I shook my head, the motion feeling disconnected from the rest of my body. “No, nothing like that. She’s healthy.
Perfectly healthy.” My voice cracked on the last word, the truth of it too brittle to hold its shape. The second paramedic, a woman with cropped hair and steady hands, glanced at me. “Looks like a possible overdose,” she said quietly to Martinez.
“We’ll get her stabilized and transport.” Jennifer stood there like a statue, every inch of her exuding impatience. As if this entire scene was something I’d blown out of proportion. But I could see it now, the subtle shift in her demeanor, the lack of warmth that had crept in unannounced over the past months.
I’d been too busy, too blind to notice the slow corrosion of our family’s foundation. As they lifted Lily onto the gurney, I followed their movements with a kind of tunnel vision, each second stretching and snapping back like a rubber band. I caught a glimpse of her small form, swathed in the white of the paramedic’s blankets, her skin pale against the fabric.
“Sir?” Martinez’s voice pulled me back. “We’re going to take her to the hospital now. You can ride with us.” I nodded, my throat too tight for words.
I needed to be with her. To feel her heartbeat close, to reassure myself that it was still there. Jennifer’s voice reached me as I turned to leave.
“Daniel, you’re making a big deal out of this. She’ll be fine.” I paused, the weight of her words hitting me like a physical blow. Turning to face her, I saw a stranger where my wife should have been.
What happened next changed everything… FULL STORY on the next page.
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