The Silent Confession

VALERIE

I paced the length of Roman's hospital room, my thumb hovering over Gwen's contact, the call already disconnected, the silence on her end still ringing in my ears. She had not said a single word after my question. Just breathing, wet and uneven, and then a sound I rarely heard from her, a sob that seemed to claw its way out of her throat like it hurt to come up. And then nothing. I had