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Change.

I tell myself that it shouldn't bother me that my phone sits heavy in my pocket. Silent.

Lenny has a job, a life, a million other things to worry about besides checking in on my family.

But the thought creeps in anyway—nothing's changed at all if I'm still here waiting for her to show up for me.

Dr. Parth claps. "Alright, Mom, Dad, I think there are a few papers you still need to sign at the desk? And then the nurses will be in to get Vienna all set up."

My eyes snap up as Mom nods.

"Should I come with you?" I ask, standing already.

She glances back as the doctor clears the room. "It's fine, hunny. Stay with your sister."

The two of them pass through the doorway as I take a step toward her. "Ma, wait, I—"

"Oh, excuse me!"

A second voice catches me so off guard that, for a second, I assume I imagined it.

Until Lenny comes stumbling into the room.

"I don't think your mom recognized me," she says, her voice light and breathless as she tucks her hands into the front pockets of her scrub shirt.

I stand there, frozen, until Vienna sticks her foot out and kicks me in the back of the knee. "I, um—she probably didn't. She's a little wound up."

"Yeah, of course. I can only imagine." Lenny peeks behind me and waves to my sister. "And how are you doing?" Her eyes meet mine, sweet and sincere. "I'm sorry I'm late. Right before I planned to come up, someone came in barely able to walk because she took a cucumber and…"

Her voice trails off as her gaze wanders back to V. "And I'll finish that story later."

I blink.

With her eyes wide, she looks at me again. "So… how are you doing?"

It takes everything in me not to stride over to her and show her exactly how I am.

Because she showed up.

She's here.

And that's so much better than a text.

I take her in, licking my lips and rolling them on top of each other. "Better now," I admit.

The small v-cut in her scrubs exposes the pink that rises up her chest. A heat I want to soothe with my lips, my tongue—

"Is Vienna ready?" she asks quickly, a thickness to her voice I couldn't miss.

I turn my head leaving my eyes on her until the very last second. "You ready?" I ask V.

She looks behind me and nods, and as I turn back, I see Lenny move.

It's two hands. One motion.

A single, basic fucking word.

But it stops me in my tracks.