Samuel arrived at the hospital late in the afternoon, his steps echoing through the silent corridors as he searched for Lily. He found her in the cafeteria, alone at a table, holding a cup of coffee between trembling hands. Her phone lay dormant beside her, a clear indication of her exhaustion in the face of Samuel's incessant calls, all ignored.

　　He approached cautiously, his heart tight with concern and uncertainty about what he might find. He watched Lily for a moment, ...