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“Theo, there is no way she will h another week of practice, let alone perform at the Gala—”

“I’m here, Walt I’ll talk to her What room is she in?”

“4601”

Hanging up, I parked, cut the engine, and stepped out, staring up at the hospital I wasn’t sure what to say her, or o since she was four years old She’d said it was all she wanted to do in life, which hy I wasn’t 100 percent shocked when she left me I was stuck in LA and she’d wanted to dance in Paris

Inside, Walt aiting by the nurse’s station, still dressed in sweatpants, his dance shoes, and a T-shirt

“How did she get here?”

“We were going through a set for the evening, and her leg gave out She was crying out in so much pain, we called the abundance When she saw them, she said she didn’t want to come, but I forced her anyway”

We stopped at her door

“Do you need me to—”

“I got this Just start working with the understudy”

“I should be the one to tell—”

“Walter,” I said sternly

Sighing, he nodded “Just tell her I’m sorry”

I slid open the door, expecting her to be in bed Instead she was holding a crutch and digging into her bag Her dark brown hair was pulled into a bun, and she wore glasses instead of her contacts

“Walt, did you see et—”