4
Eventually, my bus arrived.
Before boarding, Ethan exchanged contact
く
information with me. He said he knew a
neurologist and might be able to make an
introduction.
I leaned against the window, lost in thought.
At the studio entrance, I didn’t see my
coworker, Sam, carrying a painting until it
was too late. We collided.
Sam always wore large, dark–rimmed glasses
and avoided eye contact. Only on payday did
he ever say, “Thank you.”
Although he was withdrawn, his paintings
always showed a ray of light, bright and
hopeful.
I picked myself up, hurrying to check on him.
“Are you okay?”
He turned away, quickly carrying his easel
and leaving.
Lily came over to look at my hand. “Your palm is scraped, and you’re worried about
him?”
<
“I was the one who bumped into him,” I said.
Lily found some iodine and cleaned my
wound. “An artist’s hands are their most
precious tools. You should be more careful.”
I chuckled awkwardly.
Lily put away the iodine, then suddenly asked,
“Did your husband give you a hard time
yesterday?”
“Why would he?” I asked.
Lily rolled her eyes.
“Goodness, everyone knows what a jerk Jesse
is! He picked you up yesterday, and you
called him a kidnapper in public–of course
he’d be upset!”
Clearly, Lily disliked Jesse.
I nodded. “We divorced. I initiated it. I just got
back from the courthouse.”
Lily’s eyes widened. After a moment, she
clasped her hands together and prayed,
“Thank goodness! My birthday wish came
く
true!”
“What?” I was confused.
Lily rolled her eyes. “My birthday wish was for
weight loss, wealth, and for Sarah to escape
that nightmare.”
