CHAPTER 40 —

Dawn came in like a slow apology. The city was still half in bed — taxis yawning, a fruit vendor sweeping a sidewalk like he was erasing yesterday’s sins — and Nicole watched the light scrape across the hospital ceiling and felt something like the hush before a rehearsal. Her hand went to her belly and the baby answered with three steady taps: a small, private metronome set to keep her honest.

“Eat something,” Camille said, sliding a paper cup of coffee across the ...