Andrew finally breathed a sigh of relief, secretly laughing at his own paranoia.
But deep down, unease lingered; my reaction felt unnaturally calm.
He secretly told himself he’d make it up to me after the birthday party.
The next day, all the invited friends and family had arrived.
When Andrew walked in with Emily, dressed in her finery, the driver hurriedly told him he hadn’t picked me up.
His heart skipped a beat.
Thinking of my reaction on the phone last night, an unprecedented panic washed over him.
He fumbled for his phone, but in his anxiety, he couldn’t unlock it for a long time.
When the call finally connected, it rang until it nearly cut off before being answered.
Andrew didn’t realize his voice was already shaking unnaturally.
"Vivian, where are you? Everyone’s waiting for you! Brother’s going to take you home today."
I pulled my suitcase out of the station and looked at the man waving at me from a distance.
"I’m home."
