“The Visit”

Eloise POV

The white wall of the hospital room gave me no mercy. Light streamed in from the window, glinting off sterile tiles with an almost mocking glare. The scent of antiseptic clung to the air like it had soaked into the walls. My head throbbed behind my eyes, dull and persistent. 

When I heard the door click open, I looked up—anticipating someone kind. A nurse, maybe. A familiar face. Something to calm me down.

Instead, my heart sank.

My father.

Then—

Jennifer and Jadeline.

Side by side.

They stepped in like actors entering a scene they’d rehearsed too many times—natural smiles, genuine concern dripping from their perfectly...