Vanessa started losing track of her breath as she broke down. “What an awful thing to do to a person! To make them believe they can have the things they never believed they deserved. And then take it away. What an awful thing.” “I’m sorry,” Joan said. “I’m so sorry.” Joan, staring out the window, saw Vanessa looking at up her. “Please don’t make me go,” Vanessa said, crying harder now. “Please.” “But you might lose everything you dreamed of.” “Then I’ll lose it,” Vanessa said. “Let them take it. Just don’t let them take you.”
