“Mom… my stomach hurts really bad,” she whispered weakly.
I hurried over and gently pushed her hair away from her face.
“We need to get you to the hospital,” I said right away.
But before I could grab my keys, my husband Michael stepped in quickly—so quickly it made me pause.
“I’ll take her,” he said, his voice tight with nerves. “You stay here. I’ll handle it.”
Something about the way he said it made my chest tighten.
“I’m coming with you,” I replied firmly.
Michael’s eyes flashed with something that looked almost like panic.
“No,” he said too quickly, then tried to soften his tone. “Please… just stay home. I’ll call you as soon as we get there.”
Before I could protest again, he was already helping our daughter Sophie into her jacket.
Sophie glanced back at me, her expression weak and confused.
“Mom…” she murmured.
“I’ll meet you there,” I told her.
But Michael interrupted.
“It’ll be faster if it’s just the two of us.”
The front door shut behind them.
And that was the last time I saw them that night.
At first, I tried to stay calm. Maybe he was right. Maybe Sophie just needed fluids, medicine, and rest.
But one hour passed.
Then another.
No call. No message.