Maria:
By the third time Daniel walks into the clinic that week, Lily doesn’t even try to hide it anymore.
She looks up from the exam table, one hand holding a very irritated cat, and just stares at him like he personally inconvenienced her day.
“You again,” she says.
Daniel doesn’t break stride. “Good afternoon.”
“It was a peaceful afternoon before you got here.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
She narrows her eyes, shifting the cat in her arms. “Do you have a pet now?”
“No.”
“Planning to get one?”
“No.”
“Then why are you haunting my clinic?”
There’s a beat. He glances at me, just briefly, like he’s checking something, then back at her.
“I had time.”
Lily lets out a soft, disbelieving laugh. “That answer again. You really commit to your lies.”
“It’s not a lie.”
“It’s not convinc
