Chapter 7
The scorched ultrasound became evidence of something else.
A date written in the corner.
Not medical.
Elena had written it herself.
The first day she tried to contact me.
She circled it.
Why?
“So I’d remember I tried before fear won.”
That hurt.
She kept track of every attempt afterward.
Four dates.
Four failures.
The third coincided with a night Victoria came to my house unexpectedly and told me Elena had moved permanently.
I had never asked.
That was my failure.
Elena disappeared.
Victoria explained.
I accepted.
People like me like clean answers because messy ones require vulnerability.
I was angry Elena left.
Too proud to verify.
Victoria understood that.
May you like
She did not invent my pride.
She used it.
