The city shimmered beneath the early afternoon sun, streets glinting like molten glass between the rise and fall of buildings. Cars hummed in patterns too intricate to track, and somewhere in the distance, a faint wail of sirens threaded through the steady pulse of urban life.
Anna gripped the steering wheel, fingers brushing the stitched leather with unconscious precision. Joseph sat beside her, his hand resting lightly on her thigh, thumb brushing in small, almost imperceptible circles. That single gesture grounded her, tethered her calm amidst the anticipatory storm swirling around her chest.
The airport exit loomed ahead, a concrete maw spewing passengers like water through a sieve. Luggage trolleys rattled against polished floors, echoing down corridors lined with glass and steel.
"Mom should be here any minute," Anna murmured, more to herself than to Joseph.
