Before James could get a word in, Catherine''s voice came through on the other end of the line. "Mira, have you been swampedtely?"


    Mirabe usually had a set time each week to call her grandmother, never missing a week. But Catherine hadn''t gotten a call in the past few days, so she was worried enough to reach out and check in.


    "Hey Grandma, it''s James," James spoke up after a brief pause.


    Catherine was a bit surprised to hear James''s voice instead, not quite expecting him to answer. But she quickly gathered her thoughts and after a bit of chit-chat, she asked, "By the way, James, where''s Mira?"


    James nced at Mirabe, who was lying in the hospital bed, his fingers tightening slightly around the phone. Keeping his tone steady, he said, "She''s been wrapped up in a school projecttely. Grandma, is there something urgent? Herb has some kind of signal blocking, so she didn''t take her phone with her."


    Upon hearing this, Catherine, though not quite up to speed on the whole school project and signal jamming stuff, got the gist of what James was saying, and her initial worry eased up quite a bit.


    She chuckled softly, "Oh, it''s just that she usually calls me around this time, and it''s been odd not hearing from her the past couple of days."


    James had an aha moment and quickly reassured her, "She''ll get back to you as soon as she''s free."


    "No worries, no rush. Just make sure she takes care of herself, even if she''s busy. Healthes first..." Catherine continued with a string of affectionate reminders.


    James stood there with the phone pressed to his ear, listening patiently, not a hint of impatience in sight.


    As the conversation was winding down, Catherine suddenly asked, "Has Mira not beening home at night?"


    James was momentarily thrown by the question but, after a bit of thinking, replied, "She''s been staying over at schooltely."


    Catherine''s smile faded at this, "If she''s staying at school, howe she can''t spare a moment to call? Is something wrong?"


    Catherine knew Mirabe well enough to know that no matter how hectic things got, she''d always make time for a call.


    James hadn''t expected Catherine to catch on so quickly. He tried to reassure her, "No, Grandma, you''re just worrying too much."


    "I raised that girl; I know her better than anyone," Catherine''s voice paused before she continued, "James,e on, tell me the truth, is something going on?"


    A flicker of hesitation passed over


    James''s eyes. Catherine''s words seemed to suggest she sensed something was up. Considering Mirabe''s condition, he knew he couldn''t keep this under wraps for long.


    swnovel


    He finally admitted, "She''s been in a deep sleep for three days now, hasn''t woken


    up. The doctors are stumped."


    Catherine paused for a moment before asking, "Is her body temperature unusually low?"


    James''s eyes widened in surprise, "You know about this?"


    Memories flitted through Catherine''s mind, and she responded softly, "I don''t know the reason, but when she was around three, something simr happened. She slept for five days straight, and we took her to every hospital we could find, but no one had answers."  swnovel


    Five days?


    James absorbed this and then asked, "And after that?"


    "We eventually came across a country doctor. He said she was fine and even gave us a piece of jade," Catherine paused and then added, "It''s the same piece I asked you to give to Mirast time."  swnovel