Rebecca sat quietly beside Desiree’s bed, her hands folded neatly on her lap, although her fingers wouldn’t stop trembling terribly. The room was lit only by the soft glow of the bedside lamp. After hours of having those terrible abdominal cramps, Desiree had finally drifted into a deep sleep. The rise and fall of her chest was steady now, thank goodness, Rebecca still couldn’t bring herself to relax.

Her eyes burned from crying. She swallowed hard and brushed a strand of hair behind her ...