Leo shook his head. He looked fevered. “This makes it all worth it,” he said. “Otherwise…” He sighed and his face changed. He looked out the window again and became circumspect.

Susan hated it when people became circumspect. It was always accompanied by silence, and she always felt compelled to fill that silence. But this time, Leo spoke first.

“Go ahead and say it,” he said.

He was right. If she didn’t say it, he would, and they both knew that if he said it, she’d never be able to forgive him. Her face flushed with heat. “I think we should break up,” Susan said.

Leo touched her cheek, and she gazed into his ice-blue eyes. She wanted to lean into his hand, to let him wrap his hand around her skull and pull her into him, but she didn’t.

His hand lowered to her shoulder and he adjusted the strap of her sling. “Okay,” he said.

Okay?

Just like that?

Leo leaned close to her and kissed her lightly on the cheek. His lips were cool and soft. She heard him mumble something, but the bandage on her ear muffled what he’d said.

“What?” she asked.

He took a step back and smiled.

“I didn’t hear you,” Susan said. She pointed at her ear. “The bandage.”

“It’s nothing,” Leo said.

He turned and walked toward the door, leaving Susan standing by the window. She opened her mouth to say something, but nothing came out.

Leo was halfway across the room when he stopped.

Susan’s heart leapt. He was having second thoughts. He was going to turn around and profess his love for her, offer to make it work whatever it took.

“Can I have a caramel apple?” Leo said, pointing at the rolling tray.

Susan’s eyes went to the plate of caramel apples Bliss had laid out. “Help yourself,” she said.

Leo picked up an apple by its Popsicle stick, leaving some caramel on the wax paper where the apple had been, and he left her.

Chapter 47

CHAPTER

47

The first thing Archie saw when he opened his eyes was a beautiful angel. She was dressed all in white, her silvery wings spread out behind her, and a gold halo hovered over her chestnut hair. Her round, sweet face was peaceful, and a gentle smile played on her rosebud lips. Her eyes were on the word search book she had in her lap.

“Hey, kiddo,” Archie whispered hoarsely to his daughter.

Sara’s eyes brightened and as she hopped out of the chair, her halo bobbed up and down on the wire that attached it to her head of brown hair. “Daddy’s awake!” she announced, as she scrambled to his bedside.