y scooped Andie up from the floor, just as Lyman rushed over and punched y hard in the shoulder. "When did you get back?"


    y looked absolutely exhausted-dusty from travel, hair a wild mess, his face


    drawn and weary.


    "Just now..."


    Suddenly, pain twisted y''s features. His body crumpled to the ground, shattering like ss.


    "y!"


    Lyman jolted awake, cold sweat on his brow. For a moment, he was disoriented- then he realized it had all been a dream.


    Beside him, Effie stirred, startled by his sudden outburst. She blinked sleepily at him. "What''s wrong?"


    Lyman pressed his lips together and shook his head. "Nothing. Just a bad dream.”


    Effie pulled him into her arms. Lyman let himself rx against her, breathing in her soft scent and the warmth of her body. In that moment, he couldn''t help but think —maybe it feels good to let himself be vulnerable, just a little.


    Effie, barely awake, drifted right back to sleep.


    When morning came, Lyman was just waking up too.


    "Good morning," he said.


    Effie stretched like azy kitten. "Morning."


    Lyman''s gaze followed her movement, lingering on her chest. He swallowed, eyes darkening.


    His hand shot out, pulling Effie closer by the waist. With a gentle tug, she tumbled against him.


    Just as Lyman was about to take things further, his phone rang.


    A jolt of unease shot through him for reasons he couldn''t exin.


    He answered, every muscle suddenly taut.


    "I''ll be there right away," he said, then hung up and jumped out of bed. "What happened?" Effie asked, concerned.


    Lyman was already striding toward the closet, pulling on clothes as ke spoke. y was in a car ident. Hended and drove straight from the airport to our ce, but he was too tired-fell asleep at the wheel."


    Effie immediately thought of Lyman''s nightmare from the night before.


    Was it really some kind of brotherly intuition?


    "He''s in surgery now," Lyman continued. “I''m heading to the hospital to find out more."


    "I''ll drive," Effie said, worried he''d be too rattled to focus on the road. Thest thing they needed was another ident.


    He nodded. "Okay."


    When they got to the hospital, Grace was already waiting outside the operating


    room.


    The moment she spotted Lyman, she rushed over. "Lyman!"


    But as soon as she caught sight of Effie at his side, a surge of irritation red up inside her. Something about Effie just rubbed her the wrong way-her voice, her presence, everything.


    "What''s going on? How is he?" Effie asked gently.


    Grace shook her head, looking lost. "I... I don''t know..."


    Lyman figured she was just


    overwrought. "Try not to worry. et


    you''re feeling faint, Effie can keep you Company in the waiting room. It might help to sit down and rest.”


    Thest thing Grace wanted was to be alone with Effie, but she couldn''t say that


    with Lyman there.


    Distracted, she stumbled, nearly tripping over her own feet.


    Effie caught her arm. "Are you okay?"


    Grace''s expression tightened, and she subtly pulled her hand free. "I''m fine.


    Thanks," she replied, her tone polite but distant.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!