How a Dying Woman Rewrote Her Epilogue

Out of nowhere, Elodie was startled.

She stepped aside quickly.

A girl's anxious voice called from behind her. "I'm so sorry! My drone just

malfunctioned and went out of control. Are you hurt?"

Elodie turned to see a teenage girl, maybe sixteen, dressed in a hospital gown. Her doll-like face, pretty and fresh, was full of concern.

Elodie shook her head. "No, I'm fine."

The girl let out a visible sigh of relief. "Thank goodness. I'm not sure what happened it suddenly stopped responding."

Elodie glanced at the rogue drone hovering nearby, then offered the dessert box she was carrying. "Would you mind if I took a look at it for you?"

The girl's eyes widened in surprise. "Of course not!"

She took the box from Elodie, peeking inside at the small batch of cookies. Her entire face lit up.

Elodie powered down the drone and examined it. "Looks like a navigation system glitch. It's not following the preset route. Let me check if it's a gyroscope or sensor calibration issue."

The girl watched her in awe. "Wow, you really know your stuff!"

Elodie made a few quick adjustments and handed the drone back. "It should be much better now. Want to give it a try?"

again, and this time

"Freya Delacroix!"

Elodie turned to see Joseph hurrying over,

the sight of him, Freya instinctively ducked

short, surprised to see Elodie. "Ms.

Elodie asked, "You're her...?"

not well, and she snuck out of her room. I've been looking everywhere for her.

shook her head.

to sense Elodie's unwillingness to linger.

pressed his lips together, not sure what else to

each other?" Freya

the word "friends," Elodie's

wouldn't call it

relationship

on her discomfort and hesitated, finally saying, "We've known each other

puzzled. For some reason, her brother

Elodie. First impressions meant a lot to her, and this woman was clearly brilliant-she even knew how

noticed.

bring herself to turn down such a sincere request

infectious. "Thank you for fixing my drone!

faintly.

toward the cookies in Freya's arms. "I made those myself. If

go ahead and try