She saw me and sat up fast.
“I’m sorry, who—”
“I’m Nate Cole’s wife.”
Her whole face changed.
Softened.
Then crumpled.
“Oh,” she said.
“Oh, honey.”
“He told me you’d come someday.”
“He did?”
“He said, ‘When my wife finds out, she’ll come up here.'”
“‘She won’t be able to help herself.'”
I looked down at the card in my hands.
“Are they going to let him back up?” Rachel asked.
“Security won’t let him past the lobby anymore.”
“She asks for him every single day.”
“I tried to tell them.”
“I told them he’s the only one who sits with her.”
“The only reason I ever get to sleep.”
“They said rules are rules.”
She reached over and fixed Maddie’s hat.
“Some church paid off our bills,” she said.
“Did he tell you that?”
“Forty-three thousand dollars.”
“I don’t even know which church.”
“I pray for them every night.”
