Mara watched Steve, something inside her tightening. The conversation was brief but left a trace of unease behind. Steve's shoulders stiffened, his voice low and strained.
"It's not looking good. You need to book an appointment immediately," came a voice from the other end. Mara could only catch fragments.
"I'll come by," Steve replied, his tone clipped, something simmering beneath it.
When he hung up, Mara didn't ask right away. She waited for him to slip the phone back into his pocket, watching the way his fingers lingered there like it might ring again.
"Is everything okay?" she finally asked, her voice careful, a thread of quiet concern woven through. Steve glanced at her then, and for a heartbeat too long, he didn't answer. The hallway seemed to hold its breath.
