Chapter 3

Mason's face fell. "I prayed for these for Michael."

"He doesn't need them anymore," Isabella said.

With that, she grabbed the medical records from Riley and walked out.

Mason grabbed her wrist. "Where are you going?"

"To see my son one last time," Isabella replied.

"I'll go with you," Mason offered.

"Don't bother," Isabella said, staring at his hand. "If you touch him, you'll stain his path to the afterlife."

Mason's face darkened. "Isabella."

Riley stood up. "Let her go."

Isabella walked out of the room, step by step.

As she passed the operating room, she saw Nora being helped out by a nurse.

Nora's face was still streaked with tears. "Isabella, I'm so sorry. This is all on me. If you need someone to blame, blame me. Don't take it out on Mason, please."

Isabella stopped in her tracks.

"Get out of my way," Isabella said.

Nora was halfway to crying when Mason reached out and steadied her.

"Nora just started to calm down. Don't upset her," Mason said.

Isabella watched Mason steady Nora, then asked softly, "Mason, do you remember what Michael said before he died?"

Mason's brow twitched.

Isabella said, "He asked, 'Why isn't Daddy here yet?'"

Mason's grip loosened for a second.

Nora grabbed onto his sleeve, crying even harder. "Mason, I feel so dizzy."

Mason helped her stand. "Get her back to her room."

Isabella didn't spare him another glance.

The door to the morgue swung open, and there lay Michael, his face so small and fragile, like a piece of paper.

Isabella bent down and pressed her cheek to his cold forehead.

"Michael, Mommy's taking you home," she whispered.

After she finished, she pulled an old phone out of her pocket.

The screen was cracked, and the battery showed one bar left.

She dialed a number she hadn't called in a long time.

The call went through, but the person on the other end stayed silent.

Isabella's voice was rough. "It's me. I need you to check something for me."

There was a pause on the other end, then a voice finally spoke. "So you finally decided to call me."

"I want you to get Michael's bone marrow match report, find out everyone Mason met with these past three days, and track down who signed all the paperwork at the hospital," Isabella said.

"How deep do you want me to go?" the voice asked.

Isabella looked down at Michael's tiny hand.

"Dig until none of them ever sleep again," she said.

It was raining on the day of Michael's funeral.

The Gonzalez family came in force, their black umbrellas packed together like a heavy storm cloud hanging over everything.

Isabella stood before the tombstone in her black dress, clutching the tiny urn. Mason was at her side, and every time he tried to shield her from the rain, she stepped away from him.

Nora was there too.

She was in simple clothes, holding Anthony's hand. Anthony had just woken up. He looked pale, and the prayer beads Mason had given him were hanging around his neck.

Isabella spotted them right away.

Those beads were the ones Mason had prayed for three days to get.

They used to hang by Michael's bedside.

Nora spoke softly, "Isabella, Anthony wants to leave a flower for Michael."

Isabella stood there, refusing to take the flower.

Anthony hid behind Nora, his voice barely above a whisper. "Mommy, I'm scared."

Mason quickly pulled him into his arms. "Don't be afraid. Michael wouldn't blame you."

Isabella finally turned to look at him.

"You don't get to forgive or blame for him," she said.

Mason lowered his voice. "Today is Michael's day. Don't make a scene."

"Who's making a scene?" A woman in a black jacket stormed over and tossed a flower basket at Nora's feet. "Violet, you're just in time.

"Tell me. Isn't it unlucky to wear prayer beads meant for Michael at a funeral? Isn't that bad luck?"

Violet was a friend Isabella met at the restoration studio. She was sharp-tongued and loud.

Nora, startled, instinctively moved closer to Mason.

Mason's face darkened. "Stay out of this. Nobody asked for your opinion."

Violet jabbed a finger at the beads around Anthony's neck. "Mr. Gonzalez, acting all noble, huh?

"Your son's grave isn't even covered yet, and you're already hanging his stuff on someone else's kid. Is this what respectable folks do in Robinburg?"

Some of the guests lowered their heads, and a few even shifted their umbrellas away, as if trying to distance themselves from the scene.

Nora's tears streamed down her face. "I really had no idea these belonged to Michael, I promise. Anthony kept crying after he woke up. He was so scared, so Mason gave him the beads to help him calm down."

Isabella walked over and reached out to remove the beads from Anthony's neck.

Anthony clutched them tightly. "Daddy gave these to me. Please don't take them."

Isabella's hand froze in midair.

The moment those words left Anthony's lips, the rain seemed to pour even harder, like the whole world was mourning with her.

Mason's face changed. "Anthony, don't call me that."

Anthony looked up at him, his eyes full of hurt. "But you said I could call you that when no one else was around."