Page 80

“She insisted she wouldn’t let me touch them until she was certain that Sophie was going to be okay.”
“I was driving. If anything?—”
“Sophie is going to be okay,” Addie said, unable to say anything else. Tears filled her eyes again.
“We’re here if you need us,” Madeline said.
Addie swallowed, the words catching in her throat. She gave them a quick nod, then turned away, not trusting herself to speak.
“You should check out your cuts,” Addie said. “You need to make sure they don’t getinfected, and have someone check if you’re bleeding internally.”
Addie walked away. She watched from across the prep room as Giselle slipped on her gloves. Giselle’s face was set. Addie clenched her hands, her breathing shallow. She wanted to say something, but the words stuck in her throat, useless.
She was about to head for the viewing gallery when she spotted Josephine walking toward her.
“Josephine…” she said.
“Give it a rest, Addie.” Josephine hugged her.
Addie held on tight. She desperately needed it.
“Breathe, Addie,” Josephine said, squeezing her tightly. “You’ve got to be strong.”
Addie sniffled. “You’re leaving Sophie’s surgery to Giselle? She can’t?—”
Josephine leaned back, her eyes steady and unyielding. “Addie, if you want the best chance for your daughter, you’ll let Giselle do her job.”
Addie’s mouth opened, ready to argue, but Josephine’s expression stopped her cold.The authority in Josephine’s eyes was different, colder than usual. Addie had never seen her like this.
“If you interfere now, anything that happens will be on you. Is that what you want?”
Addie stared at her, stunned, her heart pounding harder. “She’s my daughter, Josephine. I need to trust?—”
“Then trust me,” Josephine interrupted. “You know Giselle is the best. And for the record, Addie, she cares about Sophie. Don’t let this…personal thing cloud what you know to be true.”
Addie swallowed, her frustration clashing with the truth Josephine had thrown at her. She managed a quick nod, and Josephine didn’t say more before she turned back to the other staff.
Addie took a shaky breath and moved toward the viewing gallery, a knot forming in her chest. When she arrived, she found Madeline standing just inside, her gaze locked on the OR. Addie joined her, her eyes fixed on the sterile, bright room below.
“Where’s Alex?”
“Getting her cuts checked,” Madeline said.
“That’s good.”
Madeline nodded. “Yeah.”
“Shouldn’t you be there with her?” Addie asked.
“She asked that I be here with Sophie instead,” Madeline said. “You know, Alex always said she wanted to have a daughter just like Sophie.”
Addie sniffled.
“I didn’t mean to—” Madeline began.
“It’s fine,” Addie whispered. “It’s fine.”
Sophie lay on the operating table, small and vulnerable under the harsh lights. The sight was almost unbearable, made worse by the fact that Giselle was the one in charge—the same Giselle who’d left her feeling so lost and unsure just yesterday.