His voice was rough with pain.
Hesitantly, he leaned his head against her shoulder, breathing softly.
After a moment, he whispered
, âIf I hadnât gotten married, would you still be with me?â
At least then, no one would be there to judge them just for wanting to hold each other.
Their relationship was now frowned upon and deemed unacceptable by society mostly because he was a married man.
Jessie lifted her head slightly.
After regaining her composure, she gently pushed him away.
She said, âAlbert, you made your choice!â
These words felt like a knife through his heart.
This time, when she left, he didnât stop her.
He just returned to his seat and ate slowly.
He finished everything, something unusual as Jessie usually devoured most of their meals together.
His phone buzzed on the table.
It was Daisy calling.
Albert ignored it.
Daisy texted him.
âI have a doctorâs appointment tomorrow for the prenatal check-up.
Can you come with me, Albert?â
Albert powered off his phone without a second thought.
*
Jessie left the restaurant and wandered the streets, Lost in thought.
Suddenly, she felt a strong urge to see Melissa.
With Melissa, she could speak her mind without holding back.
She rang up Melissa.
When she answered, Jessie avoided mentioning Albert and said, âMelissa, Iâm thinking of selling the hotel and taking my mom abroad.
Maybe sheâll do better in a new place.
â
Melissa wasnât surprised by her decision.
Jessie wasnât cut out for running a business.
It made more sense for her to sell up than to keep struggling with the hotel.
But Melissa wasnât keen on her leaving the country.
Jessie cried, âIâll be back in a year or two! Iâm still young.
I might even want to settle down when I return! I canât be alone forever!â
After a momentâs pause, Melissa gently asked, âYou saw Mr.
Waston, didnât you?â
Jessie stayed silent.
Eventually, she muttered, âYeah! I canât stand him!â
Melissa sympathized with Jessie, so she invited her out for dinner.
Jessie wanted a drink but, knowing Melissa was pregnant, she booked a table at a restaurant they frequented instead.