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?"

heard. Something like, "It was just a joke," or "Don't take it to heart," or

was, she was embarrassingly

the jacket from her and walked toward the bathroom, tossing it into the

and reserved, rarely wasting words. Explanations, especially, seemed

felt a pang

watched him put her worn clothes into the machine, wondering-Did he find her dirty somehow? Was

up her courage

in the closet. "Just

the little bit of bravery Esmeralda had managed to

fiddled with her fingers, her voice

hanging from

touch it. "Didn't

the hanger, strode

overtly angry, Esmeralda could sense his displeasure. The shift in his demeanor hit her like a

a stranger, someone he refused to let

himself, he tucked his phone away and looked at her. "I might have to head

was, in effect, asking her

stupid-she could tell how important that little jade pendant was

He'd practically panicked when she touched

mind drifted