The hospital corridors had become strangely familiar to Alliah. What was once intimidating—the sterile smell of disinfectant, the shuffle of nurses’ shoes, the muted hum of machines—now carried a rhythm she had grown used to. It was as if her life had woven itself into the fabric of these hallways, blending her fears, her hopes, and her relentless will to endure.
She sat quietly on the cushioned bench outside the consultation room, her hands folded tightly together. Jamiro sat beside her, one arm draped protectively across her back, rubbing small, reassuring circles. Joshua fidgeted with a small toy car on the floor, his innocence a soft reminder that joy still found its way through the cracks of their difficult days.
Today was not just another appointment. It marked the beginning of a n
