The moment those words left her lips, both ends of the call fell silent.

Kenneth came back to himself after a while, his face looking drained. His voice was rough and quiet as he finally spoke. "It makes sense your mom wouldn't agree."

He couldn't blame her. The truth was, he'd been pretty awful for the past ten years. They'd just managed to make things work, and then he let Emily get hurt. If he were in her mom's position, he wouldn't trust a guy like him either.

“But that's alright." Kenneth traced the edge of his phone with his thumb. His voice, still a little raspy, cut through the stillness of the night. "I'll do my best to show your mom how much I care, to prove I really love you."

Did he really love her? Wasn't it just because he felt guilty or moved by what they'd been through?

Emily's heart skipped a beat. An odd rush of emotion swept over her, settling in her bones.

"Are you going back to the hospital tomorrow for a follow-up?"

Kenneth glanced at the clock, rubbing his brow. His tone was gentle and soft.

"Yeah." Emily's answer was quiet, unfocused.

She didn't know why, but just hearing his voice made everything inside her settle down. It was a calming, safe feeling.

"Get some rest. I'll come see you tomorrow."

After making sure Emily was okay, Kenneth ended the call. He remained by the big window, staring out at the city lights, holding his phone tightly.

His mind wandered back to what Lottie had said earlier.

"The antidote is already being worked on, maybe three or four days left."

Time was ticking. Winning over Norma was a big hurdle.

Morning sunlight slipped into her quiet room, stretching gently across the white bedsheets.

After a bit, Emily slowly blinked awake. Before she could gather her thoughts, her phone buzzed with a new message.

Kenneth had texted: [Good morning, baby.]

Emily stared blankly at the screen, still lost in sleep, when the bedroom door opened suddenly.

"Emily?"

Norma came in with a tray of breakfast.

"Mom." Emily tensed a little, instinctively hiding her phone behind her leg.

Norma noticed, pressing her lips

together. She tried to hide her nerves as she spoke gently. "The hospital's waiting for us. Let's eat first, then we'll go for your check-up.

"Okay." Emily nodded, went to clean up, then took small spoonfuls of porridge. Everything had been so bland lately because of her recovery.

There wasn't much flavor in her mouth.

After a brief pause, Emily went looking for the coat she'd worn last night. She pulled out a handful of candles from the pocket, choosing one and popping it into her mouth.

Instantly, her mood lifted.

Once breakfast was done, Norma and Pam took her to the hospital.

News about the kidnapping and their relationship was everywhere online. Emily was wrapped up tightly in her coat, hat, and mask. Not even people who knew her could recognize her.

"Emily, sit down a minute."

After her exams were finished, Norma held out the results. She spoke softly. "I'm going to talk to the doctor, see what they say."

“Alright.” Emily sat down quietly, her bright eyes peeking out from under her hat as she scanned the waiting room.

"What are you looking for?"

Pam settled next to her, coming close with an amused smile. "Are you searching for Kenneth?"

Kenneth? She'd felt an emptiness all morning, but when Pam said his name, it was like something fell right into place.

“I—I'm not.” Emily dropped her gaze, hands twisting together as she denied it in a tiny voice.

"When you really like someone, you can try to hide it, but your eyes always give you away."

Pam grinned and tipped her head toward the far side of the room. Her voice was low. "Look over there."

Emily glanced up and there Kenneth was at the foot of the stairs, mask on just like her, watching in her direction.