"Hello, mommy. Are you there?" The phone was still pressed to my ear but my son's voice was now a far away echo. My whole attention was now on Jared and the ward my daughter had died in.

Pain hit even harder and made breathing a bit difficult. Without meaning to, I removed the phone from my ear and ended the call, my watery gaze steadfast on Jared.

Pocketing my phone, I stepped forward on shaky legs and a bleeding heart while steadying my breath.

He spotted me and quickly brought out his ...