Avey sat inside the Kane family manor, idly watching Olivia and Celestia locked in yet another passive-aggressive vocabulary duel, when her phone suddenly rang. Her brows drew together in a light frown. Without saying a word, she picked it up and answered.
But the voice on the other end made her heart stop.
Her face paled.
The frown deepened then shattered into wide-eyed horror.
"What?! What did you say?!" Avey nearly screamed, rising so abruptly that Olivia and Celestia both turned to her, visibly startled.
Olivia was the first to speak, concern flickering in her voice. "Avey? What happened? You look"
But Avey had already grabbed her coat, stumbling toward the door with panic all over her face.
"I'm sorry, Aunt Olivia," she rushed out breathlessly. "I just got a call from mom. Father he... he collapsed. They said he's in a coma now. And—and she… she told me she was diagnosed with stage two cancer."
