"Noah, you need to see this." Ryan's voice cuts through the morning air as I step out of my rental car at the hospital.
Chloe emerges from the passenger side, her face still puffy from crying. The news about our marriage being legally intact has shaken both of us in different ways.
"What's wrong?" I ask.
Ryan's expression is grim. "It's Nora. She's taken a turn for the worse. The doctors say she has hours, maybe less."
My stomach drops. "Can we see her?"
"She's been asking for both of you."
We follow Ryan through sterile hospital corridors. The antiseptic smell makes my head spin. When we reach Nora's room, I'm shocked by what I see.
The vibrant woman who welcomed us yesterday is gone. In her place lies a frail figure, her skin paper-thin and gray. Machines beep steadily around her bed.
"Noah?" Her voice is barely a whisper.
I approach the bed slowly. "I'm here, Nora."
Her eyes flutter open, finding mine. "And Chloe?"
