?


    Enzo stared at me incredulously for a few moments, his eyes wide.


    "What?" I asked, standing. "Why are you looking at me like that?"


    Enzo shrugged, running his hand through his hair again in a way that I knew all too well as his way of thinking. "I don''t know. It''s just... You''d really want to do something like that? With me?"


    I nodded. "I''m more than okay, Enzo. I think it could be good for us," I replied, holding his gaze. "Maybe we could use a trip out of town together. And it''s not like I have anything else going on, really. Unless you don''t want me toe..."


    He sat back on the couch, looking pensive. "It''s not that I don''t want you toe, Nina. It''s just leaving the house unguarded-


    I cut him off. "Enzo, we have the pack. And they''re more than capable of holding down the fort. Plus, I doubt Edward would make a move so soon. He''s not an idiot."


    "Yeah, but-" He hesitated, searching my eyes. "That''s not the only reason. You''re pregnant, Nina. Flying can be risky."


    His words hung in the air, and for a moment, I felt a twinge of doubt. Was I being selfish? Reckless, even? Maybe he was right; maybe it was too dangerous. But what was more dangerous-staying here by myself, or going with him for a week?


    "How about this?" I suggested. "Once we get back, I''ll go straight to the doctor for a check-up. We''ll make sure everything is okay after the flight."


    He looked at me for a long moment before finally nodding. "Alright. If you promise to get that check-up, then let''s do this. Let''s go on this... working vacation. It could be fun."


    The tension in the room dissipated. *So you''re really okay with this?" I asked, half-expecting him to change his mind.


    He smiled, his eyes softening. "I am. I''d like to bring you with me, show you off to the team."


    I let out a sigh of relief at his words. Maybe, in my own way, I wanted that too. And maybe in another way, I was craving visiting the city. I hadn''t been there in years, after all, and Mountainview could get a little too... quiet sometimes.


    "You know," I said, sitting back next to him, "I''ve never met a professional hockey team before. This is going to be interesting."


    Enzo chuckled. "I''d hardly call them professional. More like... a bunch of oddballs in hockey uniforms." "Oh, so you''ll fit right in," I teased, nudging him.


    We found ourselves in the bedroom a little whileter that night, suitcases open on the bed, packing for a trip neither of us had anticipated. The ne tickets that Tim bought for us were already printed out and sitting on the dresser. By 8:00 AM tomorrow, we would be flying to the city.


    "What should I pack?" I wondered out loud, staring at my closet as if it held the secrets to the universe.


    Enzo walked over, wrapping his arms around me from behind. "Well, considering you''ll be the unofficial mascot of the team for a week, I''d say go withfortable... but stylish." He winked.


    Iughed. "Comfortable but stylish, huh?" I asked. "You really are trying to show me off, aren''t you?"


    He burst intoughter, his breath warm against my neck. "Of course I am. You''re my wife. I''ll want to show you off until the day I die, you know?"


    We were up before the sun even rose the next morning, fully dressed in our oh-so-fabulous airport attire: matching sweatshirts and sweatpants. It was surprisingly Enzo''s idea, but I had noints. It was cute. I had my hair in my signature braids, and was wearing my sses instead of my contacts, a book tucked under my arm for the airport.


    "Last chance, Nina. Are you sure you want toe? I mean, really sure?" he asked as we zipped up our bags. His voice held a note of caution, but the glint in his eyes said otherwise. I grinned at him, feeling uncharacteristically excited despite everything. It was as if, in a weird way, going away together was like a vacation from our problems.


    "Come on, it''s a whole week away together," I said, nudging him. "Think of it as a vacation."


    He raised an eyebrow, a smirk tugging at the corners of his lips. "You do realize I''ll be working the entire time. right? It''s not exactly a holiday."


    I shrugged, grabbing my bag from the bed. "Well, sure. But it''ll be nice to get out, see the city, maybe even do some touristy stuff. Who knows?"


    He closed the distance between us in a few strides, taking my face in his hands and kissing me softly. "Alright, you''ve convinced me. I promise to take you out to some nice restaurants and show you the sights when I''m not working."


    Finally, after what felt like an eternity of queues and questions, we found ourselves on the other side of the security checkpoint at the airport. A sigh of relief escaped my lips as I looked around for a ce to sit.


    "How about there?" Enzo pointed at a cozy-looking cafe near our gate, a wee sight amidst the cold white tiles and fluorescent lights of the airport.


    I nodded, and we made our way over, settling into a quiet corner table. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee enveloped us as we scanned the menu.


    "I''ll have an Americano," Enzo decided, setting the menu aside. "What about you?"


    "A cappino, please," I replied, handing my menu to the waiter.


    Our coffees arrived, apanied by an assortment of pastries. We took a moment to appreciate the spread, then Enzo took a sip of histte. "Man. I needed that. I''m not the same without my moming coffee."


    "Enzo, you''re a whole new man," Iughed, lifting my cup to my lips. "To think that a year ago.."Content is property of N?velDrama.Org.


    "I know, I know," he teased. "I said that coffee was for the weak. Now look at me."


    Iughed. But then, just as I was savoring that first delicious sip, I saw it-across the terminal, its form hazy and indistinct but unmistakably there.


    The shadow entity was waving at me, its hideous grin stretched across the void that was its face. My heart plunged into my stomach, my hand trembled, and I nearly spilled my coffee.


    As quickly as it had appeared, the entity vanished, obscured by a passerby who had no idea of the apparition he had just walked straight through.


    "Nina? You okay?" Enzo''s voice pulled me back to reality, tinged with concem, his eyes scanning my face for any sign of distress.


    I looked at him, my heart pounding in my chest, and made a split-second decision. "Yeah, I''m fine. Just thought I saw... someone I knew, that''s all."


    That was a lie. A tant, unequivocal lie. But I couldn''t tell Enzo the truth, not now, not when I knew that he would turn around and take me to the hospital right this second.


    No, for now... For now, I just wanted to get out of Mountainview, away from the ghost of Edward, and away from the shadow entity altogether.