Back at the hospital, Eli sat alone in a chair far too big for him, waiting for news about Lily. He replayed the night again and again, wondering if he’d made the right decision—or simply traded one danger for another. When Marcus returned, the truth was already written on his face.
“You didn’t just save your sister,” Marcus said quietly. “You saved a lot of kids tonight.”
Morning brought the next challenge—forms, procedures, soft voices explaining that nothing could stay the same. A social worker told Eli that Lily would need to remain hospitalized for several days, and that he would have to be placed elsewhere temporarily.
“With her?” Eli asked instantly.
The silence answered him.
“No,” he said, backing away. “I’m not leaving her.”
When they tried to coax him, he ran—bare feet slapping against tile as he raced back to Lily’s room, climbed onto the hospital bed, and wrapped his arms around her, daring anyone to pull them apart.
Marcus didn’t raise his voice. He addressed the staff with calm authority. “He’s been her guardian longer than anyone else. Let him stay.”
The rules bent.
Sometimes they had to.
“I thought you might want to be near her,” she said.
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