Emma jolted awake, her heart pounding. The unfamiliar ringtone pierced the pre-dawn darkness, and for a moment, she forgot where she was. As reality seeped back in, she remembered – she was alone in the apartment she usually shared with Tom, wrapped in his sweatshirt, having fallen asleep after her emotional breakdown.
The phone continued its insistent buzzing. Emma fumbled for it, squinting at the bright screen. It was Diana's nurse, Mara. A cold dread washed over her as she answered.
"Emma? You need to come to the hospital right away. Your mother... she's taken a turn for the worse."
The world seemed to tilt on its axis. Emma was out of bed in an instant, throwing on clothes haphazardly. "I'm on my way," she managed, her voice hoarse.
As she rushed out of the apartment, Emma's mind r
