ed, her voice terrifyi
. She looked at Iris with a mixture of pity and concern. "Why are you here all alone? It's the middle of
hed up with her good hand and touched her chee
nted to her swollen hand, offering a fra
o Iris's other arm, adjusting the flow rate carefully. She tucked the thin, scratchy hospital bla
he ward, Iris stared blankly at
actually enough to make her cry. She had endured fa
ully constructed walls of strength had finally shattered. The kindness of a str
eatest need, Jayson had abandoned her to run to Fawn. Whether it was a flat tire, a fam
point a long time ago; she j
gside Jayson, relying on him after her parents died, and the last eight years loving
all that youthful infatuation, had
ightless, yet every drop felt like a thousand pounds smashing in
tment for a lifetime. The bucket was
ris reached for her phone on the bedside table. She opened her chat with Jayson. The last messa
keyboard for a second befor
s bre
to dissolve into hysterical sobs, to feel the world ending. Instea
o words, like stepping out of a suffocating
s, fell into a deep, dreamless sleep, the steady beep
er broke and her vitals stabilized, she checked herself o
ic doors just sliding open to reveal the bright afternoon sun,
Her uncle's family had taken her in, and ever since, she had lived
e, her tone flat. "Au
our cousin Anthony isn't happy with his current job. He got into a huge fight with his boss yesterday and quit
nior manager position will do for now. You and Jayson are getting married next month anywa
voice was cut off by Iri
Jayson. We are no
uld almost hear the gears grinding in Patty's head b
pouting?" Patty shrieked. "Are you just making up lies because you don
ckles turning white. "No. Jayson and I are
ou with Anthony
demands for an explanation, Iris hung
ide. Everywhere she looked, the space suffocated her. The expensive modern art, t
d to be here for another second. Every breath
he closet and began to pack. Her mov
es, a few books, and her laptop. She left behind all the expensive jewelry, the designer bags
r uncle's house into the dorms, and later rented her
ed she move in, claiming he wanted to take care of her. She had given up her lease, t
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