Drowning In Betrayal: Watch Me Shine Now

s vein. She pulled her knees to her chest on the narrow emergency room bed. Her stom

down with her free hand and pulled the thin white hospital blanket up to her chin. The mo

tification center was completely empty. Not a single text message. Not even a generic 'Happy Birthday'

Mother. Amanda stared at the bright letters for two seconds. Her stomach

y hello. Her voice

of your arm and get to

ges of the phone. Her

er voice shook from the lack of energy. "The d

edith was clicking her tongue against her teeth. It w

ays fake an illness on Billie's important day

chest felt like it had been

rrying a tray of fresh IV bags. Ama

da said. "I have been t

at the Long Island estate in thirty minutes, I

lower lip. The metallic tast

birthday too,

three seconds. Then Meredith's v

ie's biological father's death. You do not get to

swelled, but she forced the tears down. She p

g to pick me up

," Meredith said. "He is helping B

folded in half. She dropped her head t

oises," Meredith snapped. "Thir

eaker. Amanda let her arm drop. The phone slipped from her

stepped into the cubicle. Sh

ng for the pain, hon

ability drained out of her eyes,

ical tape on her right hand. She ripped it back in one fa

ncy call button on the wall. "Honey, stop! I am calling security if you do not put that d

grabbed a handful of cotton swabs from the bedside table and pressed them hard against the

the cold linoleum floor. The room spun. Black spots danced in her vision. She grabbed t

a quiet thank you. She peeled the backing off and sl

. The line rang. And rang. Every empty tone chipp

ll con

reathy laugh of a woman came through the speaker. Amanda went

m about now?" Julio asked. His

reath. She pushed th

aid. Her voice was completely fl

ible," Julio sai

ospital in ten minutes, the en

e other end seemed to vani

sed through his teeth. H

plastic water bottle from the tray and took a massive gulp. The ice-cold

t her designer handbag. Her fingers brushed against the expensive leat

isgust rolled th

to snap the metal ring, and tossed it straigh

e pulled her heavy coat tightly around her sh

pushed the heavy double doors of the emergen