Nonnina sat in the living room, her hands folded tightly in her lap, her gaze fixed on nothing in particular. The clock ticked loudly on the wall, each second stretching longer than the last, her thoughts circling endlessly.
She didn't like this feeling.
The front door burst open with a sharp echo, breaking the silence.
"Nonni!" Luca's voice rang through the house, urgent, already edged with tension. "Nonni?" He stepped inside. His eyes scanned the room.
Nonnina rose slowly, meeting him halfway.
"I'm here," she said.
Luca reached her in seconds, his gaze sharp as it moved over her, checking for injuries, for signs of distress, for anything out of place. "What's going on?" he demanded.
"Be calm." Nonnina said it the way she always did—softly, firmly. She reached for Luca's jacket.
"Nonni? You called me saying 911. That's not exactly be calm energy."
