Two weeks had passed since Amelia had quarreled with Derek and left the house. Since that moment, neither of them knew where she had gone.
"You shouldn't have thrown her out like that, Derek. Knowing your sister's history..." said Addison as she buttoned her blouse in front of the mirror.
"I already told you, Addie, she drove me crazy. It was an involuntary response; Arleth was crying and wouldn't let me think clearly, and she..."
"Yes, I'm not interested. Whatever she said to you wasn't sufficient reason to throw her out. Now I'd like to know where she is, and I have no way to contact her."
"She's fine..."
"I can imagine how fine she must be to have resigned from her job."
"She hasn't quit; she just..."
"She sent a resignation letter last week. Yes, she has resigned. She has gone, left her mobile phone here, and we have no means to contact her."
"She must be with Ryan."
"Right, because we certainly know where Ryan lives and what his personal information is. Because we've seen him in person countless times..." she said sarcastically while putting on some earrings.
"Okay, I'm sorry. I've repeated it a thousand times, I'm sorry."
"Stop apologizing to me and try to locate your sister before it's too late. Bye-bye, my love, Mommy loves you, you know?" she said, kissing Arleth on the head.
"Say bye-bye to Mommy, Arley."
"Take care. You know, if you need anything, just call me. Oh, and please send me videos from today. I don't wanna miss it for anything in the world."
"Of course."
"Bye, I love you." She gave him a small kiss on the lips and left the room. "Olive, I hope you are ready for us to leave!" she shouted on her way to her eldest daughter's room.
"My stomach hurts," the girl said, peeking in still wearing pajamas.
"Olive, I told you to get dressed. We will be late for kinder; come on, quickly. I can't keep wasting time, I need to be in surgery in less than an hour."
"Can I skip today?"
"Not a chance."
"But my tummy hurts, Mom!"
"It will pass on the way. Come on, put on your clothes."
"Please..."
Olive looked at her with puppy-dog eyes, knowing the power they had over her mother.
"Fine. Just for today."
"Thank you, Mommy!" She ran to hug her.
"Behave, don't make your father angry. Okay?"
"Okay."
"Bye, I love you."
"I love you too, Mommy."
Addison smiled at her affectionately, and once she said goodbye to everyone, she left for the hospital.
~•~
The first days of Derek and Arleth alone together were challenging. She would often cry for most of the morning, waiting for Addison to return, but once she realized that this would not happen, she resigned herself and fell asleep in her father's arms. She would sleep almost the entire morning, until around noon when he would sit her in his armchair and they would go together to pick up her sister from the kindergarten. Then they would have lunch together at home, waiting for Addison to arrive.
This had been the routine for the past few days, and they were starting to get accustomed to it. However, today was exceptionally different. The baby was beginning to teethe, which made her more irritable than usual.
She cried, screamed, and squirmed in her father's arms. She didn't want to eat and didn't want to sleep. She had a low-grade fever and the stress flooded the house.
"I don't notice you very ill, huh," said Derek as he peeked through the living room while searching for a frozen teether. Olive was lounging on the sofa watching television.
"It's already gone."
"WAAAAAAH!"
"I see. Do you want to help me with your sister?"
"What's wrong with her?"
"Her gums hurt because her teeth are coming in."
"Finally."
"WAAAAAAH!"
"Yes, finally. Go to my room and fetch her pacifiers and teethers so that I can put them in the freezer."
"Oh, Dad. But it's my favorite part of the movie."
"If you don't go now, I will tell your mother that you lied to skip kinder. She'll be upset, and will come to pick you up anyway, and will take you like that, in pajamas and all, to the kinder."
Olive sighed, got up from the sofa, and did what her father asked.
"WAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!" the baby's cries grew louder and more heartbreaking, making it clear the discomfort she was experiencing.
"Oh, my love. It will pass..." he whispered, cradling her.
Derek placed a bear-shaped teether in her mouth, trying to get her to accept it and calm down a bit, but she did not want anything to do with it.
"Here are the others," said Olive, extending them to her father.
"Thank you, Ols. Leave them in the sink and I'll wash them and put them in the freezer."
"WAAAAAAAAAAAH!"
"Can we go to the lake today?"
"I don't think so, dear. Your sister is very upset."
"She's always upset."
"It hurts her a lot. I think she has a fever again," he said, placing his lips on the baby's forehead.
"WAAAAAAAAH!"
"Do you want me to bring the thermometer?"
"Yes, please."
Olive ran to the first aid kit they had in the bathroom and took the digital thermometer. She handed it to her father and he took the baby's temperature.
"Okay, I knew it, she has a bit of a fever. Let's give her a warm bath. Go get her things to bathe her while I fetch her medicine."
"Should I call Mom?"
"For what? No. It's not necessary, I can handle this. I'm a doctor too. Go get her things."
"Okay..."
Olive went up to her sister's room and took a towel, a diaper, and a clean onesie while her father gave Arleth some liquid ibuprofen.
~•~
After the bath, they managed to get the baby to relax and fall asleep. The fever had lowered quickly and the pain had diminished thanks to the medicine, allowing the little one to finally rest.
That day was not an ordinary day. That day Arleth would be given solid food for the first time. She had turned six months old the previous week, and now with her first teeth showing, it was time for her to start eating.
Addison had asked Derek to record the whole event. She was undergoing a complex surgery to remove a uterine tumor and could n't be home to see it in person. Olive also knew what was about to happen and therefore didn't want to go to the kinder; she needed to be present for this new milestone in her sister's life.
"Okay, the first thing we will do is peel the squash. We need to remove its tough skin to boil it in water," Derek explained to Olive at the kitchen countertop.
"Can I cut it?"
"No. Children cannot handle knives. You'll help me mash the puree once it is cooked."
"Can't we make carrot puree instead? It's tastier..."
"No. She needs to try one food at a time."
"Why? I always eat puree of several vegetables."
"Because we need to proceed slowly; we introduce one at a time because if she has an allergic reaction, we need to quickly identify which food caused it. If we make a puree with squash and carrot, and she has an allergy, how will we know whether it was the squash or the carrot?"
"Well... we can try again separately and see which it was."
"No, Ols," he chuckled, "that's not how it works. We always have to avoid as much suffering as possible. We need to introduce foods one by one. Tonight we will give her carrot puree, okay?"
"Alright. And can it be pizza tomorrow?"
"She cannot eat that yet. When she is a bit older, we'll give her pizza."
"How long until that?"
"A few more months... depending on what your mother says. In fact, she didn't agree to give her purees. We hardly gave you purees."
"What do you mean? What did I eat?"
"You ate whole foods... I believe Arleth will do that once she has a few more teeth. But for now, we'll give her puree."
Derek finished peeling the squash, cut it into small pieces, and then placed it in the boiling water.
"What are we going to eat? Puree?" she asked, raising an eyebrow, not entirely convinced.
"I don't know. Maybe Mom will bring something. Go get my cell phone and send her a text."
"Or we can go eat tacos."
"Do you want to eat tacos? Didn't your stomach hurt a few hours ago?"
"I don't remember that."
"I see. Okay, if your sister feels better when she wakes up, we'll go eat tacos."
"Dad... can I ask you something?"
"I'm scared of that question."
"It's not scary."
"What are you going to ask me?"
"Can we have another cat?"
"Not now, Olive."
"But I need it now."
"Why? You already have Milo."
"Milo is sad!"
"What's wrong with him?"
"He is sad because he's bored. He wants a brother to play with."
"He has you to play with."
"It's not the same. He wants a little brother cat. Or a girlfriend. That way they can have more kittens!"
"Milo is neutered; he's not gonna have kittens even if we bring in a female cat."
"Neutered? What is that?"
"It's when... animals are operated on so they don't have offspring."
"How?"
"They go to the vet and have their reproductive organs removed so that they cannot have babies."
"Do they kill the babies?" she asked, terrified.
"No, Ols. I didn't say that."
"So what happens to the babies?"
"Nothing, because there are no babies."
"What do you mean there are no babies? Why not?"
"Because they haven't been able to make them."
"Why not?"
"Because they cannot. We neutered them so they cannot have babies, I told you."
"Then operate on them so they can have them again."
"That's not how life works, Olive."
"What do you mean it doesn't? Surgeons cut and repair the body in the OR."
"Yes, but this is not a "repair." Female cats have their uterus and ovaries removed. Do you remember what the uterus is?"
"Where the babies grow."
"Yes, so if we remove the uterus, they will no longer be able to have babies. Because there will be no place for them to grow."
"Then we'll look for a female cat that does have a uterus."
"No, because it's Milo who cannot have babies."
"Did they also take away his uterus?"
"Males don't have a uterus, Ols. Men don't have a uterus, only women do. That's why they are the ones who get pregnant."
"So how do men have babies?"
"They have other things... other organs... different from those of women."
"What are they?"
"Olive, you are not paying attention to the squash; it's going to overcook and..."
"How are babies made?"
"I don't know; those are cat things."
"How did they make Arleth?" she looked at him intently, raising an eyebrow. Derek could swear the girl made the same look that Addison did when she accused him of something.
"When your mother arrives, ask her. Okay?" he answered nervously, feeling his heart start to race. He was not prepared for Olive to start with these types of questions.
"You don't know?"
"No, I don't know."
"Liar. You had two babies."
"I forgot. Your mom knows more. She works with babies; ask her when she gets here."
"But can we have another cat?"
"No."
"Why not?"
"Why do you want another cat now?"
"Because Julie's cat had three baby kittens when we went to New York. And they were super cute!"
"Yes, but at Julie's house, there are more people who can take care of the pets. There's Aunt Kate, Uncle Marcus, your five cousins... here it's just Mom and me. You don't clean the litter box for the cat or feed it. Mom is busy at the hospital, and I have to take care of you two.
"And Aunt Amy?"
"She doesn't live here anymore."
"Why not?"
"Because she has her own house now. With her boyfriend."
"When are we going to visit Ryan's house to see her?"
"I don't know. When she invites us. You can't invite yourself; that's rude."
Arleth's walkie-talkie turned on when the baby began to make small whimpers, signaling she was waking up.
"Your sister is awake. Keep an eye on the squash while I go get her, okay? Be careful with the fire; don't touch it. Also, don't lift the pot lid. I'll be right back."
Derek internally thanked that Arleth had woken up to relieve him from the intense interrogation his older daughter was putting him through. He took the baby in his arms and returned to the kitchen.
"I think it's time for her to eat. Go get my cell phone so we can record a video for Mom."
Olive nodded in agreement and went to fetch the device while her father placed the baby in the high chair.
Quickly, he turned off the stove, strained the squash water, and began preparing the puree.
"Hey! You told me I was gonna mash the puree," the girl complained.
"Oh, you're right. Well, go wash your hands and come back."
"I have clean hands."
"You just touched your phone, so they're not as clean as we would like. Come on, quickly."
Olive sighed in annoyance and ran to the nearest bathroom to wash her hands. Once they were clean, she returned to her father, and they finished making the squash puree.
"Can I give it to her?" Olive asked, taking her sister's spoon.
"Yes, you can. But slowly. Remember, this is her first time tasting food, and it is a new sensation for her palate. You must do it very gently."
"Okay..."
Derek turned on his phone and began recording, preparing to capture this special moment in his daughter's life. The excitement and enthusiasm were evident in both his voice and face.
"Hello, Mom," he said while looking at the camera, "here we are with Ols; we are about to witness baby Arleth's first meal. We have made a delicious squash puree. Right, dear? Say hello to your mother."
With her bright eyes and a big smile, Olive greeted the camera, waving her little hand energetically.
"Hi, Mom! I helped Dad make the puree!"
"BAAAA!" The baby expressed her impatience as she noticed the spoon was taking too long to reach her mouth.
"Well, here we go. Ols, we are going for the first spoonful. Remember, slowly," Derek instructed.
Olive carefully loaded a small amount of squash puree onto the spoon and began to bring it toward her sister's mouth. The baby watched intently every movement, not taking her eyes off the spoon that was gradually approaching her.
When the spoon finally reached Arleth's lips, she opened her mouth without hesitation, eager for this new experience. The smooth and creamy texture of the puree made contact with her taste buds, awakening unfamiliar sensations on her palate.
The flavors of the squash, sweet and subtle, flooded her mouth. The baby savored each spoonful, attempting to decipher and understand this new sensation. Her facial expression was a blend of surprise, joy, and curiosity. Her eyes widened even more, shining with wonder as she processed this new taste.
"Is it good, Arley?" Derek asked, laughing at the faces the baby made.
"BAAAA!" she exclaimed, trying to snatch the spoon from her sister's hand.
"She likes it, Dad! She likes it!" Olive shouted, excited.
With each spoonful, the baby smiled and made little sounds of satisfaction as she discovered the different dimensions of the squash's flavor.
"You see, Addie? What did I tell you? I'm quite the chef. I have my diners going crazy. It has been a complete success."
In a swift motion, Arleth managed to grab the spoon from her sister and brought it to her mouth.
"Give it to me, Arley!" Olive began to tug, trying to reclaim the utensil.
"Ols, don't struggle; you will hurt her mouth," Derek said softly.
"Arleyyy! Let go!"
"She's very strong; it's better to let her have it."
"But she hasn't finished the puree yet!"
"She's eating at her own pace and..."
"Arleth, give it to me!" she continued to pull, ignoring her father's advice!
"Well, Addie, as you can see, this was Arleth's first meal..."
"BAAAAA!"
The baby, irritated by her sister's insistence, forcefully threw the spoon, striking Olive hard on the forehead. Olive immediately began to cry loudly after the impact. Derek quickly stopped the video and hurried to see if his eldest daughter was alright.
~•~
Addison was leaving OR 2 when her cellphone screen lit up, indicating she had a new message from Derek. Anxiously, she unlocked the device and began playing the video of Arleth eating for the first time.
She couldn't help but allow a few tears of joy to escape her eyes upon seeing how much her little baby had grown, now consuming solid food. And it seemed she enjoyed it immensely. Perhaps she had in front of her a new fan of orange foods, just like her older sister did at that age.
She remembered that Olive had an unusual passion for carrot puree. Or baby carrots. Or pumpkin and cheese pasta. Or mandarins and oranges. Or summer peaches. Or anything that was orange, really. That color seemed to drive her wild when she was younger.
It was all laughter and excitement for Addison until the moment she saw the spoon fly from Arleth's hand towards Olive's face, causing her to cry. She found it somewhat amusing to see the worried expression on Derek's face as he witnessed what the baby had done. She knew he was making every effort to do his best with the girls and was probably embarrassed that it had ended so poorly. But parenthood was like that. Uncertain, unexpected, chaotic, and perhaps a little messy? Yet far from perfect.
No, everything could not possibly be perfect with young children, could it? Even that very imperfection made the moment all the more precious. Now Olive would never forget her sister's first meal, certainly not.
She smiled one last time and tucked her cell phone into the pocket of her trousers; she needed to change again to prepare for another surgery shortly. She was content with that; spending time in the operating room helped quiet her mind. She had no time to focus on her own problems when she had to cut organs, remove tumors, stop bleeding, or welcome babies into her arms daily.
~•~
"In a few days, you'll be as good as new," said Derek, placing a small adhesive bandage on Olive's forehead. The blow from the spoon had caused a minor cut and a bruise.
She did not respond. She remained angry with her sister for what she had done. How dare she do that after Olive had prepared the puree and fed them to her?
"Don't be upset, Ols. It was an accident. Your sister didn't mean to do it on purpose..."
"Hmm..."
"We're going out for tacos. Do you want to join?" he asked, giving her a small, sideways smile.
"Really?"
"Yes. Go change out of your pajamas, quickly. We're going to the Mexican restaurant you like."
"Yesss!"
Once everyone was ready, Derek made sure to seat both girls safely in their seats in the car, and they set off to the restaurant.
Derek was surprised to see, from a distance, his sister in one of the lines. She was kissing a guy who he presumed to be Ryan, in a rather indiscreet manner.
"Aunt Amy!" Olive shouted as soon as she saw her, causing her father to feel a bit embarrassed.
Amelia turned around quickly, startled. She did not expect to encounter her niece at that moment.
"Oh... Olive... hello. What are you doing here?"
Derek, somewhat uncomfortable with the situation, walked behind Olive and held her hand.
"We came to eat tacos with Dad!"
"I see..."
"Hello, Amelia," Derek said, his tone curt.
"Derek."
"What are you doing here?"
"Buying tacos."
"I see."
"Uh... Ryan Kerrigan, nice to meet you," said Amelia's boyfriend, extending his hand to Derek, who refused to shake it.
"Finally, I recognize your face, Ryan."
"When are you going to invite us over to your house, Ryan?" Olive asked, looking at him excitedly.
"Oh, whenever you want, sweetie," he responded, bending slightly to look her in the eyes and attempt to give her a high five.
"Stay away from my daughter. Olive, you are not going anywhere."
"We're leaving now," Amelia said, taking Ryan by the arm.
"Listen, Amelia. How are you? Are you okay?" Derek asked.
"Why wouldn't I be?"
"I heard you quit your job and... now, are you living with this guy?"
"His name's Ryan, you know very well. And he's great."
"Did Ryan quit his job too?"
"Stop judging me, okay? You are the bastard son of a bitch who kicked me out of your house. Don't pretend that you care about me now, when you made it clear you no longer wanted me in your pathetic, miserable life," she said, filled with anger.
"Hey! Seriously, Amelia? The girls are present!"
"Let them know what a worthless father they have then. Come on, Ryan."
Amelia looked at Olive for a few moments and then left, saying nothing more. The expression of confusion on her little niece's face felt like a dagger to her heart.
"Did you kick Aunt Amy out of the house?" Olive asked, her voice barely above a whisper and tears in her eyes.
"No, Ols. Of course not."
"Then why did she say that?"
"It's not what it seems. Let's order the tacos, shall we? What do you want?"
"I don't know..."
"Think of something Mom would like, so when she gets home tonight, she has something nice for dinner."
"Okay…"
~•~
Addison returned home past six in the evening. Both surgeries she had performed that day had been successful, and nearly at the end of her day, she attended a twin birth.
She was tired, longing to lay down in her bed until she no longer felt every cell of her body aching from exhaustion. But first, she wished to see her loved ones.
"Mommy!" Olive ran to her and clung to her legs as soon as she saw her enter through the door.
"Hello, my love. How are you? Did it hurt much?" she asked, gently stroking her injured forehead.
"Yes, but I'm okay now. We bought tacos!"
"Really? How delicious."
"And we bought a bag for you. Do you want me to bring it to you?"
"Oh, that's all right... and what about Daddy?"
"He's with Arley. She's crying because her gums hurt."
"The gums?"
"I mean, her mouths," she chuckled.
"How has she been with that? Did it improve a bit with the teething toys?"
"She has a fever."
"Does she have a fever now?"
"Yes, that's why she's crying."
"Oh... I'll go to her."
"But don't you want to eat the tacos, Mom?"
"I'll eat in a little while. Have you had dinner yet?"
"Not yet. Daddy hasn't made dinner yet, and I'm starving."
"Okay, if you want, you can eat the tacos."
"Really? But don't you want any?"
"No, my love. Eat them; I see that you like them a lot..."
"Okay!"
Olive ran excitedly towards the kitchen, and Addison took the opportunity to go up to her room. Derek was by the window, pointing out how the birds perched on the treetops to the baby, who had tears in her eyes.
"Hey..." Addison whispered as she entered the room.
"Mommy's here, Arley!" he exclaimed excitedly, using a childlike voice.
Addison's eyes lit up upon seeing her little Arleth, extending her tiny arms towards her, clearly wanting to be in her embrace. Derek, with a tender gesture, handed the baby to her mother.
"Does she have a fever?" she asked, tenderly kissing her daughter's damp forehead.
"Low-grade fever, nothing to worry about... I already gave her 2.5 ml of ibuprofen, and it's coming down."
"Poor thing, my love. It will pass, baby..." Addison whispered, gently stroking Arleth's hair.
The little one clung tightly to her mother's arm, seeking security and comfort. Addison, with a delicate movement, began to rock her gently, causing the baby to relax and even start to fall asleep in her warm embrace.
Derek remained there, silently admiring his wife. He was thankful for her presence for their daughters. It was remarkable how her simple presence could calm them almost instantly. She transformed the dense atmosphere of the room into one of peace and serenity, where the sounds of the outside world faded to the background, leaving room only for the soft sighs of the baby and the calm beating of their hearts.
It was something magical.
~•~
"Today we saw Amelia..." Derek said once they were both lying in bed.
Both girls were already fast asleep, each in their respective beds.
"Oh, really? How did that happen?"
"It was... unexpected. She was with Ryan."
"Did you meet the famous Ryan?"
"Yes... Ryan Kerrigan. Should I find out if he has a criminal record?"
"Well..."
"However, he didn't look like a bad guy. It was obvious that he was under the influence of drugs; in fact, Amelia was too. But... I don't know how to say it. He didn't seem as bad as I imagined."
"And how did you imagine him?"
"I don't know. A bald but with colorful hair, muscular arms covered in tattoos and piercings on his face. Wearing a black leather jacket with studs..."
"Derek," she laughed, shaking her head," is that the image you have of a drug addict?"
"I guess so..."
"At least now we know his last name. We can search for his address..."
"Amelia doesn't want us to go over there. She made that very clear."
"Derek, you have to talk to her before it's too late. Amelia is going off the rails... she has quit her job, distanced herself from her family. Are you telling me she was under the influence in broad daylight? She has lost her mind. She no longer has a sense of what's right and wrong... she... Derek, we need to do something."
"I know."
"And that something is urgent. We have to stage an intervention."
"How do you plan to do that? She will refuse to go."
"I don't know, but we can't keep waiting. Weeks pass and she only gets worse. She's throwing her entire life away, Derek."
"I know. You're right... we need to act as soon as possible."
Addison nodded and turned around, ready to turn off her bedside lamp.
"How was your day today?" Derek asked before she pressed the switch.
"Oh, well... it was intense..." she turned back to look at him.
"Was it?"
"I removed a six-centimeter uterine tumor from a thirty-two-year-old patient using the new Da Vinci machine that Richard brought. Then I performed an omphalocele surgery on a newborn. I had to correct a malformation in the abdominal wall where some organs were developing outside the baby's body... and after that, I assisted with a twin delivery. They were two boys... Adam and Elijah... the latter had a double loop of the umbilical cord, I had to perform the Somersault maneuver and gently turn the baby around..."
Derek suddenly moved closer to Addison's lips and kissed her passionately, causing her to stop speaking.
"Oh, what was that?" she asked, pulling away, surprised by her husband's unexpected reaction.
"The six weeks since the surgery have passed..." he replied, breathless, still gazing at her lips with desire.
"Oh..."
"I've been crossing off the days on the calendar in the refrigerator as if I were a prisoner," he moved closer to her again.
Addison felt more uncomfortable than ever.
"Listen, Der..."
"The girls are already asleep. This is our moment before the baby wakes up."
"I'm tired, Der. I've been on my feet for many hours in the OR and..."
"Lucky for you, because I had no intention of keeping you on your feet."
Derek leaned in closer to Addison again, but she dodged him before he could kiss her again.
"Derek, Derek..." she said, moving even further away from him. "I have to... I have to go to the bathroom."
"I'll go with you."
"No, I need my privacy, I..."
"We can take a shower together, do it under the water, and..."
"Derek, I need to go alone," she emphasized the last word.
"Oh... okay. I'll wait for you here."
"Fine..."
"Don't take too long."
"I won't..."
Addison quickly got out of bed and locked herself in the bathroom. She bolted the door, in case he followed her and entered unannounced.
Her heart raced, and fear overwhelmed her. She felt she needed a safe space, a place to release all the pain and confusion that consumed her.
She sat on the floor, curled up in a corner, hugging her legs, and began to cry desperately, as she hadn't in several days. Each tear that fell from her eyes represented the deep pain she held inside, which seemed endless.
She did not feel ready to be intimate with Derek again. Six weeks had passed since her miscarriage, and she still felt that the wound was intact. Every kiss, every caress, every attempt at intimacy that he wanted with her became a source of anxiety. A constant reminder of what she had lost.
The fear of becoming pregnant again and suffering a loss of that magnitude paralyzed her, preventing her from fully giving herself to Derek.
As the tears continued to flow down her face, her mind swirled with the myriad of emotions and thoughts that had tormented her since that fateful day. She questioned her ability to be a mother, blamed herself for not having taken care of her pregnancy properly. For not having told Derek in time that she was pregnant. For not being able to tell him now that she had lost it... for being a liar...
The secret she kept from her husband tormented her day and night, leaving her in a constant state of anxiety that she could only calm with alcohol. Or, in its absence, with surgeries.
Every time she felt the urge to drink, she booked another surgery to clear her mind and focus her attention on it. The more complex and longer it was, the better. Because it left her exhausted. And an exhausted mind has no time to think.
And it worked; most of the time it worked. But now? She just wanted to run to the basement and uncork a red wine, to get drunk on its flavor and forget even her own name.
"Addie...? Are you okay?"
The sound of Derek's voice pulled her from her thoughts and made her realize she had spent half an hour locked in that bathroom. Reluctantly, she tried to contain her tears and responded with a shaky voice.
"I'm fine..."
That simple response did not convey the emotional storm that consumed her. She did not feel fine at all; she felt lost, scared. Desperate...
"You gonna come out?" Derek asked cautiously from the other side of the door.
"Yes..." Addison replied in a whisper.
But she did not leave the bathroom until she was sure he had fallen asleep.