Her mother was gone. Emma tried to calm herself down.

When the nurse and her apprentice-as she would come to know in a few minutes-saw her, and then her parents, she had shot up to her feet, and had kept her head bowed. There was no happening, no bad scenario that Emma didn’t think had happened to her mother.

“Sir, I’m sorry. But I don’t think I would have been able to stop it. This is my apprentice, Rose. On days when I am coasted at work, she comes here to take care of Sheila, and make sure that her treatment is going well. A few days ago was no...