“Emma, stop making a scene,” the man snapped impatiently. “We’re going home. Right now.”

A nurse quickly stepped between them.

“Sir, please calm down. We need to understand what’s going on before anyone leaves.”

Emma shook her head desperately, clutching the hem of her small shirt. Her lips trembled.

“My mom is here,” she whispered so softly it was barely audible.

The hospital social worker, Sarah Mitchell, knelt down beside her.

“Your mom is here in the hospital?” she asked gently.

Emma nodded quickly.

“She’s going to save me.”

The man let out a frustrated sigh.

“Don’t listen to her. She makes things up all the time. Emma, come here now.”

He tried to step closer, but Emma curled tighter into herself.

“I don’t want to… I don’t want to go.”

Sarah stood up immediately.

“She’s not leaving until we understand what’s happening.”

The man clenched his jaw.

“I’m her father.”

“We’ll verify that,” Sarah replied calmly.

He scoffed and glanced around the hospital lobby.

“You don’t have any right to keep her here.”

“Yes,” Sarah said firmly, crossing her arms. “Actually, we do.”

An uncomfortable silence filled the room.

At that moment, Dr. Michael Carter walked in holding a tablet.

“We have a patient in the ICU named Laura Bennett,” he said.

Emma’s eyes widened.

“That’s my mom.”

The man shut his eyes in irritation.

“This has nothing to do with us.”

Sarah ignored him and turned back to Emma.

“Would you like to see her?”

Emma nodded immediately.

The man stepped forward again.

“This is a waste of time.”

Sarah looked at him steadily.

“If everything checks out, you can take her afterward.”

He said nothing.

Sarah reached for Emma’s hand.

“Come with me.”

Emma grabbed it instantly.

Behind them, the man stood in the hallway watching, his face tight with anger.

The ICU Room

Emma held Sarah’s hand tightly as they walked through the hospital corridor. Her breathing was fast, and she kept glancing over her shoulder like she expected the man to grab her any second.

“Don’t worry,” Sarah whispered. “No one will force you to go anywhere you don’t want to go.”

Emma said nothing.

When they reached the ICU room, Dr. Carter pushed the door open.

Inside, machines beeped steadily. A woman lay in the hospital bed connected to several monitors.

Emma released Sarah’s hand and ran forward.

“Mom!”

The woman didn’t respond.

Emma climbed carefully onto the bed and grabbed her mother’s hand.

“Mom… please wake up.”

Sarah stepped closer.