In just a few short days, Susanna had lost so much weight that it was noticeable.


    Ste felt a pang of sympathy as she called out, "Susie."


    Susanna paused in mixing some medication and looked up at Ste, tears starting to well up and spill over.


    "Star," she sniffed.


    Ste quickly closed the distance between them. "What''s wrong? Why the tears?"


    It seemed something else must have happened the previous night. Ste thought about all the mishaps that had befallen Susanna since she started spending time with Hull. It was like she was a ma for trouble.


    Susanna wiped her nose and said, "Thank goodness you''re here. I almost didn''t make it to see the light of day."


    She copsed into Ste''s arms, sobbing.


    Barnaby, who had just walked in, heard Susanna''s dramatic statement and couldn''t help but roll his eyes. "Seriously?"


    What did she mean by "almost didn''t make it"? Surely she wasn''t that fragile? Last night had been intense, sure, but nobody hadshed out at her. Maybe they had said some harsh words, but now it sounded like she''d narrowly escaped death.


    Jesus! Women and their imagination, he thought. It was good he wasn''t nning on having a girlfriend anytime soon. Poor Hull, having to deal with someone so skittish.


    Ste held Susanna, gently patting her back. "There, there. It''s okay now."


    She couldn''t help but wonder why Hull couldn''t be gentler with her. If he wasn''t careful, he''d end up alone.


    He hadn''t always been like this. He was much more easygoing when he was with Ronald. Maybe it was the situations he dragged Susanna into?


    Susanna''s shoulders shook as she cried, looking pitifully small.


    Ste continued to console her. "It''s all in the past now. Try to forget, okay?"


    "It''s not in the past. It''s not over. I almost died."


    The previous night''s event was terrifying. She wouldn''t have lived to see Ste again if things had gone south with Hull.


    Ste reassured her, "No way. Hull would never let anything happen to you."


    Maybe Hull didn''t listen to others, but when Ronald spoke, Hull paid attention.


    Susanna shook her head. "It was because of him that I nearly died."


    Ste was shocked. "What?"


    Susanna nearly died because of Hull?


    It caught Ste off guard. "Did something else happenst night?"


    Surely nothing went wrong again in the short time she was with Hullst night, right?


    She recalled previous incidents-like in Misty Bay when Susanna grabbed Hull''s belt buckle or when she had a mishap with a towel after they moved here. If another inciden happenedst night, Susanna''s track record of idents around Hull was getting a bit ridiculous.


    Susanna choked back more tears. "I almost killed Hullst night."


    Ste''s eyes widened in shock. "What?"


    She gently pushed Susanna back to arm''s length, her face scrunching up in confusion. "What did you say?"


    Ste wondered if she had heard


    wrong. Did Susanna say she almost killed Hull? Ste didn''t doubt


    Susanna''s character, but she


    couldn''t harm someone like Pull.


    Susanna sniffed again. "I nearly ended Hull''s life. I was scared out of my wits. How could I be so clumsy? Back in Portis City, I wasn''t like this. Why do I keep messing up around him?"


    Susanna''s words faded into more sobbing when she thought of all her mishaps.


    Ste was left staring, dumbfounded.