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Her flaxen hair is pulled into a ponytail Sleek, but nothing fancy Up against the stark white of her coat, her skin looks deeply tanned I’m too far away to see the freckles strewn across her nose and cheeks, but I assume they’re where they’ve always been

Truth be told, she looks exactly like I thought she would, right down to the pink and gray sneakers I see underneath her table, and the sonally across her chest

Once she’s finished with the avocado, she appears to lick her lips, and then she’s staring into space—or at the mom and children at a round table ten or fifteen feet in front of her Her shoulders look relaxed Her back is straight, her long legs crossed She gives no clue she is getting up until she does Rather than gather the fruit peel to her chest and then stand up, she stands first, lingering over the table for a moment before she reaches over to pick up her trash, as if it’s an afterthought She confirms my hunch—that she’s distracted—a moment later, when she throws her stainless steel spoon away, along with the fruit peel and her napkin

Her eyes widen

Oops

She hesitates apast a few restaurant-fronts, and disappearing into the sea of people in the vast lobby

I don’t need to hurry after her—I knohere she’s going—but I do I grab my leather briefcase, tossstrides

The bustling lobby is busier than usual, because it’s Wednesday The outpatient clinics are busiest mid-week No one wants to come to the hospital Monday or Friday Not for a planned appointment

I pass the wide hallway that snakes around the hospital’s right, front quadrant, and head past benches, sculptures, and a long row of check-in and information desks that form a line down the center of the lobby

The elevator banks are straight ahead, but I’ht, down a hall that leads toward the admin offices, and then take the first stairwell I see My loafers rap softly against the ceainst the stairs above

I know it’s her

I know her gait

I look up into the sliver of space at the middle of the stairwell, and I can see her coat flap, see her ponytail fly, as she cliht when I hear a door open then shut

Shortly thereafter, I push through the sa out beside a water fountain and a large, fake, potted plant I slip into my coat, pick my briefcase back up, and follow the route I re rooery inpatient check-in desk, using et the doors to open

Once I’ery inpatient area, I walk past patient roo shifts in Conference Room 1—a restroom, and several patient rooms