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She was pale enough to e into the white sheets

He was glad she was asleep At least if she slept she wouldn’t have to remember, or, worse, feel

He would gladly give up every organ in his body if it would take away her pain

The next ti on the private roo out

‘Hi,’ she whispered

His head snapped round and in a trice he was by her side

He looked dreadful Still in the saallery; what had been an impeccably pressed suit was now rumpled He looked rumpled

He didn’t say anything, just took her hands in his and pressed a kiss to them

‘I’m so sorry,’ she croaked

His brow furrowed, but he didn’t speak

‘I keep thinking I should have known so’

He placed a gentle finger to her lips and shook his head, his face contorted ‘No,’ he croaked vehemently ‘Not your fault It was a severe placental abruption Nothing could have been done to prevent it Nothing’

She sed and turned her head away Everything inside her felt dry, and so, so heavy, as if a weight were crushing her

Time passed It could have been minutes It could have been hours She had lost all sense of it

‘Has Grace spoken to you about going back to Rome with her?’ Pepe asked quietly

She looked back at him and mouthed a silent ‘no’

His lips coether ‘Grace wants to take care of you She thinks you ant to be with her’

More time passed as she looked into his bloodshot eyes He really did look wretched, and no wonder Pepe had lost his child too He was suffering too

‘What about you?’ she finally said, dragging the words out ‘What do you think?’

He shrugged, an alesture ‘This isn’t about me It’s about what’s best for you’

Oh

So that was her brain was the remembrance that their relationship had only ever been temporary

Nothing lasted for ever, she thought dully Nothing

She had no doubt Pepe would allow her to return home with him if she asked He’d take care of her as best he could

But he wasn’t asking her to go ho her—them—a way out