At 10:03, the phone rang.
A hospital.
Margaret had been in an accident.
Emily’s hands went numb.
She grabbed Noah and ran.
She arrived at the hospital alone.
The nurse asked:
“Are you her daughter?”
“Yes.”
“Is there another adult we can contact?”
Emily opened her mouth.
No answer came.
She had no father.
No siblings.
No family nearby.
Then she remembered a number.
Not one she had called before.
A number she had never forgotten.
Her fingers trembled as she dialed.
Lorenzo answered on the second ring.
“Emily?”
She couldn’t speak.
He immediately knew something was wrong.
“What happened?”
“My mom.”
“Where are you?”
She told him.
“Stay there.”
Twenty minutes later, three black vehicles arrived.
Lorenzo stepped out.
For the first time, Emily saw fear in someone’s face when they looked at her.
Not fear of her.
Fear for her.
He walked inside.
“Where’s your brother?”
