even. She worked through lunch, through the afternoo

ssion growing more worried with each deliv

, Zoe. Th

s building something, piece by piece, an

four in the aftern

mes before answering, her ey

s time, frayed at the edges. "I... I'm sorry t

ylus. She leaned back i

ink it affected the baby. I'm at the Lennox Hill private clinic. Denny brought me in. An anxiety attack, they said, and possib

ic beep of a hospital monitor in the backgrou

m up. He's been with me all night, here at the clinic. His

edle, placed with

r stylus and tapped

ed. "I have a document that requi

ears, accusations, the messy explosion of a

e remained level, professional, utterly indifferent. "I'm glad you're feeling better

tretch, let Brittany

have such a devoted brother-in-law. Denny alw

ations. Not love. Not passion. Just duty, just burden, just

had lost its performative w

a meeting. Take care of yourself, Brittan

call and set d

oorway. "Dr. Byrd, i

n who had worked beside her for three years without ever q

assessment of the Stardust Project. Budget allocation,

ive, a charitable technology program that the research division ha

. May I as

We're going to audit it. Thoroughly. A

ing would include an emergency agenda item, added by special request of the Chief Technology

nvoke family, invoke grief, invok

would