“She’s so naïve. Still thinks I’m at a meeting” — I Forgot to Turn Off the Gas Stove on My Way to Work, So I Turned My Car Around to Go Home — But When I Opened the Door, I Found My Husband in Our Bedroom With Someone Who Shouldn’t Have Been There.

Every morning, the sound of sizzling eggs filled the air, and the blue flame danced beneath the pan — gentle, steady, safe.

One of her regular customers smiled and asked,

“Why do you always stare at the fire like that?”

Emma smiled softly, eyes glimmering in the warm light.

“Because I learned something,” she said. “Sometimes you have to put out a flame — not to lose warmth, but to save yourself.”