She stopped, her eyes skimming the last few lines silently before lowering the letter. The room waited with bated breath. Dolores stood there, and for the first time since I’d known her, she seemed uncertain. Vulnerable.
In that moment, Ivy’s small act of bravery and Marcus’s premeditated plan had shifted something in the room. The ice around Dolores appeared to be melting, if only slightly. She looked at me, then at Marcus, and finally down at Ivy, who was still clinging to my waist.
“I—” Dolores started, her voice softer. “I didn’t realize…” Her words trailed off, and she seemed to struggle with what to say next. The room was still, all eyes riveted on this unexpected turn of events.
