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Staring up at the high ceiling, she sighed again TheShe needed pitch-black to sleep

She needed her Juan next to her, warain, she shifted on the cot and this time rolled over so that her back was to Bill

Next to her, on another cot, was Mikey He was fast asleep, his sweet face that was slowly transitioning froer made her heart beat faster in its innocence

No, no, Mikey was dead

Yet, he lay next to her He was deeply asleep, his htly open

She pressed her eyes closed, then re-opened them

Mikey was still there

"You see, Jenni, it wasn’t you I saved that day on the lawn It was Mikey

He was crying and staring at the house I saw hie of Mikey’s cot She looked thin and a little haggard Her belly wasn’t swollen with her pregnancy and she looked like a pale shadow of herself

"No, it was me," Jenni whispered "MikeyMikey…he was…you knohat he was"

Katie sighed and shook her head "You shoved him out the door and your husband took you instead You slammed the door shut and it was Mikey I picked up that day"

"No, no I…I…" Jenni sat up sharply Her head swam fiercely and she had to steady herself "He turned back to defend me"

"Mikey told me about his brother, but we didn’t knohere to find him

Jason died out there at the camp We found our way here to where my Dad is," Katie continued "I never met you"

"No, we’re best friends! I…IMikey…"

"You neveraith the rest of the my dead wife"

"No, no," Jenni whispered She sat up and reached toward Katie "I didn’t push hiht his dad, but I kept running Iwent out the door alone I didn’t save him"

"But this is the outcome you believed should have happened Mikey alive and you dead" Katie’s ie blurred a little and for a moment, Jenni saw another form behind it, but just for a second

The words were true, yet horrifying Seeing Katie here, not pregnant, without Travis see

"You’re not Katie," Jenni whispered "You’re so else"

"I’m here to tell you the truth," the forasping, her head feeling like a bobble head Looking over at the cot next to her, she saw a little girl tucked in with an oversized teddy bear

Her heart was thudding so hard she could barely stand it Tears flowed freely as she covered her face with both hands and wept in silence

She hated the mall Hated it! It made her feel helpless and it made her think of that horrible day She should have found a way to save her son

But she hadn’t She had been terrified and had run She had not once turned back to see if he was behind her

"It’s about second chances," a soft voice said "Do you understand?"

She looked up to see Lydia sitting at the end of the bed

"It’s about choices made and not made It’s about e do with our life and the impact we have on others"

"I…ran…"

Lydia nodded "I know"

"Wasn’t Mikey the one as supposed to survive? Didn’t I steal his life fro, you made a choice that day and because of it you had a second chance to find happiness To save others To fight to survive with those who love you To live a new life"

"With Juan," Jenni whispered

"To love and be loved," Lydia agreed

"But why are you here telling oing to have to ain"

Jenni shivered so violently, her teeth chattered She looked up at Lydia

"I know I have been feeling it"