t through the curtains

without panic clawing at my chest. That realiz

er's surgery. Everything depended on today. One mis

the kitchen,

as alrea

the table. Breakfast was laid out neat

before pic

r yourself today. You'v

ightened aro

id he

ften I replayed worst-case scenarios in my

as dan

s expression unreada

I replied,

note. Didn't explain. Did

t made the ge

f the silence. A comfortable s

u," I sai

. "You don't o

ral, but something

sn't ge

bound

nergy I had left. By the time I returned

aiting in th

id, holding out

avor

at them

embered,

es

plana

pecta

my chest ache in a

to become confusing

pened-not hur

calmly. "As long as we

emi

arn

Adrian was reading, composed as always. When

ok exha

brief, deliber

have step

idn

h replaced fear-and

ay, his voice

ena. Tomorrow will

t

o

nction sta

, I stared at the ceili

I would never fall i

ye

not part of

it far mor