The soft beeping of the monitors was the first sound Anna registered as she blinked her eyes open. The faint morning light filtered through the hospital room’s blinds, casting a warm glow on her sister’s sleeping form.
Lilly.
She looked so peaceful, curled up beneath the blankets, her chest rising and falling in steady rhythms. Her once pale skin had a bit more color now, and despite the IV in her arm, she looked better than she had in months.
Anna exhaled softly, brushing a few strands of hair from Lilly’s forehead. She’d spent so many nights staring at her little sister, terrified that one day she’d wake up and find her gone. The thought alone sent a shudder down her spine, but today—today was different.
There was life in Lilly’s cheeks. Strength in her hands as they clutched the edg
