The stroke had impacted Elizabeth’s speech. She didn’t have full use of her limbs yet, but the doctor suggested that may come with time and patience. So much remained a mystery. Elizabeth opened her eyes and looked at her daughter. “Still… here?” she whispered. Cassidy couldn’t help but remember her own hospital stay not so long ago. She’d never even thought to call her mother. Having her there would have likely hindered her recovery. Taking a deep breath, Cassidy gave herself a pep talk about staying positive, for her sake and her mother’s. “I told you I wasn’t going anywhere,” she said, repositioning the blanket. “I’ll stay as long as you need me to.” “You…” She hesitated, as though it required great effort to get the words out. “Have life.” “To tell you the truth, my career wasn’t really going anywhere. I tried to make it work in Nashville, but—” She shrugged.
