He Left My Mother to Die, So I Left Him

ll came from

f lemon cleaner sharp in the air. She was wiping down the

gainst the granite

wered.

nal voice asked if s

es

ary's. It's about your

It landed on the floor with a soft, w

happ

nto the emergency room. She's stable, but

ing her keys, her purse. Her min

ck, the one who always knew what to do. He answered

e? Wha

n my way there now." Her words tumbled out

d a woman's laugh. A familiar, tinkling laugh

ne was placating, the one he used when she

e was an incide

away. Why there?" He sound

w, Cohen. I'

. "Just a second." Then he was back. "Look, I'm su

didn't

reath. "Hillary and I are just about to

Hillary was just tagging along because her famil

ere?" Jaycee asked

. The snow is perfect." H

e stood by her car, the keys digging into h

ant me to do? Fly back right now? The meetings

't say a

know something. I'm sure it's just a sprain or somethin

hun

ne was absolute. It p

y was

walls and antiseptic smells. A doctor with ti

ten by a dog," he sa

ha

leg. The dog's owner broug

ll

orld

ed the wound and started her on antibiotics. The main concern

betes," Jayc

know. We'll need to monitor her closely. We also need to con

Caesar. Hillary's prized Doberman. A massive,

room, looking pale and tired aga

Eunice said,

hat hap

sh. That dog of Hillary's got out. He j

vibrated. A t

ne

ck with trem

an IV. They're worried about i

vanished. Appeared again. Fi

sar is her baby. Assure her we know it was an ac

a scr

d. Her mother, lying in a hospital bed, was

idn't

She called Cohen again the next morning.

e antibiotics. They're talking a

n't ca

ks flushed from the cold, smiling in front of a fireplace. They were holding mugs

en at her mother, sleeping fit

n her chest. A q

c shock. The doctor's voice was grave. H

in her hand. She stared at the blank screen, seeing o

ad c

e long ago. She had just been t

ld. The quiet, understanding, low-maintenance girl from the working class wh

r mother. The only person in the world

s in Aspen.

r died at

er hand until

into the pre-dawn gray. The w

k, modern condo she shared with Cohen, but to her

nside and cl

A man she hadn't spoken to in years, who had left after his own business f

his voice thi

own voice a raw, brok

e. Then, "Oh, Jaycee.

aid. It wasn't a request. It wa

s voice cracking. "Whate

hung

out of anger, but out of a

as le

e into boxes, erase herself fro

burn it