Diane's eyes flickered from her daughter to the gun. She could feel her heart pounding against her chest and she wiped away her hot, angry tears. "I...I spent the money. I gambled it away." Diane's lips were quivering now and she watched in horror as the man touched her daughter's face.

Lily looked horrified at her mother. Since when did she have a gambling problem? Maybe that's where she is all the time. She's not working; she's gambling. The reality of the situation hit her and she felt angry at her mother. Angry for her never being there. Angry for her keeping secrets. Angry for wasting their money away on god knows what. Lily's eyes came back to the man as his cold fingers grazed her cheek. She flinched and turned her head, wishing this was all just a bad dream, and she'd wake up again in the hospital bed, ready to go home, perhaps a happier person. But this was no dream. This was real.

Diane whimpered a little, but nodded, a new flow of tears running down her face. "We--we're clear. I have a few days to get the money to your boss." She nodded her head again, wanting this man to disappear and get away from her daughter. She hated the way he touched her, and she wanted desperately to fling herself upon him, but she knew that would only mean death for her, or rather, her daughter, and she couldn't stand the thought of Lily dying. Her teary eyes locked on the door where she heard a knock. It was like a savior to her. With a witness, maybe this man wouldn't hurt her only family. Maybe.

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"Singing is like the celebration of oxygen." --Bjork