Can’t Win Me Back

Lily let out a muffled cry.

Her eyes rolled back in her head, her fingers twitched, and foam began to form at her mouth.

Alyssa held her breath.

It looked like an epileptic seizure or a stroke.

Overwhelmed with remorse, Alyssa realized her sharp words had triggered Lily's breakdown and subsequent illness.

If anything happened to Lily because of her, the weight of regret and self- blame would be unbearable.

It would haunt her forever.

1 Alyssa immediately called for a caregiver.

However, the doctor in the nursing home's infirmary lacked expertise.

All they could do was Call for an ambulance.

"Oh, dear heavens...

should we do?" Watching Lily have such a painful episode pushed the caregiver

home is

for an air ambulance." Sweat formed on Alyssa's

my best to buy time, so she can get to the hospital in time."

body from the wheelchair and lay her

gave her basic medical attention,

pounded with growing

acute episode, but the dark purple tinge on her tongue and faint red spots on

Alyssa could only

nursing home's backyard, its strong winds startling the swans into

"Mrs.

in there!" Alyssa pleaded,

onto a stretcher

to Alyssa's hand, as if it were her last

streamed down Lily's

speak, but the words wouldn't