Urgent

Ellen thought back to the last two weeks. They had returned from Bali, and now it had been almost two weeks since she had found herself stranded in this novel world and a week since she had become Mason's wife. Progress? Nothing much. She and Mason still acted like strangers. The man didn't waste a second after they got back from the airport; he went straight to the office.

God, Ellen had once imagined having a hardworking husband who would provide for her, but Mason was on another level. He was crazy about work. It felt like he would get sick if he didn't go to work. It was a miracle that Mason didn't bring any work during their "honeymoon."

Ellen decided that since she wasn't doing anything, she would go to her father's house to give them the souvenirs she had gotten in Bali. She grabbed her bag and the souvenirs, which were in a shopping bag, and headed to the kitchen. Vivi, the maid Philip had mentioned the other day, was there cleaning the counters. Philip had said that Vivi would come to clean the mansion, and she had arrived that morning. Besides Vivi, there was also a gardener named Josh.

"I'm going out for a moment, Vivi," Ellen said as she passed through the kitchen.

Vivi looked up from her work and smiled warmly. "Okay, Mrs. Coldwell. Have a good day."

Ellen nodded and made her way out of the mansion. She walked past Josh, who was trimming some bushes. He greeted her happily.

"Good morning, Mrs. Coldwell!" Josh said with a bright smile.

"Good morning, Josh," Ellen replied, returning his smile.

She continued on, passing the security team at the gate who acknowledged her with respectful nods. Reaching the main road, she hailed a taxi and gave the driver her father's address.

The drive was short, and soon Ellen arrived at her father's house. She got out of the taxi, paid the driver, and walked up to the familiar door. Pushing it open, she stepped inside. The scent of home hit her immediately, a mix of her father's cologne and her little sister's favorite floral air freshener.

In the living room, her little sister was flipping through a magazine. Realizing Ellen had arrived, Colleen jumped up and hugged her tightly.

"Welcome, Mrs. Coldwell!" Colleen teased, a mischievous glint in her eye.

Ellen laughed and hugged her back. "Isn't that weird to say?"

Colleen shrugged, still grinning. "Just trying it out. Come on, sit down."

They settled onto the plush sofa, and Ellen looked at her sister. "Don't you have class?"

Colleen waved a hand dismissively. "I just got back. What brings you here?"

Ellen lifted the shopping bag, and Colleen's eyes lit up with excitement. "I brought some souvenirs for you and Dad."

Colleen grabbed the bag eagerly and started rummaging through it. "What did you get? Aw, this is so pretty!" She pulled out a necklace adorned with intricate designs and small gemstones. Her eyes lit up with excitement as she held it up to the light.

Ellen watched her sister's joy with a smile. "There are some things in there for Dad too."

Colleen nodded, still digging through the bag. "Thanks, Ellen. You always know how to pick the best stuff."

Ellen felt really good seeing her sister so happy. She glanced around the living room, taking in the familiar surroundings. She wished she could just stay here forever, away from her new life. 

Suddenly, Colleen tapped her hand, pulling her out of her thoughts. "So, how was the honeymoon?" she asked with a grin.

Ellen blinked, trying to shift her focus back to the present. "Bali is nice. We should go there sometime," she replied, hoping to deflect the question.

Colleen groaned, her grin widening. "You know what I meant, Ellen," she said, teasingly. "Don't try to dodge the question."

Ellen sighed, feeling the corners of her lips tug into a reluctant smile. "It was... fine," she said, trying to keep her tone light. "We did some sightseeing, relaxed at the villa, you know, the usual stuff."

Colleen's eyes sparkled with curiosity. "Come on, give me more than that! How was it with Mason? Did you guys have any romantic moments? Anything passionate or intimate?"

Ellen rolled her eyes, knowing her sister's imagination had probably run wild with romantic stuff. She quickly raised her hand in front of Colleen. "Please, stop," she pleaded. "Or I'll just go home."

Colleen just giggled. "Fine, fine. But while you're here, how about we go to the mall and have lunch? There's a new place I want to try."

Ellen thought for a moment. She didn't have anything else to do, and spending time with Colleen sounded nice. "Sure, why not?"

They left the house and headed to the mall. Once they arrived, Ellen accompanied Colleen as she did a little shopping. They wandered through the stores, Colleen trying on clothes and showing them to Ellen, who gave her honest opinions. It felt good to do something normal, something she used to do before her life had turned upside down.

When lunchtime came, they went to the new restaurant Colleen had mentioned. The place was modern and bustling with people. They found a table by the window and sat down. A waitress came to take their order, and after they had finished, Colleen looked at Ellen with a mischievous smile.

"I'm definitely getting ice cream for dessert," Colleen declared.

Ellen smiled at her sister's enthusiasm, but then her smile faded as a weird feeling washed over her. It felt like there was something important she had forgotten, but she couldn't put her finger on it. She dug through her thoughts, trying to remember. Colleen kept talking, but Ellen couldn't focus on her words. Suddenly, her eyes widened in realization.

Colleen noticed her reaction and asked, "What's wrong?"

Ellen quickly grabbed her bag and stood up. "I'm so sorry, Colleen, but I forgot something really important. I have to go."

Colleen looked confused and a bit hurt. "What? But we're about to have lunch! What's so important?"

Ellen rushed toward the exit, calling back over her shoulder, "I need to save my life—" She quickly corrected herself, "I mean, I need to save my marriage!"