Chapter 32

• Celeste
• Celeste tried to open her mouth to speak, but only hoarse squeaks came out. Delaney waved her hand dismissively, pulling a glass bottle of water out of her purse. She unscrewed the cap and then pulled a straw out and dropped it into the bottle. Delaney was always prepared, and Celeste found it hard to believe that she'd ever been wrong about anything in her life. Delaney scooted a chair up next to Celeste's bed, and before she took a seat, she put the straw up to Celeste's lips. Celeste sucked down the cool liquid, and it soothed her sore throat, but she had to stop when a cough rattled in her chest.
• “You inhaled a lot of smoke, so take it easy,” Delaney said, pulling the straw away and sitting back in the chair with the posture of a queen.