Leah
Morning came thin and gray, like the world had been washed out overnight.
Olivia’s couch had left a crease in my cheek and an ache in my spine. I lay still for a moment, listening to the quiet sounds of her apartment, the distant rush of traffic, the soft clink of something in the kitchen. My body felt heavy, but my mind was too awake. Too aware.
Hospital. Dad. Lizzie.
I sat up slowly and checked my phone.
No new messages.
A sharp little sting of disappointment hit anyway, even though I should have expected it. My mother didn’t call unless she needed something. Daniel didn’t reach out unless it was to tell me where to stand and how to behave. Jacob would be with Bella’s grandparents, managing logistics with the kind of efficiency he always reserved for things he could control.
