Max walked a short distance away, answering the phone call. Emma couldn't help but watch him, noticing the change in his demeanor. He seemed tense, his voice low and serious.
As she waited for him to finish the call, Emma couldn't help but feel a little curious. Who was on the phone, and what was wrong? She tried to brush it off, telling herself it was none of her business.
After a few minutes, Max returned, looking apologetic. "I'm so sorry about this," he said. "I have to go. Something unexpected came up."
Emma's heart sank, but she tried to be understanding. "It's okay, I understand. Is everything all right?" she asked, concern etched on her face.
Max hesitated for a moment before answering. "Yeah, everything's fine. Just a family emergency," he said, his eyes clouding over.
Emma nodded, not pushing the issue. "Okay, well, take care of yourself, and we can catch up soon," she said, trying to sound casual.
Max smiled, looking relieved. "I'd like that," he said, before leaning in to give her a quick hug. "Thanks for understanding, Emma."
As Max turned to leave, Emma felt a pang of disappointment. She'd been looking forward to spending more time with him, and now he was leaving suddenly. She watched as he walked away, wondering what had happened and when she'd see him again.
As she walked into her apartment, Emma couldn't shake off the feeling that something was off. She hoped everything was okay with Max's family.
The rest of the evening was quiet, with Emma working on her writing and trying to focus. But her mind kept wandering back to Max and the sudden departure. She wondered if she'd see him soon and what had happened to make him leave so abruptly.
As the night drew to a close, Emma's phone buzzed with a text from Max. "Hey, just wanted to say thanks again for understanding tonight. I'll talk to you soon," the message read.
Emma smiled, feeling a sense of relief. She was looking forward to hearing from him again.