CLAIRE
I woke up to sunlight streaming through the window and my face feeling stiff and swollen and for a moment, I just lay there, staring at the ceiling, my mind blank and heavy.
Then yesterday came flooding back. Patricia, the coffee shop, my father's deal, four million dollars. My stomach twisted and I sat up slowly, my body aching like I'd been in a fight.
I touched my face and felt the dried tear tracks on my cheeks. I'd cried myself to sleep. The clock on my nightstand read eight thirty AM, which meant I'd slept for almost fourteen hours.
I stood up and walked to the bathroom, turning on the light and immediately regretting it. My reflection looked terrible, eyes red and puffy, face pale, hair a mess.
I splashed cold water on my face and brushed my teeth, trying to make myself
