This combination of movements made Roy squint his eyes, and it also revealed something he had noticed, which Laila hadn't realized. However, he wasn't worried; how could such a little kitten be his opponent? So, he just smiled playfully. Fortunately, there were no girls in the coffee shop, or he would have caused many to swoon with that smile.
"Laila, we all want to know, have you chosen which superhero to make a movie about?"
After taking a deep breath, Owen finally asked the question. He hadn't felt particularly awkward in front of her before, but he began to realize his feelings as he couldn't help but miss her more and collect every piece of information about her. It was around that time he understood his own feelings, and he realized he couldn't communicate with her as casually as he used to.
"This question..." Laila hesitated. "To be honest, I've been thinking about it for a while, but I haven't made a final decision."
In her knowledge of future film history, there were many good choices, like the ones in the Avengers, such as Captain America, the Hulk, Iron Man, and more. Each had a massive fan base, and each had its unique charm. It was challenging for her to choose because of the numerous excellent options. Because of that, she wasn't sure which one to pick, and she couldn't simply draw lots to make the decision, could she?
Owen didn't think much of her answer, as he understood it was indeed a difficult choice. He had many superheroes he liked, too. Choosing his favorite from among them would be a significant challenge.
Before Laila could come up with an excuse, cries of amazement came from the direction of the counter.
"My God! What's happening?"
Laila turned to see that the TV hanging on one side of the counter was showing an urgent breaking news report from NBC—Burning Twin Towers!
Finally, September 11th had arrived!
Laila hurriedly went to Roy's side and leaned against him, seeking warmth from him. Watching the intense fire on the TV, it was as if she could hear countless screams and cries for help. She realized she could have saved those people, but for her own sake, she had chosen to remain silent.
Did she make a mistake? No! She didn't think she was wrong. She didn't believe she was a superhero capable of saving the world. She had just started a new life, and she didn't think it was her responsibility to change the course of history. She had protected herself and abandoned those lives for her safety.
Roy felt her panic and held her close. But it wasn't just him; the entire coffee shop, the whole of the United States, and indeed the whole world were focused on the blazing Twin Towers. At that moment, only one tower had been hit, but Laila knew the other would face the same fate soon. The two towers would collapse into the fires, leaving an indelible scar on America that wouldn't heal for decades.
"Roy, I can't watch anymore. Let's go back," Laila said with her eyes closed, unable to bear the horrific scene. She had seen these events many times in her past life, thinking she had grown numb to them. However, seeing it now was still terrifying.
"Okay, let's go home," Roy said, taking her outside. No one in the coffee shop even noticed they had left. Everyone was fixated on the catastrophic scene on the television as if it were the end of the world.
Back at home, Laila used feeling unwell as an excuse to enter the bedroom. Roy, worried about her, checked on her several times, and each time he found her sleeping.
This wasn't surprising. Since September began, her mind had been stretched like a taut bowstring. Today, the thing she had been worrying about finally happened, and the bowstring snapped, allowing her to make up for the sleep she had missed.
She slept for a whole day, frightening Roy and the housekeeper, who thought she might be seriously ill. They even called the family doctor. However, after a check-up, the doctor determined that she was just fatigued, gave her some advice on taking it easy, and left without prescribing any medication.
Seeing that she was indeed sleeping, Roy and the others finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Meanwhile, outside her slumber, the entire United States was in chaos. People learned from the TV that the hijacked planes not only destroyed the Twin Towers but also attacked the Pentagon. This terrible act of terror caused unprecedented damage.
While Laila was in a deep slumber, a phone call from the Moran family to check on the situation was made by Roy. After confirming that everyone was safe, he finally felt relieved.
What he didn't know was how profoundly Quentin was affected by the news of the Twin Towers. He thought of the things Laila had said a few days earlier, about the losses he might have incurred if he hadn't been compelled by his wife. The complex emotions he felt were impossible to express in words.
During her deep sleep, Laila had a dream. In her dream, she saw herself losing her dignity to secure sponsorship for her movie. She saw how helpless and disappointed she was while filming her only movie.
Then she saw her funeral, with the faces of the mourners blurred. Yet, she could feel the dull pain tugging at her heart. It seemed that these were people she had worked with, and their deep grief indicated she had done quite well. Wasn't that so?
"Laila..."
It was as if a soft, gentle call from the heavens drifted into her ears like a feather lightly brushing her heart.
Finally, everything in front of her dissolved, and she abruptly opened her eyes to find Roy's bearded face hovering over her, wiping her face.
"Lazy little cat, you're finally awake," Roy said. Although the doctor had reassured them that she was only asleep, Roy was still concerned. When he finally saw her wake up, he was able to breathe a sigh of relief.
With Roy's assistance, Laila sat up, feeling weak and unable to muster any strength. "Have I been asleep for a long time?"
"For a whole day and night. Do you call that a long time?" Roy asked, looking at her sternly. "Do you know how tired your body is? The doctor said you need to rest during this time, and it would be best to take a break and not think about those scripts and movies! If I catch you touching those scripts again before you're fully recovered, you'll see what happens!"