Chapter 62

Aubrey's POV I pushed open the heavy doors of the medical wing, the sterile scent of antiseptic making my nose twitch. The fluorescent lights above cast harsh shadows across the floor, their constant hum a grating accompaniment to my already frayed nerves. My boots made soft squeaking sounds against the polished tiles as I stepped into the hallway, and I resisted the urge to look back at the room we had just left. I knew what I would see—pristine white sheets drawn up over a still form, medical equipment now silent, the lingering scent of death that no amount of cleaning could mask. A piercing cry shattered the heavy silence. "Tommy! My boy!" The sound hit me like a physical blow as I turned to see Tommy's mother running toward Knox and Logan. Her face was a mask of anguish, brown hair falling from its neat bun, tears already streaming down her cheeks. She was still wearing her gardening clothes—dirt-stained jeans and a faded blue t-shirt—as if she had dropped everything the moment she