That afternoon, Daniel appeared unannounced. Elise watched from the nurses’ station as he stepped into the room. Olivia’s posture changed immediately—shoulders up and smile fixed. Her phone screen lit up once, then she deleted something before he noticed. Then she turned it face down. Elise caught the subtle but unmistakable gesture.
When Daniel finally left, Olivia’s laughter followed him down the corridor. It was thin, strained, and ended too soon. Elise leaned against the counter, exhaustion sinking in like gravity. She couldn’t tell whether she was imagining danger or witnessing it unfold in slow motion.