I didn’t mean to listen to Flora’s conversation with her mom, but there really is no such thing as privacy in a shared hospital room. I tried to listen to my mom and tune it out, but it was impossible.

I feel bad for Flora. I feel bad for her mom. I feel bad for Flora’s cousin, who she hasn’t talked much about yet. I even feel bad for Goldy, who seems to have good intentions.

Who would my dad have married next?

After Flora’s mom and my mom finally leave, I hear Flora breathing deeply. I want to comfort her, I want to tell her everything is okay, that her family is amazing, that she’s amazing. I stand up to go over to her side of the room to do just that. But I sit back down again. I stand up again, but Flora turns on her TV, and I listen to her watching TV.