Kiara’s heart thudded so loudly in her chest that she was certain it could be heard beyond the four walls of the consultation room. It beat erratically, uneven, as if unsure whether it was racing ahead in hope or holding itself back in fear. She sat perched on the edge of the chair, her posture stiff, her feet tapping against the floor in a restless rhythm she didn’t even notice.

Every few seconds, her teeth sank into her lower lip, worrying it unconsciously, while her fingers kept twisting and untwisting the hem of her top as though grounding herself to something tangible might keep her from floating away into her thoughts.