She wiped her bruised body with a basin of hot water. Everywhere hurt, but the strength she applied remained hard as though she wanted to erase the trace. She was tainted, so tainted that she couldn't even look at herself. Moreover, others.
She had no idea if he would let her off, but she knew she must think of a way to make him save Rainy. She wanted him to save her if it meant she would lose Rainy. She couldn't possibly watch Rainy die. Her daughter was only three years old.
She dragged her heavy feet and went to lay down on the apartment's only bed. With Rainy in her arms, she reached out to caress her daughter's much thinner hair. Tomorrow, she would have to check Rainy back into the hospital because she knew tonight wouldn't be the last that she came back late.
The bedside lamp was extinguished. In the dark, no one knew a tear had slid from the corner of her eye or how deep the pain had been in her eyes.
