ELIJAH'S POV
It was almost cruel to look like I left Dad's room a changed man. The air seemed.ti be different. Even the way I walked seemed.ti change. It was like I had won the lottery ticket. The big difference in this case was that I actually won more than some lottery.
The hallway was quiet, save for the distant beeping of machines and the soft murmur of voices behind closed doors. My eyes landed on an old rotary phone mounted on the wall, and my steps quickened as I thought about Deborah and how elated she would be to hear the good news.
My fingers trembled slightly as I dialed Deborah's number, the familiar clicks of the rotary dial echoing in the empty corridor. The phone rang once, twice, three times before cutting to voicemail. Frustration bubbled up inside me, and I slammed the receiver down.
Taking a deep breath, I tried again. This time, on the second ring, someone picked up.
