Chapter 60

Briony listened to Irwin's sharp words, feeling nothing but numbness inside.

Maybe it was for the best. She wasn't Irwin's mother, after all. Maybe it was time to let things go back to how they should be.

She would step out of Stewart and Irwin's lives for good, and let everything return to its proper course.

Without another glance back, Briony turned and walked straight for the door.

"Briony "

A sudden fit of coughing cut through the silence.

Stewart's face changed instantly. "Irwin?"

Irwin was gasping for breath, clutching his chest as he began to collapse.

"Irwin!" Stewart scooped him into his arms, turning desperately to Briony. "He's having an asthma attack!"

Briony's hand froze on the doorknob.

"Mom... cough... Mom..." Even as Stewart held him, Irwin's pale face was contorted in pain. Despite everything, he instinctively reached out a trembling hand toward Briony, pleading, "Mom, I can't breathe... cough..."

Briony's grip on the doorknob tightened.

She squeezed her eyes shut, telling herself not to give in. Stewart was here—he'd make sure Irwin was alright...

"Where's Irwin's inhaler?!"

then spun

the breathless boy, his eyes

face had lost all its earlier

twisted painfully in Briony's chest. Releasing the door, she rushed upstairs

her, Irwin limp in

top

Nestled in

laid him on the bed and pulled the covers up around

say a word, nor did

watching as she cared for Irwin with quiet tenderness, something soft

a hand over Irwin's pale cheek, then

Stewart called after her.

back,

and hurried to catch

he grabbed her wrist. "There's a blizzard out

Just stay here, at least

glanced out the

clear that morning, but now the sky was heavy and

through the biting wind. It was truly

wrist free of his grasp. "Don't worry about me. If I managed to get here, I

started down

Irwin wakes up, he'll want to

Briony stopped, halfway down.

looked up at him, standing at the

looking down on

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