The weight of the successful presentation and the chaotic run-in with the masked student lifted, and a sense of relief washed over Karen. The air was cool and crisp as she and Jenny walked out of the school gates, their conversation light and full of anticipation for the afternoon treat.
"I still can't believe your mom is picking us up," Jenny said with a grin. "Ice cream on a school day? Best mom ever."
Karen smiled, a warmth spreading through her chest. "Right? I think she's celebrating our perfect presentation score." The thought of her mother's excited smile was enough to make her forget the earlier frustration. She pulled out her phone and sent a quick text. Ready when you are, Mummy.
They reached the main pick-up area and found a bench to sit on. Karen scanned the line of cars, her eyes searching for her mother's familiar vehicle. Minutes turned into ten, and ten minutes turned into fifteen. The other students were being picked up, and the area was slowly emptying out.
"Maybe she got stuck in traffic?" Jenny suggested, a slight frown on her face.
"Yeah, that must be it," Karen said, though a flicker of unease went through her. Her mother was always punctual. She called her phone again. It rang and rang, going to voicemail after a few rings.
"Maybe her phone is on silent," Jenny said, trying to be optimistic.
Karen nodded, but her stomach was starting to churn. She tried her mother's office number, but a recorded message said the office was already closed for the day. She tried a different number, one she had for emergencies. Nothing. The unease was growing into a cold dread, and the quiet afternoon air felt heavy.
"Let's just go wait by the street," Karen said, her voice strained. "She'll be here soon."
They stood on the curb, watching the passing cars, each one a flash of hope that faded into disappointment. The sun began to dip below the horizon, casting long shadows across the street. Karen's phone, which had been silent for what felt like an eternity, suddenly buzzed with an incoming call. It was a number she didn't recognize.
Karen's heart pounded. She answered it, her hand shaking. "Hello?"
"Is this Karen Adams?" a male voice asked, a grave note in his tone. "I'm calling from the Central Hospital."
Karen's blood ran cold. The phone felt like a block of ice in her hand. "Yes... that's me. Is... is everything okay?"
The voice on the other end was slow and deliberate, but the words hit Karen like a physical blow. "There's been an accident. Your mother, Aida Adams, has been in a tragic car accident."
The world seemed to tilt on its axis. The noise of the cars and the chatter of the few remaining students faded into a distant hum. Jenny was talking, but Karen couldn't hear her. All she could hear were the man's words, replaying in her mind, a tragic promise that had just been broken. The mother who had waved goodbye to her that morning, the one who was supposed to pick her up for ice cream, was now in a hospital.
In that single, agonizing moment, Karen's life, the one she had always known, was shattered. She was left standing on the curb, the phone still pressed to her ear, with only her brother's future and an uncertain path ahead.