Page 184 of Beautiful Lies

The paramedics had to resuscitate her.

I keep replaying that moment in my head.

Her body still.

Her chest unmoving.

Then the jolt.

Then nothing.

Then the second jolt.

I’ll never forget the beeping sound on the machine when her heart started beating again. That precious moment that many don’t get gave me back the hope I thought I’d lost.

She was rushed here straightaway.

They only let me see her twice. Both visits were short. Ten minutes each time.

Seeing my mother so small in that bed, swallowed by tubes and wires, was like watching the strongest person I know disappear inch by inch.

I’ve been waiting for hours since the last visit.

I’ve played the waiting game since.

Waiting for answers.

Waiting for the next round of tests.

Waiting for someone to tell me what to do when every part of me feels like it’s

shutting down.

I wrap my arms around myself, trying to hold everything together.

Trying not to fall apart.

I’m alone at the worst possible time. Mia is in St. Lucia. And the person I want the most…

He isn’t here.

In my panic, I left my cellphone at the house. I managed to call Mia from one of the hospital phones, but the line was terrible, so the call was brief.

I didn’t call Knox because of everything else that’s happening. I wanted to handle it all on my own, but now… I’m starting to realize that might’ve been a mistake.

Dr. Blakely, Mom’s long-time physician, steps out of the double doors. My heart jumps into my throat at the sight of him.

He spots me and starts walking over, but I’m already up and moving toward him.

“Hi, Isla.” His voice is gentle, but that only makes the panic crawl higher up my throat.

“Hi,” I manage. “How is she?”

He gives me the kind of look people save for bad news. I already hate everything that means.

“We’ve reviewed your mother’s scans,” he says. “The collapse was caused by a ruptured artery. The damage is severe. We discussed surgery yesterday as a possibility, but after all the tests we’ve run, I believe surgery is her only chance to pull through.”

“Only… chance?” My voice trembles on the edge of a breath.