When they entered together, Nora smiled weakly from the hospital bed.
“You know,” she whispered softly, “this whole thing still sounds crazy when I think about it.”
Elliot laughed shakily despite tears already forming.
“That makes two of us.”
Nora reached carefully toward Lila first, brushing trembling fingers through her hair.
“You are the bravest little girl I’ve ever known,” she whispered. “Never forget that.”
Lila burst into tears immediately.
“Don’t leave me too,” she cried.
Nora’s face broke apart hearing that.
Then slowly, painfully, she turned toward Elliot.
“You promised me something,” she whispered.
“I remember.”
Nora studied him carefully for several long seconds.
“You stayed.”
The simple sentence nearly destroyed him.
Because maybe that was the real miracle underneath everything else.
Not money.
Not fate.
Consistency.
Elliot took Nora’s fragile hand carefully in both of his.
“I’ll take care of her,” he promised quietly.
Nora nodded once.
Then she looked toward Lila again.
