via

eart felt like it had been re

cold. But at least it

hospital in her stead. He stood by the door like a sentinel, brin

large for the vase and sat in the chair by the window, checking

afternoon, his eyes fixed on a

better,"

imply nodded, tapped out a rep

ence was easier to sto

. My legs were still weak, trembling slightly under the hospital gown, but I n

when I

ack to me. He wasn't looking at his phone. He was

ade my stomach turn. It was the look of a sta

violent motion, he ri

e pieces into his pocket, his shoulde

rs opened, and S

he walked straight up to him. They didn't see

e was low, but in the quiet hospital corridor, it carried

bout the child!

e and lowered his voice, grabb

s money. I would give it all up. I would sign over the comp

ath hi

Hearing it was different than knowing it. Knowing it

rrified. She pul

"You're obsessed with a versio

ran back into

looked like a man who had just w

led out the torn pieces of the photograph. He tried to fit them back to

d and walked b

d picked up a business magazine Jennings had

my IV. She was young, chatty, and

, checking my vitals. "He's been here ev

e, leaning in like w

lmost dropped out of Harvard to take care of that woman when she had her first scar

d at th

oice steady. "It so

ovie. The obstacle. The rich

gazine with a d

to rewrite