Chapter 5 - The AftermathThey stayed in the hospital waiting room for hours, Lily curled up on a row of plastic chairs. At dawn, a nurse walked over, looking exhausted but smiling.
"Are you the people who brought Sarah?"
"Yes," Daniel said, standing up.
"She made it," the nurse said. "She got there just in time. Her mother... it was a close call, but she’s stable now. Sarah is with her, and she’s been asking for you."
Daniel walked into the room. Sarah was sitting by the bed, holding an elderly woman’s hand. The mother’s eyes were open, weak but aware. When Sarah saw Daniel, she stood up and walked to him, hugging him with a ferocity that caught him off guard.
"She’s awake," Sarah whispered. "She knows you brought me."
The mother, fragile as a bird, managed a weak nod. "Thank you," she rasped.
It was a moment of grace. Daniel looked at the room, at the monitors, at the life that had been saved. He realized that the money he had spent, the car that had broken down, the hunger he felt in his stomach—none of it mattered. The ledger of life wasn't balanced in dollars.
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As they walked out to the parking lot, the sun was rising, turning the storm-drenched world into a landscape of silver and gold. Sam’s truck was gone, but a black sedan was waiting for them. A man in a suit stood by the door.
"Mr. Mercer?" the man said. "Sarah’s father—he’s the owner of the hospital system. He’s been notified of what happened. He wants to talk to you."
