Chihuahua, Mexico
The Same Day
Frantically pacing back in forth in front of the children’s hospital near the outskirts of Villa Juarez, Marissa was panicking. She firmly slapped her forehead with her palm, acknowledging she had made a big mistake she was certain to regret. She was almost hyperventilating and needed to slow her breathing down. Breathing through her nose helped somewhat. It was a trick she learned from her mother years ago when she was a pre-teen. It worked in the past and she hoped it would work now.
“I can’t let her see me like this,” she declared as she continued pacing while repeating, flinging her arms in the air in despair.
She ignored the few visitors who were going in and out of the hospital. Some gave her awkward looks. She didn’t care if they could hear
