How a Dying Woman Rewrote Her Epilogue

"How come you're here?" Fleming Mercer set his bag down and turned to face

her.

Esmeralda Mercer felt a strange, indescribable awkwardness, mixed with

emotions she didn't dare examine too closely.

"I just brought you a jacket." She held up the coat in her hands, as if she needed to prove she hadn't been eavesdropping.

Adrian rubbed the bridge of his nose, suddenly feeling more out of place than ever-even though, technically, he was just an outsider.

He barely knew Fleming's fiancée; after all, Fleming never mentioned her. But for her to overhear that conversation just now... It didn't seem right.

"Alright then, why don't I give you two some time alone?" Adrian flashed Esmeralda a friendly smile, doing his best to seem welcoming before stepping out. He even closed the door gently behind him.

Esmeralda hesitated, remembering that Adrian was closer to Lucy. He'd probably take Lucy's side, if it ever came to that.

"Okay," she murmured, nodding.

Finally, she walked farther into the room and handed the jacket to Fleming. "Have you settled in here yet?"

Fleming would offer some explanation for what she'd heard. Something like, "It was just

was embarrassingly easy to

toward the bathroom,

reserved, rarely wasting

a pang of

wondering-Did he find her dirty somehow? Was

dwell on it, she mustered up her courage

rest of his clothes in the closet. "Just checking in. Making

the little bit

with her fingers, her voice barely above a whisper. "Oh...

wandered, and she noticed a small jade pendant hanging from Fleming's phone-something she'd

down to touch it. "Didn't know you liked

down the hanger, strode over, and snatched his phone away from her. "Don't

his displeasure. The shift in his demeanor hit her like a slap-she

she felt like a stranger, someone he refused to let

his phone away and looked at her. "I

effect,

could tell how important that little jade

practically panicked when she

drifted to