The hospital cafeteria seemed to live in a different time zone. The clock above the coffee machine read 9:23 AM, but inside me, the days seemed to blur together. I'd lost count of how many times I'd been in there that week, always between one test and another, between an anxiety attack and a smile from Giulia that kept me standing.
I ordered a cappuccino and a cheese toast, though I wasn't even sure I'd be able to eat. I picked up my tray and sat at a corner table, away from the constant flow of doctors and families. I took my phone out of my pocket and stared at the screen. The background photo was of Giulia wearing a flower crown she had made herself in the garden, smiling as she ran after a butterfly.
I sighed.
I unlocked my phone.
I scrolled through my contacts.
"Mom."
I stopped
