How a Dying Woman Rewrote Her Epilogue

Jarrod really did change rooms. Now, so early in the morning, he and Sylvie were coming and going together. There was no doubt they'd spent the whole night in the same room.

Elodie suddenly felt sick to her stomach.

She turned away from the two of them, slipped back into her room, and rushed to the bathroom, trying to throw up—anything, just to get rid of that nauseous feeling.

But nothing came up.

Her appetite had been terrible lately. Maybe things were even worse for her than she'd realized.

Elodie stared at her pale, hollow-eyed reflection in the mirror, a chill crawling up her spine.

People are so fragile, she thought.

At least she could be grateful she'd woken up before things became truly irreversible.

She still had time to become herself again.

With a determined breath, Elodie touched up her makeup, determined not to look so worn out.

She asked the innkeeper to arrange a car to take her back down the mountain. Just then, her grandmother called.

a stern, no-nonsense woman. With Elodie's grandfather gone early,

passed away, Rosemary grew even more quiet-except when it came

before answering, making sure her

Rosemary asked, her tone gentle for someone usually

a warmth bloom in her chest. "I'm eating now. Missing me already,

for you and Jarrod. The weather's getting colder, and these will

eyes. "Grandma, you really

life isn't easy for you, married into a family like his. There's not much I can do to help, so I do what I can. Be good to Jarrod, all right? If he has any conscience, he'll treat you

of her eyes

for a meal," Rosemary said, not missing a beat. "Can you both come by in

Rosemary had seen

agreed,

her grandmother about the divorce he owed her that much. At least they

even the biggest

to ever know the truth-that Jarrod had cheated. It would only upset her and take a toll on her health. Better to find a gentler explanation, to say they just weren't right

something Jarrod needed to

Elodie left her room and walked down

noticed it