ns apartment. She frantically dabbed thick layers of c

er head, making absolutely sure the fabric covered Kier

walked out into the freezing New York

ergency room were blinding. Essie pushed a metal m

ssively. It didn't stop. She pulled it out just e

ety. She thumbed the mute button, silencing the vibration, and shov

ted spinning wildly. The ear-piercing wail of an

n. Paramedics rushed in, pushin

uare Park. They pushed his wheelchair over! He took a hard fall, multiple lacerations, suspe

he grabbed a stack of sterile gauze and ran alo

l lights. Essie looked down at the patient groan

om her fingers and hit the li

s Cha

er ears. Her knees buckled, and she grabbed the edge of

ding doctor barked, snapping

pack of gauze, her hands shaking violently, and pressed it ha

as half-conscious, spitting out slurred,

daging before Charles's vitals stabilized.

ded. She peeled off her blood-splattered isol

s was awake. He was propped up against the p

harge papers, and grabbed a spare folding tra

ed him into the chair and pushed him out

ere empty and freezing. Essie raised he

ded wheelchair into the trunk. Essie carefu

ined Queens asphalt. Charles hissed in p

n, purple face. "Why?" she asked, her voice tre

dirty window. He was silent for a long time.

k before-when they were kids, when their mother's boyfriend w

said, his voice cracking. "After what I said to

e fr

hat I can't do anything about it. And I hate myself for taking your money when I know where it

n cheek, cutting a clean pa

were laughing. Calling you a whore who sells herself. And I thought-I tho

ht to the chest. A tidal wave of suffocating g

ently spilled over her eyelashes, dropping onto her knees. She gri

ent building. Essie paid the driver. She

up. 50 missed c

here quietly, lik