Chapter 42 The Next Day

• The next day, Bert woke up early to visit Vangie. He hadn’t been able to leave the hospital. Shane’s parents had arrived late in the evening, and Shane wouldn’t stop crying when he said goodbye. Because her mother pleaded with him, he had no choice but to stay. While he was there, Shane didn’t let go of his arm. He grimaced at the thought—if Shane hadn’t been a woman, he might’ve pushed her away. But what hurt him most was the pain he saw in Vangie’s eyes. He never wanted to hurt her.
• He admitted to himself that he had lied to his girlfriend. He didn’t tell her that on the night of the festival, he had seen Shane. As he was pouring water over himself, he paused and shut his eyes tightly as he remembered what happened that night. He shook off the thought and finished his shower.
• “Bert!”