me two weeks later. It was a

?" she asked, her voi

es

n in an accident. She was hit by a car.

surged through me. I dropped my tools, jumped into my truck, an

Her leg was in a temporary cast, elevated on a pillow. Her face

higher and it would have shattered her kneecap. A few feet further into the road and... well. She's going

I said, the word

She was awake, her eyes

sty," she

table and helped her drink. She looked at me, real

ad

ce I didn't expect. For a brief second, the ice around my hea

distance I had fought so hard to create was a shield. I couldn

lly," I said, my voice colder than I intended. "In an emergency, you need to

e small flicker of co

ital-appropriate attire; she was in a cocktail dress, her hair

oes it hurt? I brought you your favorite teddy bear and some candy!" She produced a giant gummy

r, Nicole. Not

Molly, fussing over her blanket. She was more concerned with playing the part of the worried mother than the reality of the situation. The do

s a stranger to her own daughter's needs, a

ry," I said, my voice flat. "Her

er of panic in her eyes.

This has nothin

aving her to deal with the consequences