About thirty minutes later, Grace came dashing back, panic written all over her face. She was out of breath by the time she stepped into Maria’s office.
“Maria, did you need me for something?” she asked, strands of hair stuck to her forehead, her chest heaving.
“What happened?” Maria stood up, concern clear in her eyes, and passed her a tissue.
“My dad suddenly collapsed. My mom's not well either—she almost lost it. I just got back from the hospital. I was hoping I could take some time off,” Grace said, blinking away the redness in her eyes. She was holding herself together, trying not to fall apart. Being the backbone of her family now, she knew she couldn’t afford to break down.
Maria’s face tightened. “Is it serious?”
“The doctor said it’s a mild stroke. He needs to sta
