Her daughter was stubborn at the best of times. Right now for example, you’d told her to take it easy, to stop pushing herself so hard. But did you stop? Oh no you didn’t.

She saw the signs, your accented voice, eyes looking more tired than usual and your small periodic sniffles were all pointing to one fact. She was getting sick. She knew it was bound to happen sooner or later but still she couldn’t help but be annoyed by her daughter’s ability to not look after herself.

This was the third time this week you’d called ahead to say that you’d be working late. Something about a major project at your mom’s company L-Corp that needed your undivided attention and Lena couldn't say that she was surprised when she got a call from her worried assistant only half an hour into you overtime.

“Hello?” She answered, already knowing who it was.

“Hi, it’s Jess from boss. I’m sorry to bother you, but Kamryn’s here still and I think you need to come convince her to go home. She won’t listen to me.”

Lena sighed, knowing that this wasn’t going to be an easy task. “Alright, hang tight. I’ll come get her,” she said, already grabbing her keys and coat before hurrying out to her car.

When she arrived at her work, she made her way to your’s tiny lab that she built for you as a birthday gift and found you sitting at your desk, surrounded by a mountain of homework. You looked up as your mom entered, your eyes bloodshot, skin a sickly white and your nose was visibly red. For somebody usually so put together, you looked awful.

Kamryn sighed and leaned back in her chair, wincing as she did. “I'm sorry I thought I already told you I was staying late,” she muttered. “I just can’t leave this homework unfinished. It’s too important.” She finished her sentence with a chesty cough that she muffled against her elbow and groaned

“Come on, darling, you need to go home and rest,” she said firmly, trying to ignore the slight tremble in your own voice, “This cold looks like it’s doing a number on you.”