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She takes my hands, her fingers trembling slightly. “I just received a call from the nurse. Your father has had a stroke.”
Fear lodges itself in my chest. “No,” I cry out, tears already gathering in my eyes. The doctors made it clear what the risks for a second major stroke were.
“They’ve put him in an ambulance, and he’s on his way to the hospital now,” my mother continues.
I tighten the hold on her hands. “We must go immediately.”
“No,” Mom says in a sharp voice. She shakes her head. “You can’t leave. Everyone will know that something is terribly wrong.”
“I can’t stay here,” I say in a loud voice. “What if he…” my voice trails off and a sob rips out of me. The thought is unimaginable.
I can’t lose my father!
“Emily, hold yourself together,” my mother says, her tone jolting me out of the maze of fear and grief surrounding me. “You need to be here tonight. Let me go and be with him.” Her voice softens, the gentleness of her tone almost undoing me. “Come when you can, sweetheart. I’ll be with him, and I’ll call you with any updates.”
I bite my lip, fighting the tears threatening to spill. She’s right, but every instinct in me pulls toward being at my father’s side.
I need to be strong. I need to hold it together.
I nod. “Okay. Go to him and let me know as soon as you can how he is.”
“I promise.”
Chapter 31: Andrew
Emily slips back into the ballroom, but something in her posture catches my attention. She doesn't look around or search for me.
Instead, she makes a direct line for Lisa, and within seconds, the two of them are huddled together, their heads close, expressions tense.
I cross the room toward them, weaving through the remaining guests. As I approach, my attention is drawn to Emily’s posture. Her shoulders are drawn tight, her fingers clenching and unclenching as she talks to Lisa.
Worry stirs in my chest.
“Emily,” I say as I get closer.
She’s startled, looking up, and for a split second, there’s something like fear in her eyes. But it vanishes quickly, replaced by that familiar smile I know so well.
“Andrew,” she says, her tone light.
“Is everything okay?” I ask, watching her closely.
She nods quickly, brushing off my concern with a wave of her hand. “Everything’s fine,” she replies, her smile unwavering. But there’s tension there, barely hidden.
I study her face, searching for the truth behind her words. “Is it your mother?” I press gently.
“No, no, my mother’s fine,” she says with a small laugh that doesn’t quite reach her eyes. “She was just tired and begged to leave early. I told her it was fine.”
Her hand touches mine, her fingers cool and soft, and she flashes me a flirty smile, a glimmer of the Emily I know and love. She’s okay.
I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding, a wave of relief flooding through me. Maybe it’s just been a long day, or maybe my mind’s working overtime.
I’ve never loved anyone this deeply before, and it’s strange, this mix of worry and devotion.
Emily tilts her head toward the dance floor. “How about we finish that dance?”
I smile, holding out my hand. “Let’s do it.”
We return to the center of the room, and I wrap my arms around her, feeling her warmth against me as we sway to the soft music.