What did I just say? Sophie froze, staring at her phone as if it had betrayed her. Fly first thing in the morning? Are you serious, Sophie? She whispered to herself, her voice full of disbelief. Her eyes widened as the weight of her impulsiveness hit her like a wave.
What am I going to do now? She glanced toward Biscuit, her little hamster, who was happily spinning on her wheel. "What about you, Biscuit? And my job?" Sophie sighed, her hand rising to cover her mouth as if she could somehow silence the chaotic thoughts racing through her mind.
Kneeling in front of Biscuit's cage, she whispered, "What do you think, girl? Should I go?" Biscuit paused mid-spin, her tiny nose twitching as she looked at Sophie. "Would you be okay if I left for a whole month? Maybe even longer?"
Biscuit tilted her head, and Sophie couldn't help but laugh softly. "I'll send you to pet care, okay?" she said gently, but Biscuit just darted back to her wheel, unconcerned. "Alright, I guess that's a yes."
Sophie stood, exhaling deeply, and shuffled to her bedroom, the soft glow of her bedside lamp casting warm light on the cluttered desk. She sat down and opened her laptop, its screen illuminating her worried face. Her fingers hesitated over the keyboard as she typed "flights to New York." The results loaded slowly, and when she spotted a 7 a.m. departure, her eyes darted to the clock on the wall. Seven hours. "Oh God, I'm not sleeping tonight, am I?" she whispered, rubbing her temples.
"Whatever, screw it!" she blurted out, booking the flight before she could second-guess herself again. "It's Luka. He's worth the world." She nodded to herself as if saying it out loud made it truer.
But then reality hit her like a tidal wave, leaving her breathless. "My job," she choked out, collapsing into her chair. Her mind raced, spiraling into panic. "What am I supposed to tell them? They'll never understand." She rubbed her face with both hands, her voice breaking as she whispered, "He's not family, not even a real friend—he's just…" Her throat tightened, and she couldn't finish the thought. Luka. What was he to her?
"Oh, Sophie, what are you doing?" she asked herself, her voice trembling.
Her hands hovered over the keyboard, every instinct screaming at her to stop. But desperation and the pull of something she couldn't name pushed her forward. With shaky fingers, she typed a resignation email, fumbling through the words. Family emergency, she muttered, forcing herself to believe the lie. And now, here I am, she thought, typing this letter on my way to the airport. She inserted an apology for the unprofessional timing but emphasized, This is truly urgent.
Her finger hesitated over the send button, her breath uneven. "This is madness," she whispered. But before she could second-guess herself, she pressed send, the click echoing in the silent room like a final, irreversible decision.
Pacing back and forth across her apartment, Sophie ran her hands through her hair, her voice shaky and frantic. "Oh God, I think I need a psychiatrist!" The words hung in the air, but they didn't slow her down. She snatched her cardigan from the back of the chair and threw it on as she headed out the door, her mind racing.
"Jean?" she called softly, relief washing over her when she saw him.
"Sophie? You're up late," Jean said, concerned. "Is everything okay?"
"Not really," she admitted. "I have an emergency. I need to fly to New York in a few hours, and I was wondering if you could help me with Biscuit."
"Your hamster?" Jean asked, smiling.
"Yes," Sophie said, her voice tinged with urgency. "Could you take her to a pet care in the morning? None of them are open at this hour, and I don't have time to sort it out before my flight. I hate to spring this on you, but I really have no other option."
Jean hesitated, then said, "I can do better than that. I'll take care of her myself."
Sophie's eyes widened. "Really? You'd do that?"
"Of course. I love animals. Biscuit will be safe with me. Don't worry!"
"Thank you," Sophie said, her voice thick with gratitude. "This means so much to me."
Back in her apartment, Sophie knelt by Biscuit's cage. "You're going to stay with Jean, okay? He has a turtle. Maybe you'll make a friend." She scooped Biscuit up, pressing a gentle kiss to her tiny cheek. "I love you, Biscuit. Be good."
Sophie stepped into her bedroom, the quiet hum of the late hour wrapping around her like a heavy blanket. She pulled out her suitcase, its wheels scraping softly against the floor, and began packing. Clothes, toiletries, and makeup found their way into the case as she moved mechanically, her thoughts racing faster than her hands. She hesitated over her favorite sweater, then added it anyway, muttering, "It'll be cold there, right?"
Her laptop, charger, and wallet were tucked into her sling bag, but her gaze lingered on the familiar corners of her room. Everything felt suddenly significant like she might never see it again.
By 1:30 a.m., Sophie found herself in the shower. The warm water cascaded over her, grounding her for a moment. "This is madness," she whispered to herself, her voice echoing softly in the small space. She let the water rinse away her doubts, at least for now and stepped out, refreshed but still uncertain.
She turned off the lights and unplugged every device as if tying up loose ends in her small world. Finally, she approached Biscuit's cage. Her little companion was awake, twitching her nose curiously as Sophie opened the door and scooped her up gently.
"I'll be gone for a little while," Sophie murmured, pressing a kiss to Biscuit's soft cheek. "You'll stay with Jean, my friend downstairs, okay? He's nice, he even has a turtle. Maybe you'll make a new friend." She paused, her voice hitching slightly as she added, "Be good, alright? I'll come back for you. I promise."
Biscuit wiggled her nose in response, and Sophie laughed softly, tears pricking her eyes. "I love you, Biscuit," she said, kissing her once more before carefully placing her back in the cage.
With her bag slung over her shoulder and her suitcase in one hand, Sophie carried Biscuit's cage in the other. Locking the door behind her, she glanced around her apartment one last time. The elevator ride down felt strange; she usually took the stairs to stay active, but tonight felt too heavy for that routine.
When the doors opened, Jean's familiar smile greeted her. Relief washed over Sophie.
"Jean," she began, setting the cage gently on the reception desk, "could you call me a taxi? It's freezing, and I don't want to walk to the rank."
"Of course," Jean replied, calling from the apartment phone. "They'll be here in two minutes."
"Thank you," Sophie said, reaching into her pocket and pulling out some cash. She handed it to him. "I'm leaving Biscuit with you. Please take care of her. This is for the pet care costs."
Jean looked at the money, his brow furrowing. "Sophie, this is too much. And you don't need to worry, I'll take care of her myself. She'll be fine with me."
"Are you sure?" Sophie asked, her voice trembling with gratitude.
"Absolutely," Jean replied warmly. "I've got a turtle at home; Biscuit will be in good company."
Sophie exhaled a shaky breath. "Thank you, Jean. Really, thank you so much."
Before they could say more, the taxi pulled up outside. Sophie turned to Biscuit one last time, her voice was soft and full of affection. "I love you, Biscuit. Be good." She left the cage with Jean, her heart aching a little as she walked out.
The taxi driver helped her with her suitcase, and she climbed into the back seat. "Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport," she told him, her voice quiet.
"Alright," the driver replied, pulling away from the curb.
As the city lights blurred past the window, Sophie stared into the night, her thoughts swirling. Was this impulsive decision worth it? Luka was a murder suspect, and there was a very real possibility he could be formally charged in just a few days.
She pressed her palm against the cool glass, taking a deep breath to steady herself. "This is my choice," she whispered, trying to convince herself. But even as doubt clouded her mind, a small, hopeful part of her whispered back: It's Luka. It's worth it.