Before leaving, she stared meaningfully at Emma Smith and then turned her gaze to Robert Thomson who was standing beside her.
Robert quickly hugged Emma's shoulders, his expression somewhat dangerous, as if he was afraid that Mrs. Smith might snatch Emma back.
"You should take care of yourself," said Mrs. Smith in the end, again shifting her attention to Emma. Her tone was calm, but still hard to bear.
Before Robert could say anything, Emma spoke up, "Mom, marriage involves two people. Not just Robert, but I also need to work harder to make it work. I believe I can do a great job."
Mrs. Smith didn't have any objections, she hummed softly. It was unclear if she heard or simply ignored it.
Emma took a step forward, "Mom, tomorrow is New Year's Eve... "
Not knowing how to continue, she looked at her mother and then at Robert.
