The tension in the room was palpable, the air thick with a sense of pending conflict. Catherine, her mother, seemed poised to retaliate, her shoulders puffing up in an ostentatious display of self-importance. Ara found herself wondering what her mother was even contemplating at that moment.
A nurse, who had attended to Ara earlier, entered the room, her attention absorbed in a chart she held in her hand. She almost bumped into Catherine.
"My apologies," she said, taking a moment to assess the situation in the room. "According to the hospital's policy, we can only allow one visitor in the ICU per patient. Two of you will need to vacate the room and schedule a more appropriate time for your visit."
In response, Catherine huffed indignantly, exiting the room hastily without a backward glan
