The journey home from the hospital was quiet, the weight of Elena’s diagnosis pressing down on both her and Grace like an invisible shroud. Grace drove with one hand gripping the wheel tightly, the other occasionally reaching over to squeeze Elena’s hand, as if to reassure her daughter—and herself—that everything would be okay.
As they pulled into the driveway, Elena glanced out at the house she had grown up in. The sight was both comforting and bittersweet. The festive decorations from the recent carol still adorned the porch, the twinkling lights a stark contrast to the somber reality she carried within.
Grace opened the car door for her, refusing to let Elena exert herself. “Take it slow,” she said softly, wrapping an arm around her daughter’s waist to steady her.
Inside, the house w
