"Happy New Year, Clara!" Ashley said over the phone, his voice light with cheer.
He waited for a response, expecting her usual teasing remark or at least a chuckle. But the silence on the other end was deafening.
"Clara?" he called again, concern creeping into his tone.
Ashley could hear her shaky breaths. Finally, she blurted out, "Ashley... my grandma is dead."
For a moment, Ashley froze. The words didn’t register. It felt surreal.
"Clara, I think I misheard what you said," he replied, his heart hammering. "What did you say, Clara?"
"My grandma is dead," she repeated, her voice cracking under the weight of her grief. She couldn’t hold back any longer, her sobs spilling over.
Ashley felt a chilling sensation race down his spine as the gravity of her words settled in. Memories of Gr
