Maybe the disgust in my voice had been too obvious.After that day, Joe never came to the hospital again.My life moved on, steady and quiet.After I was discharged, with Peter and Sarah's help, I got out of that house for good.A place that had felt more like hell than home.Once Peter's family heard that I had saved his life, they treated me like family, too.Everyone said I had gotten lucky, that I had caught Peter's eye and climbed my way up.Peter's granddaughter, Thea Howell, shut them up on the spot."If you're so great, why don't you save my grandpa's life? Who says Mae's climbing up? She's a great person. If anything, we're the lucky ones for having her join our family."Despite her standing up for me, the gossip didn't disappear. It just went quieter, more hidden.At school, people looked at me differently.On my way home, familiar faces would whisper behind my back.I knew exactly where it was coming from: the Castros.They told everyone I had turned my back on
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