Boots crunched on the soft snow as Leanne stepped away, then turned back.
Through the swirling snowflakes, Curtis stood under the eave, his features as striking as ever.
Locking eyes with her, a gentle warmth flickered in his eyes.
He didn't come to see her off, just said, "You should head back. It's cold out."
On her way back, Leanne couldn't shake the image of his eyes from her mind.
When Joy heard she had seen Curtis in Northwood, her gaze immediately darted to Leanne's belly. "Did he notice?"
"No."
At home, Leanne shrugged off her down jacket.
Joy reached out, comparing their bellies, "How do you manage to stay so slim at 20 weeks? I look bigger after a single meal at a buffet."
Leanne retorted, "Is that from one meal, or because you're eating five times a day?"
Stung, Joy mock-threatened, "I'm gonna get you for that!"
Halfway through her playful attack, she remembered Leanne's condition and dramatically grabbed her own neck instead, "I'll throttle myself!"
"Don't you have a check-up tomorrow? I have to attend a meeting in the morning, which should be done in a couple of hours," Joy mentioned. "Why don't you wait for me? I'll go with you in the afternoon?" "I've already made an appointment with the doctor," Leanne said. "I'll be fine. Don't worry."
Leanne dreamed that night again.
She dreamed of her parents before tragedy struck when they lived a simple yet warm life as a family of three.
In the dream's final moments, her father advised her, "Keep running. Head towards where the sun rises."
Awakening from the dream in a room bathed in lazy light, Leanne sipped water while pondering her parents' message.
They hadn't revealed the culprit, not wanting her soul trapped in that dark factory, confined by their demise.
She looked forward and moved towards the sunrise. But where was her sun?
It was in Northwood, Iceland, Leanne's Castle - everywhere Curtis was.
Leanne attended her prenatal screening in the morning. The 4D ultrasound showed a healthy baby, with every organ clearly visible.
The doctor conducting the exam didn't disclose the baby's gender, but being medically trained herself, Leanne knew.
As she stepped out of the clinic, stuffing the results into her bag, Jeremy called out to her unexpectedly.
"Leanne?"
She looked up, equally surprised, "What a coincidence!"
Jeremy glanced at her, then at the sign for the maternity ward, quickly regaining his composure.
"I'm here to visit my cousin who just had a baby. Are you here alone?"
"Yeah."
Leanne didn't find it awkward, but their unexpected meeting made Jeremy hesitant, wanting to ask more without crossing a line. Without his prying, Leanne wasn't sure how to begin explaining. After an awkward moment, Leanne smiled, "It's okay. Say whatever you want."
Jeremy managed a small laugh, "It's nothing. Does Curtis know?"
Leanne shook her head, "Not yet."
Understanding the delicacy of the situation, Jeremy tactfully expressed, "He's going to regret missing out."
His words made Leanne pause.
Jeremy didn't linger, soon excusing himself.
Leanne slowly walked out, taking out her phone to message Curtis.
"I have a gift for you."
Before receiving a reply, her phone rang with Jennifer's name flashing on the screen. She answered. "Leanne," Jennifer's voice was hoarse and heavy, "Mary is seriously ill. Do you want to come to the hospital?"
Leanne tightened her grip on the phone, "How could this happen?"
But deep down, she knew Mary's health had been failing, far exceeding the doctors' initial predictions.
Mary hung on by a thread. The sudden reappearance of Hanley after years of absence had weighed heavily on her heart.
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