he stairs. A little dizziness here, a shortness of breath there. . Liam joked that I was out of shape .Liam teased me about working too hard, and I teased him back about worrying too

s she rolled out dough for one of her famous pies. The kitchen smelled like ci

l this year?" I asked, taking a sip of tea. "The l

h the back of her flour-dusted hand. "Bigger than last yea

ce. "Yes, Mom, we're going together. Yo

gh, returning to the dough. "I just think

oice made my heart squeeze a little. "It'

me, sudden and overwhelming. The room tilted, and the

e sharpened immedia

g from my other hand and shattering on the floor. "I... I'

ng my arm as I sank onto the nearest chair. "You'r

ing to catch my breath. My ches

this for a while?" she asked

eakly, trying to wave her off. "It's prob

rms. "And 'probably nothing' doesn't make you look lik

m, seri

tone cut through my feeble protest. "You're going to

the chair and closing my e

already picking up the phone. "Sit tight. L

, do

Mrs. Carma had decided, and t

e while he frowned at my chart. The man was the very definition of calm professi

ried in, his hair disheveled like h

ration. "What's going on? Your mom called me, freakin

quickly, but I didn

in from the corner, her arms cros

to her, before turning back to me

. "Let's focus on the symptoms, shall we? Eleanor, you've

d reluc

isn't the

of them staring at me. "But I

ut not unkind. "The tests we've run point to a he

iam repeated, his vo

e sense of the words. "W

muscle thickens, making it harder for the heart to pump blood effectively.

asked, his tone sharp, like

ll start with medication to manage the symptoms, but if it worse

A transplant? This couldn't be real.

y and reassuring even as I saw the fear

. "It's often genetic. Any histo

said quietly. "She passed away young. They

. We'll need to explore your family history,

r's living room, staring into the f

e," he said, his voice

ad," I said softly, pulling

countered. "You knew something was wro

ays than one. "Because I was scared," I admit

, his touch warm and steady. "You don't have to carry this alone," he said, his voice softer now. "W

ing over before I could stop them

me into his arms. "But we'l

. The storm clouds had gathered, and everything in my life felt like it was teetering on th

tray his own fear. "We'll get through this. I swear to you,

was too big, the weight of it all too heavy. Instead, a single tear escaped down m

ked, and I looked away, ashamed

s back to his. "No what-ifs, Ellie. We're not doing that. Whatever this is, whatever

s chest as the sobs I'd been holding back finally escaped. "I'm s

in the world. "I know," he said softly, his breath warm against my hair. "I k

circles, and for the first time that day, I f

let go," I whispered

led with a fierce kind of determination. "I promise, E

felt a tiny spark of hope. The storm clouds were still there, looming on the horizon, but I wasn't standi