Jill had heard that people’s mouths fell open when they were stunned, but had never seen it until now. When Alex closed her mouth, her body seemed to deflate. Her shoulders slumped inward and Jill swore she shrank at least four inches. Jill had seen her own eyes in the mirror for many years, so she recognized the look of defeat in Alex’s. The warm brown eyes she’d come to love were filled with a deep sadness. Alex looked into Jill’s eyes for several seconds, before she stood. Without a word, she turned and left her own office.
Jill wanted to drop to her knees and throw up the bile that churned in her stomach. She looked around the office, trying to memorize every detail of the place that had given her so much comfort. She went to where Alex’s coat was hanging and pulled it from the hook.
