say. I reached for her elbow, and she let me hold it for one second before pulling away.
“That isn’t who you are, Diane.”
“It’s who I’ve been,” she said, sighing. “And I hate it.”
We stopped outside Room 412.
“I’ve been jealous.”
There was laughter inside, real, surprised, gasping laughter! Lily’s laughter was the kind I hadn’t heard in months!
Diane put her hand on the door. She finally looked at me, her eyes wet.
“I tried to convince myself that he was turning her into a spectacle,” she whispered.
“But listen to her, Diane. He’s giving her back to herself,” I replied.
Her voice cracked.
“I can hear it now.”
She pushed the door open, and I held my breath as I stepped through.
She finally looked at me.
I stepped inside and froze.
Aaron sat beside Lily’s bed, both of them laughing so hard that she was