Chapter 2 - The Message He Never Heard
Evan grabbed the pink phone with both hands.
“Don’t,” Maya said.
He looked at her. “It’s from Lily.”
“I know.”
“Why didn’t you play it?”
“Because it wasn’t for me.”
His thumb hovered over the screen.
Ava was still standing near the doorway, silent now, looking like she wanted the floor to open beneath her.
Evan pressed PLAY.
For two seconds there was only hospital noise.
Then Lily’s small voice came through.
“Hi, Dad. Mom says you’re busy.”
Evan closed his eyes.
Lily coughed softly.
“I wanted to tell you I’m not scared. Okay, maybe a little. The doctor says I have to sleep for a while so they can help my heart.”
Evan stopped breathing.
“I made you a picture. It’s in my backpack. Don’t forget movie night when you come home.”
A pause.
Then, quieter:
“I love you bigger than the moon.”
The message ended.
Evan dropped into the chair beside the memorial table.
“No.”
Maya’s face twisted, but she refused to cry in front of him.
“No, no, no.”
He replayed it.
Again.
Then again.
On the third time Maya took the phone from his hand.
“That’s enough.”
“I need to hear her.”
“You needed to hear her three days ago.”
The words hit harder than a slap.
Evan stood so fast the chair tipped backward.
“My phone was off.”
Maya laughed once, without humor.
“Your phone was off because you turned it off.”
He looked at Ava.
Ava swallowed. “Evan, I told you to check it that morning.”
Maya’s eyes narrowed.
Evan stared at her. “What?”
Ava clutched her purse. “You had notifications. A lot of them. I said maybe something was wrong.”
“That’s not what you said.”
“Yes, it is.”
“You said Maya was trying to ruin the weekend.”
Ava’s face changed.
Maya stepped forward.
“What weekend?”
Silence.
Evan rubbed both hands over his face.
“Maya—”
“What weekend?”
Ava answered before he could.
“Napa.”
Maya’s lips parted.
Evan had told her he was in Seattle for a three-day investor conference.
Ava’s voice trembled. “He said you knew the marriage was over.”
Maya turned slowly toward her husband.
Evan looked terrified now for an entirely different reason.
Before Maya could speak, someone knocked sharply on the still-open front door.
A man in hospital scrubs stood outside holding a sealed envelope.
“Mrs. Hale?”
Maya nodded.
“I’m Dr. Aaron Patel from St. Matthew’s.”
Evan went still.
May you like
The doctor looked at him, then back at Maya.
“There’s something about Lily’s last night that you need to know.”
