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"Everything is okay, right?" she asked, more tentatively now

"Of course it is" Meryl recovered first, with a vengeance "Daniel took er than we had expected"

Daniel cleared his throat and shuffled his feet "We should have the results in next week"

Were these two acting guilty? Jema almost asked, but then remembered that her birthday was next week Herway, but it was a landmark date--she’d always been told she’d be lucky to live to thirty Well, I ar-free, lactose-free yogurt, I ht even make it to thirty-five "Let ht I shouldn’t be late"

Jeht the hospital could be a little creepy, especially when they turned down the lights in the hallways Today she stopped by the gift shop to pick up a sement for Luisa’s room She made sure to pick flowers that had a nice scent, as her friend wouldn’t be able to see theht you a present," she said as soon as she ca at the , glanced back at her "Oh, you shouldn’t have"

Jeement within Luisa’s reach--she felt sure that when she was alone, the girl liked to touch the soft petals--and squared her shoulders to face the doctor She didn’t like Alexandra Keller, but she could try to be polite to her "I didn’t think I’d see you here again, Dr Keller"

"I try to be unpredictable, Miss Shaw" Alex gestured to Luisa "Our mutual friend doesn’t want e her mind"

"You shouldn’t upset her" Je with Alex, and went to sit by the bed "Did the eye doctor coes off soon"

"Yeah, he did" Luisa reached for the flowers and caressed theertips "What you buy me these for? It ain’t my birthday"

"It’s alht like to s besides Nurse Kohler"

"The one that leaves a trail like a skunk?" Luisa shook her head "My lier than roadkill Sht of Nurse Kohler’s tradeht blue eye shadow "Let’s say she’s cos the around thisinjection "Uh-oh" Fighting off the weakness, she groped for her purse She could feel all the color fading fro at her "May I use your bathrooo a lot"

Jema walked carefully to the small lavatory and put her purse on the sink She considered shutting the door, but the dizziness was getting worse, and she didn’t want to pass out and scare Luisa

"Need a hand?" Alex caave her prefilled syringes to carry in her purse kit, so all she had to do was strap up and raise a vein, which was never a proble"

"I heard that you were" Alex’s reflection frowned at her "You take your insulin intravenously"

"I’m a bad diabetic" She tied off her arernail, and then prepared the syringe She felt self-conscious about injecting herself in front of Alex, but it couldn’t be helped "I was born this way"

The dizziness receded a few seconds later She applied a small round Band-Aid to cover the injection spot and looked around for the biohazardous waste container, but saw none

"Who es your case, Miss Shaw?" Alex asked

"Dr Daniel Bradford He’s our family physician" She packed up her kit and washed her hands at the sink "He lives at Shaw House withHe’s taken care of me almost frouy" Alex handed her a paper towel "Have you seen anyone else about your condition?"

"Dr Bradford takes great care of ood doctor, but she didn’t like her insinuations "He’s become an expert on diabetes over the years, of course, and he’s also done all sorts of research into treatments for lower spine trauma and paralysis He has a full lab set up at our home Unfortunately ave her a cool s for a second opinion"

"That’s great You’re lucky And you look much better" Alex reached out and pressed the back of her hand against Jema’s cheek "A little flushed, but that’s probablymy nose in your medical business"