Emily walked into the living room, dropping her bag on the floor. Gina looked up from her book, raising an eyebrow.
"Well, well, well. Look who's returning in style," Gina said, a teasing glint in her eye.
Emily rolled her eyes. "What are you talking about, Gina?" She managed not to sound tired after all that happened.
Gina nodded towards the window. "I saw you pull up in that sleek black car. Who's the lucky guy?"
Emily felt a flush rise to her cheeks. "Oh, that's just Marcus. He gave me a ride home from the store."
Gina's eyes sparkled with amusement. "Marcus, huh? And I'm sure it was just a coincidence that he happened to be at the store at the same time as you."
Emily laughed. "Gina, stop it. It was just a ride, okay?" She tried to keep her encou terribly with Liam off the tip of her tongue.
Gina grinned. "Sure, sure. Keep telling yourself that, Emily."
Emily playfully threw a pillow at Gina, who dodged it with a laugh. "I'm just teasing, Em. But seriously, be careful around him. He seems like the type who could break your heart." Her voice held concern.
Emily's smile faltered for a moment, but she quickly recovered. "Don't worry, Gina. I can handle myself."
Gina nodded, but her eyes still held a hint of concern. "Just be careful, okay?"
Emily nodded, trying to reassure Gina. "I will, I promise. And besides, I'm not even thinking about him like that. I've got too much on my plate with Mom's health and trying to find a new job." She ran a mistake hand through her hair.
Gina nodded, seeming to accept Emily's words. "Okay, just be careful. So, how was your day besides the Marcus encounter?"
Emily shrugged, flopping down onto the couch. "It was okay. I applied for a few jobs and did some freelance writing. Trying to make ends meet and then i went to the store to get some things,"
Gina nodded sympathetically. "I know it's tough, Em. But you're strong and capable. You'll get through this."
Emily smiled, feeling a surge of gratitude towards Gina. "Thanks, Gina."
Gina smiled back, closing her book. "Anytime, Em. That's what friends are for."
As the evening wore on, Emily's phone buzzed with a text from an unknown number. She hesitated for a moment before opening the message.
The text read, "Hey Emily, it's Marcus. Just wanted to check in and make sure you got home okay."
Emily felt a flutter in her chest as she read the message. She hadn't expected him to reach out again so soon.
Gina noticed her reaction and raised an eyebrow. "Who's that?"
Emily hesitated before answering. "Just Marcus. He just wanted to know if I'm fine," she pushed her phone aside without replying.
Gina's eyes sparkled with interest. "And now he's texting you?"
Emily shrugged, trying to downplay it. "He's just being friendly, I guess."
Gina grinned. "Friendly, huh? Well, I think it's sweet. You could use a little romance in your life, Em." She teased.
Emily rolled her eyes, laughing. "Gina, stop it. I'm not interested in him like that."
Gina held up her hands in surrender. "Okay, okay. Just teasing. But seriously, be careful, okay?"
Emily nodded, feeling a sense of gratitude towards Gina. "I will, I promise."
Emily nodded, feeling a sense of gratitude towards Gina. "I will, I promise. But to be honest, Gina, I've got a lot on my mind right now." She rubbed her hands nervously and sat up straight.
Gina's expression turned sympathetic. She rubbed Emily's shoulder with comfort. "What's wrong, Em? You can tell me."
Emily sighed, feeling a lump form in her throat. "It's just...the doctor's appointment two days ago didn't go well. Mom's condition is worsening, and she needs a specialized treatment program to get better. I wanted to tell you earlier but never wanted you to worry about me."
Gina's eyes widened in concern. "Oh no, Emily. I'm so sorry. What did the doctor say exactly?"
Emily's voice cracked as she tried to hold back tears. "He said we need to raise more money for the treatment. And fast. Otherwise...otherwise it might be too late."
Emily ran a hand through her hair and bit her lips nervously, her tears about to flow. She went wild these past few days to ease her mind but it never helped.
Gina got up from her chair and walked over to Emily, enveloping her in a warm hug. "Oh, Emily. I'm so sorry. That must be so scary for you."
Emily felt tears streaming down her face as she hugged Gina back. "I'm just so worried, Gina. I don't know how I'm going to raise that much money in time. And what if it's not enough?"
Gina pulled back and looked Emily in the eye. "We'll figure it out, Em. We'll find a way to raise that money together. And even if it's not enough, we'll find another way. We won't give up, okay?"
Emily nodded, feeling a sense of hope wash over her. "Okay, Gina. Thanks for being here for me."
Gina smiled and hugged Emily again. "That's what friends are for, Em. Now let's get to work on that fundraising plan, okay?"
Emily smiled, a sense of determination washed over her. "Okay. Let's do it."
As they hugged, Emily felt a sense of gratitude towards Gina. She knew that she could always count on her friend to be there for her, no matter what. And with Gina by her side, Emily felt like she could face anything, even the daunting task of raising money for her mother's treatment.
The two friends sat down on the couch, pulling out a piece of paper and starting to brainstorm ideas for fundraising. Emily felt a sense of hope and determination wash over her as they worked together, knowing that they would find a way to save her mother's life.
As they worked, Emily's phone buzzed again, but she ignored it, focusing on the task at hand. She knew that she had more important things to worry about than Marcus's texts right now.