"Oops. Slippery fingers." She covered her mouth, eyes bright with open contempt.
Then she took a deliberate step forward.
Her bare foot came down on the pills.
And she twisted her sole into them, slow and hard.
"This medicine doesn't even look that good. Joel, take me to get something better tomorrow, okay?"
He didn't scold her. He crossed the room in two long strides, took her hand, his face soft with concern.
"Careful, you'll cut your feet. Trash like this—who cares if it's ruined."
Then he turned to me, and everything in his eyes was disgust and impatience.
"Pauline, do you have any idea how unhinged you look right now?"
"Lily was just borrowing the bathroom. Was that really worth trying to kill her over?"
I looked down at the pills crushed across the floor.
I'd gone to three different hospitals for those. Begged for them. They were the pregnancy medicine I'd spent weeks trying to get.
Now they were ground into powder under their feet.
I didn't make a scene. Didn't scream or interrogate him the way I used to.
I just zipped my suitcase shut and picked it up.
"Finish up and get some sleep."
I stepped around them and headed for the door.
Lillian stuck her foot out and tripped me hard.