A nurse at the desk looked up as I approached.
“My name is Melanie,” I said. “I’m Daniel’s wife. The desk downstairs said… he comes here.”
The nurse’s expression softened. “Oh. Yes.”
“Why?”
“He’s been visiting a patient.”
I forced the words out. “Who?”
The nurse glanced down at the chart. “Lauren,” she said.
My mother’s name.
My knees went weak. I gripped the counter.
“That’s…” I whispered. “That’s my mother.”
The nurse’s eyes widened. “Oh, honey.”
“Where is he?” I asked, already afraid of the answer.
“Room 412.”
The door was cracked open.
I saw Daniel first, sitting forward in a chair, hands clasped, voice quiet and careful.
“I brought the peach tea,” Daniel said gently, his voice careful, the way it always was when he didn’t want to scare someone. “The kind you said Mel liked when she was little.”
A frail voice answered, thin and dry.
“You shouldn’t keep coming. It isn’t fair to her.”
Daniel exhaled slowly, pain edging his breath.
“Mel deserves the truth,” he said. “I just don’t know how to give it to her, Lauren. You put her through a lot.”
My hand pushed the door open before my courage could catch up.
Daniel turned, his face pale.
“Mel?”
