“She could hardly walk,” her mum said.
They went to a chemist. She was given ibuprofen gel and painkillers. The pain eased after a day or so.
Enough to carry on.
Enough to believe it had passed.
—
She flew home.
She went away with friends for the weekend.
Life continued.
Until it didn’t.
The morning after she returned, the pain came back—this time, unbearable.