The shopping bag feels heavier than normal.
I know I'm carrying more than a pair of earrings.
When we arrive home, Graziela drags me upstairs with an enthusiasm that surprises me.
“My God, what's the emergency?” I grumble.
Her laughter echoes down the hallway as she pulls me along impatiently.
“Let me be happy at your expense!”
She laughs, locking the bedroom door behind us.
The moment we're alone, she exhales deeply.
“You know, my friend, while I was in the hospital, drifting in and out of consciousness, I thought about you.”
She smiles softly.
“I knew I was safe there because you would protect me while I was away from that house.”
Her expression darkens.
“When I woke up and saw a man sitting beside me, I swear what little faith and sanity I had left nearly shattered. I can't
