Helen moved instinctively, checking their foreheads, adjusting the blankets, speaking quietly to the nurse. Lisa stood by the wall, shaking. “I messed up,” she said, her voice breaking. “I thought I could handle everything. Work, the kids, the house, but I didn’t see it coming. I should’ve asked for help. I should’ve called you sooner.”
Helen didn’t speak right away. She poured tea from her thermos into a cup and handed it over. “Drink,” she said gently. “You won’t do them any good if you collapse.” Lisa’s hands trembled as she took it. “I’ve been awful to you,” she whispered. “When we left… when we didn’t tell you… it wasn’t fair. You’ve always been there for me, and I treated it like it didn’t matter.”