The sunlight was too bright. Warm but...off. Slanting through dirty windowpanes like it had no business being that kind of golden. The fridge buzzed—loud, louder than usual—and the jasmine scent from somewhere outside curled in through the vent like it was sneaking in. Camille’s hands clenched tighter around the broom handle. She’d been sweeping the same damn patch of linoleum for what—ten minutes? Twenty?
Her feet were cold. Bare. She hadn’t noticed till now. The linoleum was damp near the fridge. Why? Had she spilled something? Her brain wouldn’t focus. Couldn’t.
Ellie was at school. That part was right—jacket gone, the hook empty. And Adrian... hospital, scrubs, stethoscope slung over his shoulder, his smile soft when he left. She remembered that. That was real. That had to be real.
