In the indigo shadows, her mother's embrace made Daisy Ginger feel as if she had returned to her early childhood.
She turned back into that clueless child, curled up in Alice Lesser's arms, unwilling to let go.
"Mom, can you not leave?" she whispered, "It's really hard for me alone."
"I'm so tired..." she murmured with grievance, "really so tired..."
Alice gently held her, saying nothing, and Daisy buried her face in the warm embrace, once again crying intermittently.
She didn't know why she was so upset.
In the haze, she fell asleep again, feeling someone leaving her side, knowing it was Alice who had gone, and despite trying with all her might to open her eyes, consciousness slipped into slumber.
*
When Daisy Ginger woke up, it was already dark.
She opened her eyes and saw the snowy white ceiling of the hospital room.
As her gaze shifted up, she saw the IV bottle.
