The familiar tightness in Aron's throat returned, the words Helga was speaking intertwining with his own painful recollections. "If she wanted," Helga added, "she could have gotten out of there easily. But instead, she chose us."
The sound of Helga's calm voice suddenly shifted, a tremor sneaking in as she spoke her next words. "I still tremble when I remember the news—when I heard on the TV that Esme Balhale was dead." Her eyes found Aron's, and he could see the tears welling up behind them. "That news... it broke me. It broke us both, didn't it?"