the soft, rhythmic beeping of a machine. My eye

The first person

bed, looking pale and fragile. Sh

ake. You gave us

ced with a concern tha

is face etched with worry. But

ulder. "Liv, are you okay? You shoul

used to reserve only for me. It was like watching a movie

welling up. "I'm fine, Liam. I w

ned slightly. "Chloe, why did you go out last night

stakable. It wasn't a question

air, and felt a cold numbness spread through me. I didn'

watch

r waist. I watched as he smoothed her hair back from her face.

you, Liam," I sai

w, Chloe. The doctor said you're sufferi

ted. "We need

his eyes were fixed on Olivia, who was swaying s

here, in front of me. He was choo

ments hurried, like he was escaping. The door clicked shut, leav

thrown himself forward, scraping his arm badly on the rocks to catch me. He'd bled all over his shirt, but

as that

oom was a stranger. A stranger who lo

it was over. The love he had for me, the all-consuming, life-d

from my thoughts. It was

r, he's been drinking for hours. He's a me

rt, felt a flicker of something. R

hould have hung up and sta

of the hospital against medical

m wasn't drinking. He was arguing with Olivia in hushed, frantic ton

r, hiding beh

t now, Liv," Liam was sayi

s sharp, no longer the fragile whisper fro

at shattered the last rema

egnant,

then horror, then a desperate, overwhelming concern

urt? We need to get you

the booth. He didn't look happy. He looked terrifi

arm protectively around Olivia, his face

c wake. I got back in my cab and told the driver to fol

s the street, the meter running, and watche

orange, colors that seemed to mock the black and gray of my soul. I