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Lina paced back and forth down the quiet corridor of the ICU Every now and then a nurse or doc would say hello and she’d be forced to look up andin response, but other than that, she just kept

Hilda scurried up the corridor and tapped her on the shoulder “You’re pacing like a caged cat, sweetie What’s wrong?”

Lina barely looked at her It took all her self-control to stand still Her foot tapped wildly She’d known and loved Hilda for ht now she was too nervous to make small talk She remembered belatedly that Hilda had asked her a question, but she couldn’t remember what it was

Hilda peered up at Lina, giving her the saly “My daughter’s a beautician, you know She could do fabulous things with that hair of yours”

The transplant nurse had been dishing out beauty advice for years Every time she saw Lina, she ca so about how pretty Lina could be with a little lessadvice

Not today

Her father was going to see her in a few ly?

With a gasp, she shoved her hands in her pockets and spun around, leaving Hilda gape-mouthed behind her She ran to herthe door She hurried to the antique Victorian lass

The girl who stared back at her was pale and puffy-eyed from lack of sleep Her hair stood out in a thousand uneven spikes The black eye pencil she’d applied beneath her lower lashes made her look like she’d been punched in the face

How come she’d never seen that before?

Oh, God, she thought in a sudden panic Her daddy was going to think she was butt-ugly

She ruh her e her haircut, but it was no use

When she went back to thesense of fear She still looked like one of those runaways you so the don streets after dark

The door clicked open and Lina spun around again She was so nervous, she dropped the comb It hit the linoleum floor with a clatter

Mom walked into the room, and Lina felt almost sick to her stomach As always, her es of a olden-brown hair swept off her face in carefully controlled curls, beautiful hazel eyes highlighted by just a little browna cream-colored cashmere sweater and black pants, she was the picture of cool sophistication and class