Grandma lay still in bed, her body too weak to move. Her breathing was quiet, and the blanket barely rose and fell with her chest. Mrs. Lambert leaned down close to her ear and spoke gently, like she was afraid any louder sound might break her.
"Mrs. liora… Mr. Hale is here to see you."
I didn't know how Lewis had managed to bring Grandma to a place like this without anyone finding out, but Mrs. Lambert trusted him completely. That alone told me how much Lewis must have done behind the scenes to keep Grandma safe.
I stepped closer to the bed, my heart hammering with hope and fear at the same time. "Grandma… can you see me?" I asked, leaning forward, almost holding my breath.
Her eyes moved… but they slid past me.
They landed on Julian and Lewis instead, and the change in her face was immediate. Her lips tightened, and the anger rose like fire in her weak body.
"Ju…" Her voice sounded strained, sharp with effort. Then she forced the words out, slow and heavy. "Get… out!"
