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‘A rare form of leukaemia’

Her gaze flitted away again and he paused Dare felt his heart go out to her ‘That’s gotta be hard,’ he said softly ‘You want to talk about it?’

‘No Thanks, I’ Carly rubbed at the space between her brows The fingers of her other hand flexed around his and she stared at where their hands were joined on the table ‘Everything happened so suddenly One day Liv ell and healthy and helping kids in need and the next she was gone’ Her throat bobbed as she sed ‘The doctors tried but’ She gri and as aze miles away

‘You couldn’t save her either,’ he said quietly

Carly looked up as if startled that he had understood her so well But it wasn’t hard Not when she fascinated him so much

‘No,’ she said, the word coave a self-deprecating s stops me Years of study probably’

‘Why would you give up on medicine?’ He frowned ‘Because you feel like you failed your sister?’

‘I did fail her,’ she said in a pained whisper ‘When she said that she wanted to try soed her not to I told her to trust her doctor I told her that he would know best’ She pulled her hand from his, tucked it into her lap ‘If I hadn’t intervened’

‘If you hadn’t intervened, what?’ Dare asked softly ‘She would have lived?’

‘Yes!’ Carly exclaimed ‘Maybe’ she added as he continued to look at her

‘Is that what the doctors believe or what you believe?’

Carly buried her face in her hands ‘I know it’s not logical’

‘Emotion rarely is,’ he said wryly ‘But I doubt your sister would want you to give up medicine, Carly The fact is, not every person can be saved’

‘I know that too I know’ She unconsciously lowered her hands into the prayer position ‘I miss her so much’