Morning light filtered through the blinds, softer than I expected, but it didn’t soothe the tight coil in my stomach. I lay against Mark’s chest, listening to his steady heartbeat, and tried to convince myself that everything was fine. That the world outside could wait. That we could exist in this fragile cocoon a little longer.
But reality was loud. Too loud. My phone buzzed insistently from the kitchen counter, vibrating like an alarm in my chest. I reached for it, dread crawling up my spine. Mom, Mom, Lily, all flashing relentlessly. Each notification tightened the pit in my stomach.
Mark stirred beside me, his hand brushing my hair. “Bad news?” he murmured.
I shook my head, trying to steady my breath. “Not yet… but it’s coming.”
The first call was from Mom. I hesitated, thumb hover
