James studied Clara, his fingers drumming lightly against the table. She was holding something back.
Not just exhaustion. Not just fear.
Something deeper. Something she didn’t dare say.
But what?
His gaze flickered toward the hallway again, toward the unseen room where Ivy slept.
The air felt heavier now.
Like the house was listening.
"You know I care about you, right?" James said slowly.
Clara nodded, eyes fixed on the tabletop. "Yeah."
"And Ivy," James continued. "I care about her too. Which is why I need to know if you’rea”
He stopped himself. Chose his words carefully.
"If you’re okay."
Clara’s fingers tightened around her mug.
Her lips pressed together, white at the edges.
Then**finally**she met his eyes.
"You think I’m losing it."
James didn’t answer right away.
Because the truth was he wasn’t sure.
The way Clara spoke, the way she moved it wasn’t right.
But what if she was telling the truth?
What if something was wrong?
"I think," James said carefully, "that you’re carrying a lot. And maybe you need help."
Clara exhaled, a bitter laugh slipping from her lips.
"You think I haven’t considered that?"
She leaned forward, voice dropping low.
"I know how this sounds, James. I know. But I also know what I’ve seen. What I’ve heard."
She swallowed, her pulse visible at her throat.
"I know my daughter."
The words came out like a plea.
Like a last thread she was clinging to.
James inhaled, slow and steady.
"Then tell me," he said. "Tell me everything."
Clara hesitated.
Her eyes flickered not just with fear now, but with something else.
A test.
A challenge.
How much could she say? How much could she trust?
James felt it the weight of the moment.
If he didn’t believe her now, she’d never say another word.
Clara’s shoulders lifted, a shaky inhale pressing past her lips.
Then, softly so softly he almost didn’t hear it
"I don’t think I’m the only one in this house anymore."
The words sent a chill down James’ spine.
He swallowed hard, fighting the urge to look around.
Clara didn’t blink.
Didn’t breathe.
Just waited.
Waited to see if he believed her.
James’ hands clenched against his knees.
Because deep down, he already did.
Whispering Touch
Dr. Lillian Graves prided herself on control. Every detail of her office sterile, precise, untouched by chaos was a reflection of her careful, measured life. Secrets had no place here. But as she stood before Clara and Ivy, an unease slithered beneath her skin, an instinct older than reason.
Ivy sat on the examination table, small and still, except for her fingers, lightly tracing something unseen in the air. She had barely spoken.
Clara, exhausted, ran a hand through her hair. “She’s been… different,” she murmured. “Waking up in the middle of the night. Staring at things that aren’t there. I just want to make sure she’s okay.”
Dr. Graves nodded, suppressing a yawn. She had barely slept, though she wouldn’t admit why. The city outside was waking. Pedestrians walked briskly, car horns blared, life continued as normal. Yet here, in this small, too-quiet room, something felt displaced.
“Ivy, sweetheart.” The doctor forced a reassuring smile. “Let’s do a quick checkup, okay?”
The girl said nothing.
Dr. Graves pressed her stethoscope against Ivy’s chest. Her heartbeat was steady. Normal. She checked her eyes, reflexes everything should have been routine.
Then, as the doctor turned to note her observations, Ivy moved.
A pencil scraped softly against paper.
Dr. Graves glanced back. Ivy had pulled a prescription pad close, the pencil clutched in her tiny hand. She wasn’t looking at what she was writing. She was drawing idle, lazy loops, as if the act itself was unthinking.
Clara furrowed her brows. “Honey, what are you doing?”
Ivy blinked, as if surfacing from a daydream. She looked up at her mother with the empty, innocent eyes of a child and shrugged. “I don’t know.”
Dr. Graves reached out, cautiously sliding the notepad from under Ivy’s fingers. And then
Her breath stopped.
There, in uneven, childlike scrawl, was a sentence.
"You buried her where no one would find her."
Her stomach dropped.
For a moment, time lost meaning. The walls of her office, the city outside, Clara’s presence none of it mattered. Only the words.
Cold sweat gathered at her nape. She swallowed, her throat dry.
Clara leaned closer, peering at the note. “What’s that supposed to mean?” she asked, voice light, oblivious.
Dr. Graves couldn’t answer. Her heartbeat pounded in her ears.
No one knew.
Not the police. Not her family. Not even in her most fevered nightmares had she imagined
She looked at Ivy. The child wasn’t watching her. She had already lost interest, swinging her legs, gazing at the ceiling as if she had merely scribbled a meaningless phrase. She had no idea what she had just done.
But Dr. Graves knew.
And in that moment, she felt seen.
Something old and watching had turned its gaze upon her.
Dr. Graves tightened her grip on the prescription pad, her fingers damp with sweat. The page trembled as she folded it over, an instinctive attempt to erase the impossible. But the ink had dried. The words remained.
How?
Her pulse thudded in her ears. She forced her gaze back to Ivy—a child, nothing more. A little girl kicking her feet idly, her expression vacant, as if the moment had already dissolved into nothingness. But for Graves, it lingered, gnawing at the edges of reason.
The room’s atmosphere had shifted. The familiar sterility of antiseptic and latex gloves had turned cloying, thickening the air. A weight settled over the space, unseen but undeniable, pressing in like a held breath before a scream.
She moistened her lips. “Ivy…” Her voice rasped, brittle. “Why did you write that?”
Ivy blinked at her. “Write what?”
Silence stretched.
Dr. Graves hesitated. A joke? A coincidence? She slid the notepad beneath a pile of documents, her expression carefully blank.
Clara’s brow furrowed. “Doctor?”
Graves steadied herself. “It’s nothing,” she said too quickly, the words tripping over themselves. Turning to Clara, she forced professionalism into her tone. “Physically, she’s fine. No fever, no unusual symptoms. But with her recent… episodes, it would be wise to monitor any changes. If it escalates, therapy might”
“She doesn’t need therapy,” Clara interjected, her voice firm. Protective.
A flicker of irritation flared, but something colder smothered it instantly.
Graves cleared her throat. “Just watch her closely, alright?”
Clara gave a reluctant nod, her grip on Ivy tightening.
The doctor mustered a weak smile. “Let me know if anything changes.”
But the unease gnawing at her ribs whispered a different truth.
Clara wasn’t the one she feared.
As the mother shifted Ivy onto her hip, the child draped her arms around Clara’s neck. It was a familiar gesture, innocent.
And then Ivy turned.
A fleeting expression crossed her lips, subtle, almost imperceptible.
Not the sweetness of childhood.
Not warmth or naivety.
But awareness.
Something sharp and ancient, concealed beneath the mask of youth. A look that sent a shiver racing through Dr. Graves’ spine.
Then it vanished.
Clara thanked her and stepped into the hallway, the door swinging shut behind her.
The world outside remained indifferent. Traffic murmured. Footsteps echoed in the corridors. Morning sunlight spilled over glass and pavement, casting the city in golden hues.
Life moved on.
But in the quiet confines of her office, Dr. Graves sat frozen. Her breath shallow. Her fingers curled around the paper once more, unfolding it with trembling hands.
Her gaze traced the words.
You buried her where no one would find her.
Somewhere, beneath forgotten soil, where earth had been disturbed long ago—a secret remained.
How to Choose the Right Loan After Using All Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan Eligibility at Baylor University
If you are studying at Baylor University and have already borrowed the maximum allowed under the Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan program, you may be wondering what to do next. This guide explains your options, the pros and cons of each, and practical steps to secure additional funding while minimizing debt.
1. Understand What "Using All Eligibility" Means
Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans are capped by both annual and lifetime (aggregate) borrowing limits. Once you have borrowed up to that cap, you cannot take out any more of this type of loan. Interest accrues from the moment funds are disbursed. (Federal Student Aid)
2. Explore Remaining Federal Options
a. Parent PLUS Loans
If you are a dependent undergraduate, your parent can apply for a Federal Direct Parent PLUS Loan. This loan covers the cost of attendance (minus other aid). Approval is credit-based, and repayment begins immediately, though deferment options are available. (Baylor One Stop – Undergraduate Loans)
b. Additional Direct Unsubsidized Loan (After PLUS Denial)
If your parent applies for a PLUS Loan but is denied, Baylor allows you to request an Additional Direct Unsubsidized Loan. You must complete Baylor’s official request form: Additional Direct Loan Request.
c. Graduate PLUS Loans
For graduate or professional students, the Graduate PLUS Loan may be available to bridge funding gaps. It has similar credit requirements to the Parent PLUS Loan. ( Baylor One Stop – Graduate Loans)
3. Consider Private Student Loans
Private or alternative student loans from banks and credit unions can also help cover costs. These usually require a creditworthy cosigner and may come with higher interest rates or fewer repayment protections than federal loans. Baylor encourages students to exhaust federal options first before considering private borrowing. (Baylor One Stop)
4. Maximize Non-Loan Aid
Before turning to private loans, revisit other sources of funding:
- Institutional Scholarships: Check Baylor Admissions for updates – Baylor Scholarships & Aid.
- Departmental Awards: Some academic departments and programs offer targeted scholarships.
- Work-Study: Federal or institutional work-study helps offset living costs without adding to debt.
- External Scholarships: Use platforms like Fastweb or Scholarships.com.
5. Smart Steps to Take at Baylor
- Confirm Remaining Eligibility: Log into BearWeb or speak with a Baylor Financial Aid Advisor.
- Apply for Parent PLUS or Graduate PLUS: If denied, complete the Additional Direct Loan Request form.
- Compare Loan Options: Weigh interest rates, repayment terms, and borrower protections between PLUS and private loans.
- Borrow Conservatively: Only request the amount you absolutely need to cover your cost of attendance.
- Check Scholarships Again: Look for new or rolling scholarships to reduce loan reliance.
6. Why Federal Loans Are Usually Better Than Private Loans
Federal loans (PLUS or Additional Unsubsidized) often offer safer repayment options, deferment, and forgiveness opportunities that private loans do not. Private lenders may offer competitive rates for those with strong credit, but they lack federal protections. Baylor strongly advises reviewing federal routes first. (Baylor Loan Options)
Conclusion
Reaching the maximum Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan limit does not mean the end of your financial aid journey. By exploring PLUS Loans, Additional Direct Unsubsidized Loans, and carefully vetted private loans—while maximizing scholarships and work-study—you can still meet your Baylor University costs responsibly. Always consult Baylor One Stop for the latest forms, deadlines, and personalized advice.
