attack made them question your judgment.”
    Miriam looked at the floor.
    “If he was so therapeutic, why didn’t you replace him?”
    She didn’t answer.
    “The board told you not to bring another animal into the facility, didn’t they? I would think patients deserve a life without ticks and fleas and animals that use the hallway as a restroom. Certainly seeing little children attacked can’t contribute to their long-term well-being.”
    “Ms. Millstone, there is no comparison between Treha and an animal. There is no risk. And there’s no end to the reward she gives.”
    “I was looking through the personnel files. What we know is alarming. And what we don’t know, the unanswered questions   —that’s even more frightening. You obviously didn’t take this into consideration.”
    “I think everyone deserves a chance.”
    “Agreed. And maybe even a second chance. In the proper context. With the proper education and supervision. And she has neither. That makes everyone vulnerable.”
    “You can’t judge someone simply by reading a file.”
    “Isn’t the safety of our residents the primary job? One day this girl will snap. She’s a volcano ready to erupt. There’s no predicting when that will be.”
    Miriam knew this was not the time or place for a battle over Treha. She wanted Millstone to understand, to realize how wrong she was. Perhaps over coffee she could get her to see. With a gentle, soft voice and a slight step forward, she spoke.
    “I’ve learned a lot over the years that I could never learn in a classroom or from a book. Mistakes, yes. Lessons taught by the diminishment of each life. The medical community views individuals as patients to be cured. But when people age, they’re not looking for a cure as much as they are for encouragement to continue. Our work here is not about curing. It’s about the dignity of each person wheeled from breakfast back to their room.”
    Millstone studied her