her feet up the rotting wooden stairs of the Queens a

her expensive wool coat. Her fingers we

rned it twice, and pushed the heavy metal

, dimly lit living room and pu

et down the brown paper bag containing bagels an

lchair tires rolling over rough w

brother, Charles, pushed his wheelc

ly onto the incredibly expensive cashmere coat Essie

Essie's messy hair and the smudged

his wheelchair. The veins on the backs o

hell were you all night?" he fo

rboards. "The ER was short-staffed. I had to pull an ove

ill bottle off the small cabinet ne

wallpaper with a loud crack and bounced

yelled. "The ER doesn't let you show up

enom. "You're just a gold dig

hest heaving. "You have zero s

eing crushed by an invisible fist. The pain radiat

forward, picking up the hot paper cup of coffee, and

lently. His hand smacked

hot coffee splashed directly

a furious, ang

own liquid rapidly spread

grabbed her burned hand, cradling it against h

se and fell rapidly. "I would rather die than use the

it around violently. The rubber tires rolled

m and slammed the door shut. The impact sho

middle of the wrecked living room. H

heap paper towels and began wiping the coffee off th

ny kitchen sink. She turned on the faucet and held he

t her pale, exhausted face in th

off the water, walked to her room, and pulled o