ng her breath. The encounter with Adrian had been unsettling in an ungraspable manner, and just

a breath, a mo

' station, she saw her phone b

glanced at

o

eased her

mother ca

not decide; with a dismi

el

ou been? I've been cal

m, I'm doing my rounds. I can't just pi

ace of sarcasm in her daughter's tone; inst

e home at the en

ing where the conversation wa

r is gettin

opped in h

ghtness in her chest whirled in

etting

n obedient daughter who never argued, never rebelled, never defied expectations. Unlike Camil

riage?

to keep her voice steady. "That

ily. They are reputable, well-to-do, but most importantly, h

gritted

ed disapproval ever since she'd chosen medi

sooner," Camille murmu

lling y

and went on feeling tired.

failed to go, her mother would have

magined the convers

nto one of those honey-soft mod

you had listened, you would have been

ille tightened

e w

"You had so many good offers." A woman shouldn't spe

s ablaze wit

their fir

and it. To her mother, Camille's ambition was a burden, something m

ard all th

her eyes as if to patiently herse

ie

ce came, shrill an

you ho

not

me she used

han

e stif

led her that a

a name linked to the culture that her mot

a call when her mother

ld respond, howeve

the phone where her heart

ectations, from the idea that her worth was connected with

ok one phone cal

o that in-between stage where she had been mad

f air, she tucked the ph

e interns' station, her legs w

she was just about collapsing in

as only

nt, she was

up- running late, humiliated at the hands of Dr.

d was p

drink," a voice

dn't have

f next to her, ic

ning?" M

," Camille

ntently and squinte

"My sister is

d. "Wait..

le no

know she was

nd, of course, she had to throw in the usual guil

eyes. "Classi

ly laughed. "R

n silence

Mia's voice when she finally

nking back in her c

on the desk. "And... how

d her mouth,

d she

strated. But also..

he didn't w

ed tenaciously. "I only kn