“Soon. I’m still processing this latest vision shift for the worse. Every little bit I lose always catches me by surprise. It could improve again for a little while, but I’m not counting on it.”

“Will you lose all your sight?”

“I have no way of knowing.”

“Tell your family.”

Worry carved creases at the corners of her eyes. “I will, but promise me you won’t tell anyone.”

“As long as I know you and Bella are safe, I’ll keep my mouth shut. But if I think you’re in trouble, I can’t promise what I’ll say.”

“I’m asking you to keep this secret. You’ll be gone soon, but I’ll have to find a way to live this new life with these people.”

“And I’m telling you, I will unless you or Bella are in danger.”

“You don’t get to dictate terms to me. You either keep the secret or you don’t.” Dani folded her arms over her chest and stared out her window. “I’d thought you’d be on my side.”

“I am.”

“Doesn’t sound like it.”

“If I didn’t care, we wouldn’t be having this discussion.”

“Thank you for driving me today, but we’re just old high school friends now. Neither of us owes the other anything.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE IVY

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

IVY

Monday, January 24, 2022, 1:00 p.m.

When Ivy pulled into Dani’s driveway, a moody silence filled the car. They sat, neither moving until Ivy asked, “What can I do?”

“Nothing,” Dani said. “It’s not a fixable problem. But I’ll figure it out.”

“If you need anything . . .”

Dani reached for the door’s handle. “Just keep my secret. I’ll take care of the rest.”

“I mean it. I will help you.”

“Got it.”

Ivy’s grand exit twelve years ago had earned Dani’s reticence. She might never fix the damage she’d done, but she could try. “Come see the pups anytime.”

“Will do.” Dani closed the door and walked toward her house.

For the first time, Ivy really paid attention to the way Dani moved and noticed the slight hesitancy in her steps, as if she were feeling her way along the ground, using touch to supplement her fading sight. When Dani opened the door, she didn’t wave or smile before vanishing inside. Ivy backed out onto the street, wondering how she’d deal if her world were slowly going dark.

Twenty minutes later she pulled into her driveway and rushed up the stairs. Libby barked, and Ivy dashed to the kitchen island and dropped her keys and purse. “Miss Libby, I’m sorry.”