Jarv

es, a sterile abacus counting down minutes o

seized; it felt as though I had sw

into a cab, rasped the address, and collapsed in the b

e up

ing the floor. Just the rhythmic, ind

my movements sluggish. My fingers were bruised

led C

g four

el

n't Co

y voice was a wreck,

He's so stressed. You really shouldn't have caused

ipping the plastic receiver u

ave a meeting with the florist. For the ga

hung

listening to the dial t

this rage was cold. It was absolute zero, freez

lowed by a warm trickle as blood dripped onto the pr

dn't

es and walked out of the roo

Medical Advice!" a nurse called out from

" I rasped, and kept wal

b back to t

elled overwhelmingly of li

bouquet of white lilies in a crystal vase. He looked

ed. "Jenna? The hosp

d

I stepped back, putting a clear

t," I

as guilt or inconvenience, I couldn't tell. "I didn't kno

r wasn't a mistake, Cor

t you had your pen. I knew you could handle

I said, my voice gaining a steely

dened. "Watc

t a di

in the air, h

us sound. "You can't divorce me. We are

tch

ne he used to manipulate board members. "I'm trying to make it up to yo

ropped. "Wha

aid. "For her art therapy.

nd

udio has the

in my chest. "That is my work.

turing to the empty shelves. "I saw the box

ntique. It's built into th

pecialists

came from do

ra

own the corridor,

oak workbench-the organ where my father had taught me

splin

de of the desk, exposing the ra

bing the arm of one of t

man said, looking nervous.

who had followed me

This was my soul they were dragging across the flo

empty room that would soon be filled w

na," he said softly. "Iva

naled

sk caught on the doorframe and

like a bo

n't s

eing hauled away to the trash, while my hu