CHAPTER 17 —

The hospital smells like boiled cabbage and antiseptic and the sort of quiet that makes secrets feel louder. Nicole woke into that hush with the kind of bone-deep tired that’s not fixed by sleep. Her hand found the soft place on her belly before her brain could decide this was wise. The baby answered with a tiny, impatient kick — like someone saying hello in a language she already understood.

Madeline arrived like a verdict: polished, soft-voiced, and carrying an air ...