Violet tried to stay awake to watch over Ryan. She let herself pretend, just for a moment, that things could be that simple. She and Ryan could continue as they had always been. It could be just like he had never left and they had been together the whole time, growing closer and closer until they were inextricably entwined.
The pain had finally subsided just a little, and she was so warm and comfortable that she drowsed off. She dreamed about a house filled with doors. Different colored doors, in a passageway that wound round and round. She stopped at a red door and went through, but it just led to another passageway, to more doors.
When she woke up, the early morning light had begun to filter into the room and she could see that Ryan had taken his blankets and curled up in the corner.
