Chapter 4: The Condition

"Say you're sorry for your jealousy, out loud and in front of people," Diana said. "Then promise to stay out of Russell's life with me for good."

She smiled in the hospital parking lot and waited for my answer.

"Do that, Sylvia, and the twenty-four thousand is yours."

I looked at the diamonds on her throat.

"You talked him into refusing me."

"Russell needs his principles. I'm just being generous."

She opened her purse and took out a checkbook.

For one terrible moment I wanted to say yes.

My mother was upstairs with a curled hand, the bed could not be held, and I had nowhere near enough money.

Diana saw me waver.

"It's only an apology. You lose nothing."

"I have already lost plenty."

Her smile tightened.

"Excuse me?"

"I'm not apologizing to you."

I walked around her.

"You'll regret this, Sylvia!" she called after me.

Inside the hospital I leaned against the wall by the elevators and fought for air.

I had just turned down the only help anyone had offered me.

I scrolled through my contacts and stopped at Gwen.

We had been friends for twenty years, though Russell had never liked how loudly she said what she thought.

"Sylvia!" she answered, bright and fast. "I was about to call you about Thursday."

"Gwen, my mother had a stroke."

Her voice changed at once.

"Where are you?"

She was there in thirty minutes, still in her scrubs under a puffer coat, and she did not let go of my hand once I started talking.

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