Irene nodded slowly, eyes filling with tears—not only from pain or fear of surgery, but from the cruel realization that everything she believed she controlled was beginning to rot, inside and out.

The doctor expected to leave with Irene headed straight to the hospital. But that didn’t happen. Once he left, the room held only me, Irene, Carly, Rarlat, and Flávia.

“Mom, it’s going to be okay. You’ll have the surgery and soon everything will go back to normal,” Rarlat assured ...