Five months had passed, and Robert Thomson's search for her was, indeed, earth-shattering. However, when it came to Emma Smith, her emotions didn't fluctuate as much.
She used her passport to buy a plane ticket to X Province and took a bus back to Flying City. She didn't stay in a hotel, and once off the plane, she went straight to her old house—now occupied solely by her estranged mother.
Ever since she, against her mother's staunch opposition, adopted Tommy four years ago, her strong-willed mother had kicked her out of the house. Emma had been drifting in Swallow City with Tommy ever since. Her mother's dislike for Tommy stemmed partly from knowing that he was the child Cynthia Smith had with Emma's stolen boyfriend; on the other hand, Emma's parents frequently quarreled due to Cynthia, culminating in Mr.Smith's sudden death from a stroke caused by her. Moreover, Emma, a young woman, took in Tommy without any explanation—what would that look like?
