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“He ency contact once,” Ford said “But I can’t find any information on her, and his phone was lost in the explosion so I can’t even look there”

That hen I tilted my head and opened my eyes as best as I could

“My aunt Her name is Diana,” I croaked “And don’t call her I don’t want you to worry her Just take s”

Ford stood up from his sprawl in the chair beside me

“You’re awake,” he said, his different colored eyes looking down at me in worry “Are you in pain?”

I thought about that for a long moment “I can’t feel my toes”

There was a long, measured silence before the doctor came into view

“Pascha…”

“Pace,” Ford and I corrected at the same time

“Pace,” the doctor said “You were in an explosion…”

Teeks later

“You’ll never walk again”

I looked up to find my sister and mother in the doorway

“What are you doing here?” I snapped

My mother and sister, two peas in a pod, ca that I didn’t want them here

“You’re home Why wouldn’t we co closer to me

I wished she’d turn around and walk back out, but that would obviously be asking too much

“What do you want?” I asked through clenched teeth

“Noould you think that ant so?” Bella, my sister, asked

I gritted my teeth

“Because the only time you talk to me is when you need money,” I repeated “You both couldn’t even be bothered when the doctor called to ask per to you nohen you both need so?”

“We just need a couple hundred dollars,” my mother, the one woman that I should be able to trust above all others but couldn’t, said

“You can just take your happy asses out of here right this instant,” Diana, my aunt, declared “And if you don’t, I’ll call security”

My mom whirled and sneered at Diana

“You can’t tell me what to do,” my mother declared loudly

I pressed the button for the nurse to co

Before this degraded, like I kneould do since Diana and my o

Fast

“Ma’a to have to ask you to leave”

My mother turned and hissed at me “You didn’t”

I took er away froarding me, tell them that you’re not really a mother to me That Diana is Then, if you have any shred of decency, rattle off her number”