Then, on a Tuesday—because it was always a Tuesday—a notification appeared.

Her father, who was sitting up in bed for the first time in days, squinted at Liam and then smiled a tired, genuine smile. “About time, son.”

The three dots appeared. Then disappeared. Then appeared again.

She typed: How can I unblock someone on FB?

She thought of the help article again: How can I unblock someone on FB? The answer had been mechanical, soulless. But the real question, the one no website could answer, was: How do I unblock someone in my heart?

She closed the browser. Not tonight, she told herself. But the snow kept falling, and her father’s hospital room—with its beige curtains and the smell of antiseptic—kept intruding on her thoughts.