Chapter 12 - A Voice Through the Telephone Wire
The night before her discharge, Claire sat on the edge of her hospital bed, holding the landline receiver to her ear. The receiver felt cool and heavy in her palm, a tactile reminder of the ordinary world waiting just beyond the double doors. On the other end of the line, she could hear the faint, comforting rustle of Lily’s blanket.
"Mommy?" Lily’s voice came through the wire, small and clear as a silver chime. "Did you keep it safe?"
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Claire closed her eyes, tears of gratitude slipping down her cheeks. "I kept it safer than anything in the whole world, Lily," she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. "I held it every single second. It kept me warm when it was freezing, and it reminded me where I belonged."
There was a tiny pause on the line, followed by the soft sound of Lily sighing into the receiver. "You don't have to carry it all by yourself tomorrow, Mommy. I'll take it back when you get to the door." Claire pressed the phone against her heart after hanging up, letting the steady beat of her own pulse drown out the remaining echoes of the hospital machines.
