They hovered around the bed where Ashley lay staring up at them, her eyes large, shadowed, and frightened—but no more frightened than Olivia’s. Olivia held one of Ashley’s hands, and Steven held the other, while Jack and Leesa stood at the foot of the bed. “My throat hurts, Mom,” Ashley said. “I was so thirsty.” “You’re safe now, sweetie, and you can have all the water you want,” Steven told her. “Or do you want juice? They have orange drink in the soda machine at the end of the hall—” “No, don’t leave, Daddy,” Ashley begged him, looking fearful again. “I’ll get it,” Jack offered, and Leesa said, “I’ll go with you,” but Ashley stopped them with, “I don’t want any of you to go away from me right now. For such a long time I thought maybe I’d never see you again, so now that we’re all together, I want you to stay here with me. Please?” Steven knelt beside the bed and gently stroked a tangle of her curls. “You’ve been through a terrible ordeal, Ashley.
