Charli

"Momma? How are you?" I asked after Silvia stepped away.

Her chest rose and fell. "I'm alive."

"Are you in pain?"

"Some, but it's getting better."

I rested my hand on her blanket-covered legs. "Can you take anything?"

She smiled and shook her head. "No. I'm an addict."

"No, you aren't. They did that to you."

"No, sweetheart. Alton poisoned me or at least we think he did. I guess we'll never know for sure, but I poisoned ...