Camila's phone vibrated against the glass surface of her coffee table, the sound sharp in the quiet of her minimalist living room. She reached for it, her long fingers wrapping around the cool metal. The screen lit up, revealing a message from Travis that cut straight to the chase: "Need to see you. It's about your mother."
"Can't this wait till tomorrow?" she typed back, her thumb hovering over the send button before she reconsidered and deleted the text. She exhaled, her breath catching slightly with a mix of apprehension and the faintest flicker of hope.
"Where and when?" she sent instead.
"Park bench by the old fountain. 10 minutes?" came his immediate reply.
"See you there," she confirmed, pushing herself off the couch with a fluidity that belied her racing heart.