18. Electrical short

After the grand introduction at the banquet, Emma was determined to finally get some answers. She planned to return to the apartment and find the right moment to ask Shirley about her true identity and family background. The whole night had been full of surprises, and Emma's curiosity was growing stronger by the minute.

Back at the apartment, Emma wasted no time. After taking a quick shower, she was about to broach the subject with Shirley when, suddenly, the power went out, plunging the entire place into darkness.

"What the—?" Shirley yelped, clearly startled by the sudden blackout.

Emma, however, remained unfazed. "Relax, Shirley," she said calmly, the corners of her lips curving into a reassuring smile. "This is nothing. Where I used to live, power cuts were the norm. Sometimes I'd go for days without electricity."

Shirley, still a bit rattled, tried to laugh it off. "I guess I'm not used to this sort of thing. I thought we were under attack or something!"

Emma chuckled softly, the sound a mix of amusement and nostalgia. "No need to worry. This is just a minor inconvenience." She gently patted Shirley's shoulder before adding, "Let me handle it. I've dealt with worse."

With that, Emma started to feel her way through the darkened apartment, searching for a flashlight or a spare bulb. Shirley followed her, trying to keep up.

"You're really something, you know that?"Shirley remarked as Emma pulled out a toolbox and began rummaging through it with practiced ease. "I'd be freaking out right now if I were alone."

Emma smiled faintly as she found the spare bulb she was looking for. "You get used to it after a while," she replied. "I've had to fix a lot of things on my own. It's nothing new."

As Emma unscrewed the old bulb and replaced it with the new one, Shirley couldn't help but admire her friend's calm and capable demeanor. She'd always known Emma was strong, but seeing her handle such a mundane yet frustrating situation with such ease only deepened Shirley's respect for her.

Once the light was back on, Emma turned to Shirley, ready to finally ask the questions that had been on her mind all night.

"Shirley," Emma began, her tone more serious now, "I've been meaning to ask you… who are you, really? I mean, tonight, at the banquet—everyone seemed to know you, and that man, the one who gave me his card… he acted like you were someone important."

Shirley hesitated for a moment, her usual cheerful expression faltering slightly. She'd known this conversation was coming, but she hadn't expected it to happen like this, in the aftermath of a power outage.

"Emma," Shirley finally said, choosing her words carefully, "there's a lot you don't know about me. My family... well, they're not exactly ordinary. But I didn't want you to see me any differently because of it."

Emma studied Shirley's face, noticing the slight tension in her posture, the way her eyes flickered with a hint of worry.

"It's okay," Emma said softly, taking a step closer to her friend. "You don't have to tell me everything right now. I just want to understand. We've been through a lot together, and I feel like there's so much I don't know about you."

Shirley sighed, a small, reluctant smile tugging at her lips. "You're right, and you deserve to know the truth. But let's talk about it tomorrow, okay? It's been a long night, and I think we both need some rest."

Emma nodded, realizing that Shirley needed more time. "Okay, tomorrow then," she agreed, though she couldn't help but feel a growing sense of anticipation. The truth, whatever it was, would finally be revealed. But for now, she was content knowing that Shirley trusted her enough to share it.