RUBY

He let go of my hand to save the woman from his past. I could only watch his back walk away, disappearing down the hospital hallway. After that, I couldn't do anything but focus on Hazel's surgery.

“Do I look like a mess?” Hazel said, before she entered the operating room.

“No dear, you are very beautiful,” I said.

My mother kissed Hazel's forehead repeatedly. "We'll get through this together, okay?" my mother said.

“Will you guys wait for me to come back?”'

“Hazel, why do ...