Chapter 2

At six the next morning, a nursing aide came in to give me a sponge bath.

As she washed me, she murmured, "Poor thing. So young, and you're already on your way out. But your parents seem to have made their peace with it."

Even a stranger felt sorry for me, while my own parents couldn't wait for me to die.

Once she'd finished, she helped me into a fresh hospital gown.

When I was little, Meredith always put me in my favorite teddy bear pajamas whenever I was sick. She used to say, "Being sick doesn't mean you can't wear something that makes you happy."

Now I was about to die, and my parents barely seemed to care.

The aide wheeled her cart out, leaving the door slightly ajar. I could hear bits and pieces of a conversation in the hallway.

"The family agreed to it voluntarily. Everything's aboveboard…"

"Mr. Fletcher's already cleared it. Besides, Dr. Attwood's right. It's better for everyone this way…"

Everyone except me.

My parents arrived at nine. Meredith came to my bedside and spoke softly. "Cassie, Mommy made your favorite chicken noodle soup. I know you can't eat it right now, but I wanted you to have a little taste."

She opened the thermos, filling the room with the familiar smell.

Whenever I had a fever as a child, she would make this soup for me. I would pretend to be asleep while she blew on each spoonful to cool it down before feeding me.

Alvin stood nearby, flipping through my medical chart without looking up. "Meredith, don't waste your time. She can't swallow anymore."

"I know…" Meredith's voice grew quieter. "I just… wanted to do something for her."

"You weren't this emotional when you signed the paperwork." Alvin snapped the chart shut. "Pull yourself together and wipe your eyes. They'll be here any minute."

Meredith leaned down and whispered in my ear, her voice breaking. "Cassie, Mommy will be back soon."

After they left, I tried moving my fingers. Once. Twice. Finally, my index finger bent slightly.

I was thrilled by the progress, however little, but before I could try again, the door opened.

A young man poked his head inside and glanced down the hallway in both directions before slipping into the room and closing the door.

I could just make out his tall, thin frame from the corner of my eye. He wore glasses and a white coat.

"I'm Nolan Mercer, a medical intern." He came to my bedside, quickly checked the monitors, then leaned closer. "I've been going through your medical records, including the medication logs from the day of the incident. Some things don't add up."

I was so startled that my eyes moved.

Nolan noticed immediately, and his face lit up. "You can move? Listen, I don't know how much you've recovered, but your parents have told everyone on staff to keep quiet about your case. We're not even allowed to discuss it."

He hesitated before continuing. "My sister died in this hospital three years ago. They said it was a medical error, but nobody was ever held responsible. I came here as an intern to find out what really happened. Your case might help me uncover the truth, so… I'm going to help you."

Footsteps approached from the hallway. Nolan quickly straightened up and pretended to adjust my IV line.

A nurse came in, and he made an excuse to leave. Before he stepped out, he gave me one last determined look.

My parents returned around noon. Meredith's eyes were red and swollen from crying, but Alvin looked perfectly calm, almost relieved.

"Everything's taken care of," he said. "The procedure's scheduled for 3:00 pm the day after tomorrow. Mr. Fletcher will handle it personally. It'll be painless."

I felt sick. As if it weren't bad enough that they wanted me dead, they were letting the father of the man who had put me in this condition finish the job himself.

Meredith's shoulders trembled as she turned to Alvin. "Could I… give her some soup one last time? Just once, Alvin. Please."

He frowned and checked his watch. "Ten minutes. I've got a meeting at three."

Meredith hurried to my bedside and opened the thermos again. She carefully scooped up a spoonful of soup and brought it to my lips.

The soup was still hot. It ran down my lips and dripped onto the pillow. The heat stung, and a faint groan escaped my throat.

"Uh…" For a moment, I could hardly believe it. I could feel pain again.

Meredith heard me too. Her mouth fell open. "Alvin! Cassie… she just made a sound!"

Alvin turned and hurried over. He lifted my eyelids, checked my pupils, then sighed. "It's just a throat spasm. Patients in vegetative states can still have involuntary reflexes. There's no need to get worked up."

"No! She made a sound! I heard her! I swear I did!"

"Meredith." Alvin grabbed her by the shoulders. "You're exhausted, and you're not thinking clearly. Go home and get some rest. The nursing staff will take care of her."

"But…"

"No buts. We've already signed the agreement. Bringing this up now will only complicate things for everyone."

Meredith looked at him, then at me. In the end, she backed down, just as she had countless times before.

Alvin put an arm around her shoulders and led her toward the door. Just before it closed, she glanced back at me. Her eyes were filled with fear.

But she wasn't afraid of losing me. She was afraid I might live.