That finally shifted the energy in the room.
My mother stiffened. “An ambulance? That’s ridiculous.”
But the waiter had already pulled out his phone.
Madison’s voice dropped, sharp and nervous now. “Tessa, you’re blowing this way out of proportion.”
Tessa didn’t answer.
She just kept one hand steady on my shoulder while the other held the napkins to my head.
I could feel the blood slowly seeping through her fingers.
The ambulance ride was a blur of flashing lights and questions I struggled to answer.
“What’s your name?”
“Claire.”
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