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My hand slowly dropped back to my side

“My apart there I don’t have fa happened so fast… I can’t really process all of this And I don’t want to leave Claire”

My stare was e back and forth between hers Her gaze was full of desperate expectation, like I was so now “You aren’t my problem”

She gave a slight wince, like a knife had slashed her cheek

I raised ain and, this time, forced the money into her palot you out of there I’ve given you money My debt is repaid” I opened the door and waited for her to walk down the steps to the sidewalk and disappear into the darkness, disappear from our lives forever

In a haze, sheas vapor in the nightti more frequently from her nostrils “I know he’ll come for me”

“Leave the country You have the means”

“I don’t have an ID…anything And even if I did, I don’t kno to start over I wouldn’t even have shoes if one of the nurses at the hospital hadn’t found a pair in my size I’m a dancer, that’s all I know” She turned back towith her eyes

Still didn’t understand why this was o back in there and ht it at the store today, hoping I’d ht “Go to the police”

“They were useless last time—”

“I’ is not irl in there who needs ive a damn about anyone but her”

She breathed harder, vapor rising up froet it, and I don’t want you to think I’m a charity case—”

“It’s starting to seem that way”

Her eyes gave a flash, like lightning that brightened the sky before the storm hit “My entire purpose for the last fewClaire Without her, I don’t knohat to do with oodbye—”

“I appreciate your dedication to hter—not yours”

“I never implied she wasn’t—”

“Goodbye, Constance” I started to shut the door on her

“That’s it?” she asked incredulously “There’s this horrible place that tortures wo to do so about it?”

The door steadied, and I stared at her “I said it once I’ll say it again I don’t give a damn about anyone but her” I shut the door, locked it, and returned to hter in the other room