She never let her phone go to voicemail again.
She fumbled with her phone, navigating to Settings > Phone > Blocked Contacts. There it was. . Her finger trembled over the red “Unblock” button. block number unblock
“We don’t have time for that now,” Zara said, already grabbing her keys. “Just stay on the phone with me. I’ll be there in fifteen minutes.” She never let her phone go to voicemail again
A long pause. Then a sound Zara had never heard from her mother in her entire life: a sob. “Just stay on the phone with me
Later, while her father slept, Zara opened her phone. She went to her blocked list again. It was empty now.
One ring. Two. Three.
“The hospital just called,” her mother whispered. “Your father collapsed. They’re prepping him for surgery. I’ve been trying to reach you for an hour.”