As I lowered my phone, I caught Emil staring at me, his eyes brimming with mischief and curiosity. It was as if he’d seen right through me, and his teasing expression made me brace for the inevitable question.
“Was that your girlfriend on the phone?” he asked, his voice laced with playfulness, a sly grin tugging at his lips.
“Girlfriend?” I repeated, coughing as though the word itself had gotten stuck in my throat. Why did it always feel like this word had a secret power over me, making my body betray me every time it came up? “Let’s just head to the ICU,” I said quickly, dodging his question.
“You’re avoiding my question, Michael,” Emil said, shaking his head with mock disapproval.
I simply smiled, refusing to offer him anything more.
When we reached the ICU, Emil stopped and turned
