21

The sound of the tires shocked Hazel. Worried, Christian drove up in a beat-up pickup vehicle, the passenger door flung open.

He started things off right away by saying, "Get in, Hazy! "We need to rush."

Hazel entered the room with a tiny tote bag and her handbag, feeling incredibly relieved. Thank you, Christian. I'm not sure what I would have done if it weren't for you.

"Hey, that's what friends are for, right?" Christian glanced uneasily in the rearview mirror while grinning. "Besides, wouldn't want you to miss your big day."

Hazel felt her stomach turn. It was a necessary procedure, the severing of a fatal bond, not a celebration. "I just want this to be over with," she said, her voice almost audible.

Christian's smile narrowed. He extended his hand and gave her a fleeting squeeze. "That's going to happen. Hazel, you are strong. More powerful than you realize."

The courthouse drive was a blur. Christian talked nonstop, largely about his early years and humorous jokes, even though