Cara | Part Five "Dani," Cara whispered. She longed to ask why she'd done this to her, why she hadn't steered the truck in another direction, when her mother returned, a green paper cup clutched in her pale hand. Her red finger nails glowed brightly against the dull color of the cup. Water sloshed over the brim of the cup as Ella saw Dani close to her daughter, and she threw her hand on her chest. As selfish as she was, she was still very protective of her daughter. "Get away from her," she hissed at the girl standing beside Cara's bed. "You nearly killed her once, I won't let you try again." A shadow of hurt flickered across Dani's dark face. She retreated to her chair, and stared at the ground, just as shaken as Cara. Cara again tried to speak, but instead a wheezing noice erupted from her throat, and she slipped into a blurry world of unconsciousness. Three days later, she was released from the hospital. Her wounds were healing nicely, the doctors told her, and she was the luckiest girl they knew. She'd just smiled weakly at them and nodded. She didn't feel lucky. She felt broken and torn and wounded- which she was. Her mother was silent for the ride home, and took surprising care for her daughter in the following week. Cara had never seen Ella care for anyone but herself. It was a shocking sight for the daughter of a usually selfish snot. If the care would continue, Cara didn't know, but she savored the near-love she received while it was being handed to her.