Tally made her way back to Ryan’s room. She sat down with Brenda on the lounge chair near the window. Paul was reading to Ryan by his bedside. She couldn’t help but reflect on Noah’s cold response to her call. Granted, he hadn’t known it was her. But for him to answer the phone like that, thinking it was his wife, April, had thrown her.

Tally pushed those thoughts aside for now, reminding herself that her priority was to be there for Ryan and support him in any way she could.

Just as ...