Page 45

IF IT KEPT HER SAFE

Hugh

DECEMBER 31, 1996

T HE PARTY WAS IN FULL SWING DOWNSTAIRS, BUT L IZ WASN’T IN THE MOOD TO JOIN in the celebrations, so I remained by her side the whole night. There would be a million more parties, but there would only ever be one Lizzie Young.

I knew she was doing better since coming home from hospital, but she wasn’t the same. There was something different about her. I didn’t understand what that something was or why it had happened, but I knew it had .

Liz was always tired now, and she didn’t spin around in circles on the grass like she used to. Her eyes didn’t twinkle with mischief anymore, and she was a lot quieter these days. It took her longer than usual to answer questions or toss out a smart-ass comeback—something she had always been the queen of doing.

Now, grown-up things were happening to her body and there was nothing I could do to stop it from happening or make her feel better.

All I could do was stay.

So that’s what I did.

Because I knew deep down inside that I would sit with Lizzie Young for the rest of my life if it kept the sadness out of her eyes.

If it kept her safe .

“Hey, Hugh?” Liz said a little while later, when we were reading on her bed.

“Yeah, Liz.”

She pointed to the clock on her nightstand. “Happy New Year.”

I checked the time and saw it was indeed gone midnight, which meant one thing. Leaning in close, I pressed a kiss to her cheek, finding it a little more difficult to pull away this year. “Happy New Year, Liz.”