Chapter 163: Visiting Mr. Thorne II
Emily? Who is Emily? Athena thought in confusion, rooted to the spot as she watched Old Mrs. Thorne stagger toward her slowly. The mix of sheer happiness and uncertainty on the older woman’s face was striking.
"Emily..." She called out again, each step bringing her closer to Athena and deepening the confusion.
Athena was so shocked that she didn’t notice anyone else in the large living room; her entire focus was on the woman who looked at her as if she were a long-lost treasure.
"Mom, what is going on?" Kathleen’s voice broke through the haze in Athena’s mind. Blinking furiously, she stared at the woman, who had now closed the distance to just a foot away from her.
"Emily, you are back... are these your children?"
But before Athena could ask the woman who Emily was, the latter engulfed her in a tight hug. Athena, taken aback, remained stiff until she felt the woman begin to weep against her back.
She glanced over at Old Mr. Thorne, who stood with the twins, watching them, with glistening eyes.
What the hell is going on? Her eyes seemed to ask him. Yet, he said nothing at first until Nathaniel tapped his hand gently.
"My mother is uncomfortable," Nathaniel observed, his voice steady as he tried to make sense of the situation.
This seemed to yank Old Mr. Thorne from his reverie. He hurried over to his wife, who still clung onto Athena tightly. "Florence, please let Doctor Athena go. She isn’t our Emily. Remember, Emily is dead."
But his words appeared to fall on deaf ears, as Florence continued to hold onto Athena.