nearly took her life, Charlotte was

edical bills by borrowing money, des

leave, the doctor walked in

se, pick up these medications on your wa

it, then glance

l frame, her face pale, her eyes distant-l

l neve

on

about her condition. Not ev

," the doctor

ked up

rmed you that you'll need to co

ld her-bu

least, fine enough. So

she said nothing. If there was something bein

she could surv

d softly, sniffing as she held ba

. You're f

he doctor tu

rd to help her, but she

ay. I c

dn't

they stood by the road

me," Fernandez said firml

e shook

chael... I need answers. A

bborn. He didn't come for three weeks

dn't r

ised her hand a

t pay the fare

he end, he gave in. He told t

ured as she got in. "

de was

the window, her visio

ents she once cherished, now

ars of

and nothing

ven a

ightened i

. she h

always

slowed t

tte lo

fore her-unchanged,

o

lcom

r legs weak beneath her. F

e shouldn't

The security let he

he house

qu

chael might be upstairs, but then she he

lowed the sound, brown arch

ed the d

fr

ra

el's

ere like sh

, Charlotte

orah t

harlotte, filled with

she sneered. "Who let thi

's chest

something was wrong about you. H

h la

ng." She folded her arms. "If I were

" Michael's voice

e's hear

as h

na

, Norah suddenly cried out

ael, help me! She's tr

e's eyes

a

ng Charlotte aside as he

Are you okay?" h

baby," Norah whimpered,

ba

hoed in Char

unned-unable to spe

ael snapped, turning to her. "A

he could

l

snapped t

heek

didn't

s used

thing I'll regret. There's nothing between u

tightened as she s

l..." she whispered. "And n

urred he

Is it because I coul

other voi

otte

mo

ed. "You've ruined him already.

ks," Charlotte said, her voice

died," his sist

otte

...?" she

ped. "We would have buried

he sister poin

te didn

Michael, hoping, wai

.. witho

r knees. "I still want you. I can chan

n't even l

ulled Norah i

as her

re," his mother said, g

agged h

ew her

r slamm

where she stood, her

hing w

ryt

ye

er still cl

fused to

t her back and take her in,

anything else, because he's moth