While Rose gushed over the mysterious Dr Emily in the hallway, promising her elaborate thank-you gifts, Amelia was already halfway home, her eyes heavy and unfocused as the world blurred around her. The exhaustion hollowed her thoughts into silence, leaving no room for worry or awareness of anyone else's turmoil.
She pushed through the front door of the quiet house with slow unsteady steps. Every muscle in her body ached with a deep throb that came from standing nearly motionless for the entire duration of Brad's lengthy surgery. Her joints protested each movement. Her shoulders felt as if they held up the weight of the operating room lights and the world beyond them.
The sight in the living room stopped her where she stood. The elegant space was scattered with blankets and books, the usual order disrupted. Her three children lounged across the enormous sofa in a tangle of thin limbs and fabric. The sight struck her with a sudden realization.
It was long past lunchtime.
