M and Miranda had spent the afternoon wandering through the mall, and, useful or not, they ended up with bags full of snacks and trinkets. Feeling a bit worn out, they decided to rest with a warm drink at a nearby bookstore.


    After a brief respite, M felt recharged and was just about to get up when her phone buzzed insistently on the table. She nced at the screen-it was Lysander.


    "Come outside."


    "Mom''s not well, and it''s because of you."


    M frowned slightly. Her mother-inw had called earlier, and although she sounded a bit down towards the end, there hadn''t been any sign of distress. Yet, when it came to his mother, Lysander never exaggerated.


    "I need to make a call," she told Miranda, stepping out of the bookstore to return the call. Lysander picked up almost immediately.


    "I''m outside the mall. Come with me to the manor," he instructed without preamble.


    M hesitated, "What''s wrong with your mom?"


    "You''re asking what''s wrong with her?" Lysander''s tone was icy. "She called you just now. What did you say?"


    "What happened?" M''s voice grew cold, matching his tone, as she struggled to get to the bottom of things.


    "She''s been downtely, sleeping too much. After your call, she cried for a long while. M, you know her condition. No matter what happens between us, she''s always been good to you. And you upset her!"


    M was taken aback. "I just said we wouldn''t be home for Christmas..."


    She hadn''t anticipated that such a simplement would have such an impact. Guilt gnawed at her, and the throbbing pain from her recent head injury intensified.


    "M, you''ve let her rely on you all these years. You have a responsibility!" Lysander ended the call abruptly, leaving M standing there, feeling a chill spread through her veins.


    Depression... It can be deadly if it worsens.


    If her mother-inw had an episode because of her...


    Returning to the bookstore, M briefly exined the situation to Miranda, asking her to drive the purchases home before she rushed out.


    Miranda barely had time to process what was happening before M disappeared. "What on earth is going on?"


    ...


    Outside the mall, Lysander''s sleek ck car was parked at the curb. M touched the spot under her orange hat where her head was still tender, stifling the headache brought on by stress, and climbed into the back seat.


    No sooner had she settled than she was pulled into an embrace. "Ow, my head!" she yelped, pulling back and giving Lysander a swift p, her lips trembling with anger as her head throbbed.


    "Don''t touch me. Stay away. I''m not here for you."


    "Drive," Lysandermanded smoothly, unruffled by her reaction, exuding an air of calm dignity.


    M red at him, moving as far away as the car allowed. As she did, she caught a whiff of a sweet, cherry-like scent-women''s perfume. Whoever Lysander had been with recently was obvious.


    ...


    The car soon pulled up to the manor. M wasted no time, hurrying upstairs to the master bedroom, where she ran into Conrad, who was just stepping out.


    "How is she?" M asked anxiously.


    Conrad opened the bedroom door, gesturing for her to see for herself.


    Still carrying the chill of the outdoors, M stayed at the doorway, looking in to see her mother-inw curled up in bed, a sight that tugged painfully at her heart.