Embers and Edict

squez like it was barely holding

blur past. But in truth, she wasn't seeing anything at all. Her mind had been elsewh

t. The doctor's voice had been steady, calm, distant. Surgery was needed, urgently. But the pr

, pushing the st

her thoughts still swimming, just as a man beside her also rose. N

oulder and crashing to the sidewalk. Items spilled everywhere-coins, r

man said, quickly c

uttered, more emba

ith a clean-shaven jaw and a messenger bag slung over his s

ies, he paused, held it up, and sniff

"You can have it. I ba

t hesitation. "Whoa. Okay, that's ri

aurant though," she said, bru

you are, that's

ile, a faint moment of warm

ked down at his

the cookie into his mouth, already backing away. "Thank

was gone, swallowed u

"You didn't even give yo

ings with a sigh an

-

th old neon letters that flickered every time the coffee machine sputter

ing, she'd already mixed up two orders. The second mistake nearl

abbing the plate. "This go

," Bianca said, ru

asked as they huddled behind the

ick. She has a hole in her heart. She need

d immediately. "Oh,

d. "I've been calculating every possible way to

g to lift the mood. "You know... if you worked nights at Club

with a dry laugh. "I ca

," Tasha teased. "

r, a loud voice cut acros

at them from behind the register. "I don't

said in unison, q

ndy's thin smile in that hospital bed, to the mountain of bills waiting at home... and strangely, to the strang

't know

ne Ri

mall, messy moment on a sidewal

.

us on the orders, the smells, the motion-anyt

han's voice boomed f

in the doorway of his office, gest

. Her heart was already uneasy. She'd noticed it for months-the lingering stares, the too-lon

, the office door cli

lking over to the desk. He loosene

near the door. "

dworking. Pretty, too. Y

stomach

now, life's hard. But it's easier when you've got someone lookin

out towar

. "I think I shoul

didn'

d the steaming mug of coffee still sitting on his desk-he

through his shirt, splashing up to his

She flung the offi

the front door of Sunrise Restaurant. Her hands

she was going. She j

tha

that

cornered an

ng, she whispered one promise to herself: 'I'll find