"I don't know," I whisper.
Kristen squeezes my hand again.
"You don't have to know right now. You don't have to decide anything today."
"Decide what?"
Bruno's voice cuts through the bathroom like a blade.
I jump.
My hand sweeps the tests off the counter in one panicked motion. They clatter into the sink. I spin around, pressing my back against the vanity, blocking the evidence with my body.
Bruno sits in the doorway, his wheelchair filling the frame. His dark eyes move from my face to Kristen's to the sink behind me.
He saw.
He definitely saw.
"What are you hiding?"
His voice is calm. Too calm. The kind of calm that comes before a storm.
My heart pounds against my ribs. Blood rushes in my ears. I can feel the plastic sticks pressing against my lower back where I'm leaning against the counter.
"Nothing."
The lie tastes bitter on my tongue.
Bruno's jaw tightens.
"Antonella."
Just my name. A warning. A demand.
I look at Kristen. She's frozen by the bathtub, her grey-blue eyes wide, clearly unsure whether to stay or go.
"Can you give us a moment?"
My voice comes out steadier than I feel.
Kristen nods. She moves toward the door, and Bruno wheels backward just enough to let her pass. His eyes never leave my face. Not for a second.
The door clicks shut behind her.
Silence.
Bruno and I stare at each other across the small bathroom. The fluorescent light buzzes overhead. My pulse throbs in my throat.
"Show me."
Two words. Quiet. Absolute.
I don't move.
"Whatever you're hiding behind your back." His hands grip the armrests of his wheelchair. Knuckles white. "Show me. Now."
Slowly, I turn around.