Chapter 29: Sophia's Advice

Freshly brewed coffee wafted through Sophia's apartment—very different from the pungent aroma of another hospital visit that had become all too familiar by then. Olivia sat on the couch, one of her favorites—oversized—draped over her already thin frame, hands wrapped around a warm mug. Sophia watched her friend from the kitchen, concern etching its lines around her eyes. "You're staring again," Olivia noted without looking up, an undertone of amusement in her voice. Sophia sighed and went to join Olivia on the couch. "Can you blame me? I worry about you, Liv." A slight smile played on Olivia's lips. "I do," she admitted. "And I appreciate it. But I'm fine, really." "Aren't you?" Sophia asked, softly yet insistently. "Because I've known you long enough to know when something is biting at you. And it is not just the treatments." Her grip on her mug tightened, and her knuckles turned white. For a moment, she thought of deflecting, turning the conversation to safer ground, but finally