The stillness of the hospital room was interrupted by the sudden vibration of Anabella's phone on the bedside table.
The sound was jarring, breaking through the soft hum of the machinery that had been her only companion for the past hour. She stared at the device, her heart sinking as she saw the name flashing on the screen—Clair.
Anabella hesitated, her hand hovering over the phone. Part of her wanted to answer, to hear Clair's warm and reassuring voice.
But another part—the part weighed down by guilt and exhaustion—wanted to ignore it, to avoid having to explain herself or lie. She couldn't let Clair know where she was. She didn't want to see the worry on her friend's face or hear the inevitable scolding for pushing herself too hard.
But the phone continued to vibrate insistently, and Anabella knew Clair wouldn't stop until she answered. With a resigned sigh, she picked it up, her voice trembling slightly as she said, "Hello?"
