Chapter 61

Marie’s POV

Nobody's said a real sentence to each other in twenty minutes. Just the vending machine humming, a TV in the corner nobody's watching, a nurse's shoes squeaking past every few minutes. Somewhere down the hall a phone rings twice and stops.

Frank's been pacing the same six feet of tile since we got here, phone in one hand even though nobody's called, jacket still on despite how warm it is in here. Mom's sitting stiff in one of the plastic chairs, both hands wrapped around a cup of coffee she hasn't touched. Luke's leaning against the wall by the doors, dried blood still on his hands, staring at nothing.

I can't sit. I've tried three times. I stand by the window instead, watching the parking lot, watching for a doctor who hasn't come out yet. Every set of headlights makes my chest go tight before I remember it's not going to be him walking in on his own.

"They said someone would