Emily nodded slowly, her eyes darting between the officers and me. “It was in the garden,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper. “Uncle Nathan said it was a surprise. But it got scared and… and it wrapped around my backpack.”My heart ached at the memory of my suspicion towards Nathan. I felt a wave of shame wash over me; how quickly doubt had crept in, how easily fear had clouded my judgment. “Emily,” I said softly, pulling her into my arms. “I’m so sorry. I should have listened to you, should have trusted Uncle Nathan.”

Officer Daniels stood, his posture relaxing. “We’ll need to check the property, make sure the snake isn’t a threat. But it seems we’ve solved the mystery.”
Nathan arrived at the hospital soon after, his face etched with worry and hurt. As he approached, I couldn’t hold back the tears. “Nathan, I’m so sorry. I… I jumped to conclusions.”