Rose walked pass the cafe and slipped into the restroom next door.


    With a swift lock of the stall door, she fished out a secondary phone from her purse and shot off a text to a certain someone, "Is the VIP patient set for discharge at month''s end?"


    The reply came swiftly, "Just got back to the institute, not clued in yet. Will update you."


    "Counting on you, Letho. I''ll make it worth your while once this is all over."


    Before a response could ping back, Rose pocketed the phone and headed straight to the cafe, ordering two coffees with Rosalynn''s preferences in mind.


    As she left, a prickle of awareness crept up her spine, the sense of being watched. She cast a quick nce around.d2


    People bustled by, but nothing suspicious caught her eye.


    Shaking off the feeling, she chalked it up to her nerves ying tricks on her.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    With a deep breath, she quickened her pace back to Rosalynn, coffees in hand.


    Meanwhile, at the institute, Dr. Penn Lange gathered the medical staff caring for Wayne Silverman.


    "I''ve got good news," he announced. "After aprehensive review, Mr. Silverman''s condition has improved remarkably. At his family''s request, he''ll be temporarily concluding his treatment to return to H Country by the end of the month."


    The staff buzzed with surprise.


    "Dr. Lange, while Mr. Silverman''s made tremendous progress, isn''t the end of the month a bit soon for discharge?"


    Penn waved them off. "Don''t fret. We''ve got other ns in ce. You''ve all worked tirelessly since Mr. Silverman''s arrival. Once he''s discharged, you''ll each get a month''s vacation to make up for it. Start nning."


    The promise of time off brought smiles all around. After the meeting, the staff dispersed, one therapist bumped into Letho on the way to the restroom.


    "Watch it, Letho!" the therapist grumbled, nursing a bumped head.


    "Sorry, so sorry!" Letho apologized profusely, hands pressed together. "Heard you''re getting a vacation? The gentleman in special care recovering well?"


    The therapist, still in a decent mood, avoided a direct answer, "Even the pharmacy''s been notified?"


    Indeed, Letho was the institute''s pharmacist.


    "I''m jealous of you folks, getting a whole month off," Letho said with a touch of jealousy.


    The therapist snorted. "You get regr holidays. What''s there to envy? Stay sharp, Letho. Youth shouldn''t be wasted dreaming of breaks. Don''t forget, you''ve got ady to woo. Without a solid paycheck, she won''t give you a chance for a date."


    With that, the therapist walked off, leaving Letho to straighten his tie and text his beloved, "VIP''s discharge confirmed for end of the month."


    Back in H City that night, snowkes danced down in a sudden flurry.


    Rosalynn, wrapping up a meeting, was about to leave the office when she spotted Rose at the elevator bay, struggling to hail a cab.


    The unexpected snowstorm had made car services a hotmodity, and Rose''s phone showed an estimated wait of an hour and seven minutes. "Can''t catch a ride?" Rosalynn inquired.


    Rose, slightly embarrassed, replied, "I can, just... it''s going to be a bit of a wait."