ess fog. A dull, throbbing pain was centered in her head, a relentless drumbeat ag

ome b

at her. "You gave us a bit of a scare. You have a mild concussion and some s

her without meaning. Lucky. The word felt like a joke. She felt n

" she asked, her

ter eight in

he hadn't come. He hadn't even called. The last ember of hope, the one she hadn't e

t waiting

devoid of emotion. She pushed herself up, ignori

n't. The doctor wants to keep you for observation for at l

rgument. She swung her legs over the side of the bed, the thin

e in Alicia's eyes. "Alright. But you'll have t

d stiffly out of the room. The hospital corridor was quiet, smelling of floor wax a

ast night. Can you believe my luck? The insurance pa

king on a man in a cheap suit, grinning into his phone. M

r gut. It was the same casual cruelty, the same utter disregard for a life intertwined with his o

is smile faltering as he saw the look on

ck her hand an

hoed. The man staggered back, his phone clattering to the floor. He stared a

but the pain was grounding

iece of scum," she said, her voice low and sha

rned and walked away, her back straigh

r like a physical blow. It hurt her eyes, but it also burned away the last of th

Her thumb scrolled past Julian's name, past the call log that showed his unanswered c

I heard about the accident! Are you okay? I've been c

ice eerily calm. "I need a divorce

rp intake of breath, a sound of pure shock. But her

d efficient. "I'll have a list of names and the

Alicia said

yellow cab. It pulled up to t

inside, the worn vinyl of t

at her in the rearview mirror, his eyes li

thouse on the Upper East Side. The pla