Eight years was too long, and he had lost track of when he had gradually stopped caring that much. Perhaps he had assumed that I would never leave him behind, so he had begun to hurt me without regard.

Looking at Jack with a concerned face, Pete clutched her stomach and cried out, "Oh, Jack. My stomach hurts."

Pete's pain cut through Jack's mind. He turned to her. "What's wrong?"

"I don't know. It just hurts suddenly." Pete wept.

Pete's eyebrows were furrowed, her face pale and genuinely distressed.

Jack paid no attention to us and Caroline, rushing to assist Pete away.

As their figures disappeared from view, Caroline finally...