r. The floor bucked beneath us. The

her small body f

face white with panic. His eyes darted be

er returned

rl he called

n't he

sy into his arms, and turned t

ay. Debris rained down. A heavy piece of drywall struck my s

y vision was Ethan, shielding Daisy with his

. He left

a machine. I was in a hospital bed. My arm was in a

s al

iet. I followed the signs for the pediatric wing. At the end of

through t

lloons filled every corner. Daisy was propped up on a p

ere wa

into her mouth. He wiped a drip from her chin with a napkin,

e sunflower," he murmur

heir eyes wet with tears. They were a family. A happy

the forgot

he playground. She had been five. She had fallen from the swings. Ethan, only a tee

k with concern as he carried her all the way home. "

bandage, and sat with her for an hour, te

e would alway

en. The protection was for someone else now. A bitter, acidic jealousy filled my

had faile

was still