Chapter 12: The Last Thing Sarah Said
Sarah was more awake than she had been two days ago.
She was still in the ICU, still with the IV line, still smaller than she should have been.
But her eyes were clear and her voice was stronger, and when Leo and Mia came through the door she reached for both of them at once.
Arthur stood back.
He watched Leo let himself be held — really held, for the first time since Arthur had known him, the careful composure going soft for just a moment.
He watched Mia press her face into Sarah's shoulder and stay there.
The nurse had said ten minutes again.
Arthur had nodded again.
After a while, Sarah looked at him over the children's heads.
"Tell me," she said.
"Petition granted," Arthur said.
"Temporary guardianship.
Sixty days to full hearing.
Ray's petition was denied."
Sarah closed her eyes.
When she opened them, they were wet.
"And Ray?"
"The judge warned him directly.
He won't come near them."
She nodded slowly.
Her hand moved in Leo's hair.
"I need to tell you something," she said.
"About why I lost touch with you.
All those years ago."
"Sarah, you don't have to —"
"I do." Her voice was quiet but firm.
"I left because I thought you were better off without me.
I was in a bad place.
I made choices I wasn't proud of.
And I convinced myself that disappearing was kinder than staying." She looked at him.
"I was wrong.
I was a coward, and I called it kindness, and I've spent twenty years knowing the difference."
The room was very still.
"I'm not angry," Arthur said.
"I know.
That almost makes it worse." A small sound, not quite a laugh.
"You were always like that."
Leo lifted his head.
He looked between them with those careful, measuring eyes.
"Were you in love?" he asked.
Sarah made the not-quite-laugh sound again.
"Once upon a time."
"Are you still?"
"Leo," Sarah said.
"I'm just asking."
Arthur looked at Sarah.
Sarah looked at Arthur.
Something passed between them — not the same thing that had been there twenty years ago, but something that had survived twenty years of silence, which was perhaps more remarkable.
"Go get Mia a drink from the machine," Sarah said to Leo.
"The same pocket as before."
Leo looked at Arthur one more time.
Then he took Mia's hand and they went out.
The door closed.
"I'm not asking you for anything else," Sarah said.
"You've already done more than I had any right to ask."
"I know," Arthur said.
"I'm going to do it anyway."
She looked at him for a long moment.
"The doctors say there's a new treatment," she said.
"It's not a guarantee.
But it's something."
"Then we fight for it," Arthur said.
"The same way we're fighting for everything else."
She reached out her hand.
He took it.
"I'm scared," she said.
It was the most unguarded thing she had said since he walked back into her life.
"I know," he said.
"So am I.
That's all right."
They sat like that until the nurse came to the door.
Arthur stood up slowly, still holding Sarah's hand for one more moment before letting go.
"We'll be back tomorrow," he said.
"I know you will," she said.
He walked to the door.
Stopped.
"Sarah."
She looked at him.
"I'm glad Leo didn't wait," he said.
May you like
She smiled.
It was the first real smile he had seen from her, and it was exactly the same as he remembered.
