I glanced at Daniel and said firmly,
“Yes. Please, you must catch them.”
Daniel jumped in righteously,
“Officers, I have something to say. How could those men know where my wife was hospitalized? How could they track her down? Is Newark really this dark and dangerous? How are ordinary citizens supposed to live safely?”
I shot him a look. He spoke as if he weren’t the mastermind behind it all, but a devoted husband fighting for his wife.
The performance made me sick.
“Officers, please catch those bad men. My mom is too pitiful. Now she needs tubes even to use the bathroom—what will we do?” Lily cried, and the officers, guilty for failing to protect me, gave Daniel a sympathetic nod before leaving.
“Doctors, nurses, I beg you, please save my wife. She has sacrificed so much for this family, but she’s suffered this tragedy! No matter the cost, no matter the equipment, do everything you can to heal her!”
Daniel’s act of devotion moved several interns and nurses to tears—even applause.
“Doctors, nurses, please—my mommy lost her legs. Can’t you make them grow back?” Lily asked innocently.
One of the interns smiled gently, patting her head.
“No, sweetheart. Your mom’s legs were too badly damaged. Amputation was the only way to save her life. Medicine can’t regrow legs, not yet.”
I held out my hand.
“Lily, come here.”
She walked over. “Mom, what is it? Are you feeling better?”
“You just said you wished my legs could be restored, right? I’ll give you an idea—jump out of that window. Then my legs will come back.”
