“Rita?” I looked in amazement at the woman in front of me. She was wearing a large flowery dress, and the morning light shone on her face like a layer of silvery gauze.

Rita went over to the bed with her plate and said respectfully, “Good Morning, Eva. It's time for your breakfast.”

“Where's Daley?” I asked.

“I don't know,” Rita said, shaking her head as she put her breakfast on the table.

“Daley told me to take good care of you,” she said, picking up a bowl of oatmeal. “Try this oatmeal first. I made it myself.”

She spooned some oatmeal into my mouth, and I turned away. She...