ROBERT

She was awake.

God, she was awake.

I couldn't believe it, but as my legs carried me across the room and toward her, yes, Renee was awake.

She was alive. She was conscious. And she was looking at me with teary brown eyes, muttering my name repeatedly.

As I reached her bedside in a flash, and despite the doctor's warnings to take things easy, I pulled her into my arms and hugged her hard. Tight. Bone crushingly.

The tears dropped faster than ever, and I cried. I sobbed. I turned ...