“I know.” Mrs. M’s voice cracked, stumbled. “Just love her. Be there for her. That’s all there is. Believe me, I’ve cried and argued and bargained with God, I’ve begged the doctors for hope. All that’s past now. She’s most worried about the kids. Marah especially. They’ve had such a rough go of it—well, you know about that—and Marah seems to have shut down for all of this. No tears, no drama. All she does is listen to music.”

They walked back out to the waiting room, only to find everyone gone.

Mrs. M. looked at her watch. “They’re in the cafeteria. You want to join us?”

“No, thanks. I think I need some fresh air.”

Mrs. M. nodded. “It’s good to have you back, Tully. I missed you.”

“I should have taken your advice and called her.”

“You’re here now. That’s what matters.” She patted Tully’s arm and walked away.

Tully went outside, surprised to find that it was light out here, warm and sunny. It seemed vaguely wrong that the sun was still shining while Kate lay up in that narrow bed, dying. She walked down the street, her watery eyes hidden behind huge, dark sunglasses so that no one would recognize her. The last thing she wanted now was to be stopped.

She passed a coffee shop, heard a bit of music waft through the door as someone came out. Bye, bye, Miss American Pie.

Her legs gave out on her, and she went down, hard, scraping her knees on the concrete sidewalk, but she didn’t notice, hardly cared, she was crying so hard. She’d never felt so swollen with emotion; it was as if she couldn’t handle it all. Fear. Sorrow. Guilt. Regret.

“Why didn’t I call her?” she whispered. “I’m so sorry, Katie,” she said, hearing the hollow desperation in her voice, feeling sick that now the words came so easily, when it was too late to matter.

She didn’t know how long she knelt there, her head bowed, sobbing, thinking of all their times together. It was a bad part of Capitol Hill, full of homeless people, so no one stopped to help her. Finally, feeling spent and shaky, she climbed back to a standing position and stood there, feeling as if she’d been beaten up. The music took her back in time, reminded her of so many shared moments. Swear we’ll always be best friends.

“Oh, Katie . . .”

And she was crying again. Quieter this time.

She walked dully up one street and down another until something in one of the display windows caught her eye.

There, in a store on the corner, she found what she hadn’t even realized she’d been looking for. She had the gift wrapped and ran all the way back to Kate’s room.