Chapter 43

LILY “Drink this, honey.” Jen hands me a mug of chamomile tea, and I wrap my hands around it so that the heat I usually find soothing warms my palms. But nothing is soothing to me right now. Everything is sharp and jagged and painful. Even breathing hurts. She climbs onto the bed and wraps her arms around me. My head throbs from the constant crying and lack of sleep, and I sniff as another fat tear rolls down my cheek. Jen squeezes me tighter, concern radiating from her. I literally fell into her arms last night when I got here, a drenched sobbing mess. It was a full ten minutes before I could even talk enough to tell her what happened. I glance at my phone again, pathetically hoping for a text or a call to tell me this has all been some awful mistake, but it remains conspicuously silent. “What am I gonna do, Jen?” I suck in a shuddering breath that makes my heart physically ache. “ We are going to go over there and demand they speak to you and tell you what the fuck is going on.” “No.