Chapter 5 - Caroline
Caroline arrived looking furious enough to fight the building.
Then she saw me.
The fury disappeared.
She sat down.
“Who?”
“Judith.”
“What did she do?”
“Pushed me.”
Caroline closed her eyes.
Then:
“Where’s Graham?”
“Outside.”
“Why?”
“The doctor made him leave.”
She nodded.
“Good.”
I expected:
I told you.
It never came.
Instead:
“What do you need?”
“Take me home with you.”
“Yes.”
“No Graham.”
“Yes.”
“No Judith.”
“Yes.”
I showed her the portal cancellations.
She stared.
“He did this?”
“He had authorized access.”
“That isn’t what I asked.”
No.
I looked at my splinted wrist.
“He canceled them.”
Caroline leaned back.
Then said:
“You know I’m not going to tell you what to do next, right?”
That surprised me.
“You usually love telling me what to do.”
“Not tonight.”
For years, Graham had convinced me Caroline’s directness was control.
Sometimes it was.
May you like
But in the hospital, she gave me exactly what I had stopped receiving at home.
Choice.
