“Mr Sodhi’s family is here. They want to know what their options are.”

Cora must have shown her thoughts on her face because Jess chuckled. “Don’t worry, they seem nice.”

Just yesterday, Cora had made the recommendation for sending Mr Sodhi to a home. There was no way he could look after himself anymore. His wife had passed away ten years ago, and his weight had dropped from his last hospital admission by fifteen kilos. After an hour of discussion, he had admitted he didn’t want to be a bother to his family and had been living off tinned tomatoes and hiding the bruises he gained from frequent falls.

Once again, Cora had found herself appalled at life.

Following Jess out, she spotted three middle-aged men at the end of the hall, watching Jess anxiously. Once introduced, she and Mr Sodhi’s three sons settled into one of the rooms set aside for just this. It was barren and fairly depressing, with a dejected-looking painting of a seascape whose copies resided in about ten other rooms in the hospital.

“So,” Cora smiled at them, gently and not too widely. The amount, she’d learnt, set people at ease but didn’t make her seem flippant or too cheerful during a situation that was anything but. “How can I help you?”

Two of the men looked to the middle son, introduced as Raj. “We hear our father has had more problems than he let on?”

Cora nodded. “Yes, his weight has dropped dramatically. He keeps having falls. I’m afraid it’s time he’s moved into a home, where he can have the care he—”

“Absolutely not.”

Cora shut her mouth with an almost audible snap. “Sorry?”

“Our father will not be cared for by strangers.” Dark brown eyes stared at her from beneath a deep set brow. “Absolutely not.”

“Well, there are other options.” Cora looked between them.

The younger-looking brother spoke then. “Of course there are. He’ll be at home with my wife and I.”

Cora felt her smile slipping into something genuine.

The middle son leant forward. “Our father is stubborn. We didn’t know how bad it was—but he will be at home with his family. We’ll take care of him.”

Sometimes, Cora loved her job. “Great. Let’s go over the paperwork and some services I can make available to you.”

When she walked out twenty minutes later, the feeling settling over Cora was very different than the usual one after these sorts of meetings.

A buzzing in her pocket distracted her. In the one second that it took for her to pull her phone out, that wonderful feeling dissipated and a heavy feeling settled in her stomach. She had to be in couples therapy in ten minutes.