The phone buzzed again.
Carol.
Ethan's mother.
The name glowed against the darkened screen.
Olivia stared at it.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
Across the room, Adrian had gone completely still.
The call continued to ring.
"You're not answering?" he asked quietly.
Olivia didn't look up.
"I haven't decided."
The phone buzzed again.
Adrian shifted his weight against the kitchen counter. The mug in his hand had long since stopped steaming.
"You know she's not going to stop."
"I know."
Another ring.
Another vibration.
Finally Olivia swiped her thumb across the screen and lifted it to her ear.
"Hi, Carol."
"Olivia!"
The relief in Carol's voice was immediate.
"You had me worried."
Olivia closed her eyes briefly.
"Worried?"
"You never let it ring this long."
Across the room,
