sia

sitting on the porch steps of my mother's house, the ai

three times be

ed with a practiced, hollow sorro

d not

ent?" he asked, a hint of his

y mother'

I know." He paused. "Look, Isabella is a wreck. She's blaming herself

flat line, stripped of all e

ing sobs. "Ally, I am so, so sorry. I never meant for this to happen. Caes

me shifted. From her aggres

added, her voice gaining a sliver of strength. "To

"It was a tragic accident,

wasn't vaccinated," I sai

e. "Isabella is meticulous about her dog. You mus

lm you'd use on a hysterical child. "Listen to me. I know this is hard

you. That's

ung

his number. Blo

. The life I had fought so hard to be worthy of, the man I'd mistaken for my

old on to. Only an empty ho