“I wake to the sound of a heartbeat—thick, rhythmic, like a horse galloping underwater. My head is thick with fog as I struggle to focus my eyes. I’m in a hospital room—dimly lit, the darkness outside pressing against the windows. My arm is numb. When I look down, I see I’m holding someone’s hand. A diamond engagement ring sits on my finger, a wedding band nestled beside it. The hand holding mine wears a thick gold band, barely visible between our laced fingers. I close my eyes and let the blackness pull me under.”