“Sweetheart, today I’m going with you to Papa’s office. I don’t know why, but I really miss Papa.”
This morning, as soon as she woke up, Veronica still appeared affectionate, persuading Darwin to take her with him to the Vortex Group building. Last night, the man had indeed told Veronica that he would visit and represent the Vortex Group for a meeting and evaluation with the Leighton team.
Two days ago, right after returning from Hong Kong, Damian had personally stopped by first because he missed his daughter. And now, it seems like Veronica is experiencing the same feelings as her father did before.
“Are you sure you want to come along? Papa and I have a meeting with Leighton from nine to eleven or twelve noon. Are you okay waiting that long? Won’t you get bored?”
Darwin knew that during pregnancy, Veronica often felt restless and easily bored. Her mood often fluctuated and changed drastically. He was afraid that if she waited too long, Veronica might get bored on her own.
“In fact, I get bored quickly staying at home, Win. Besides, while waiting for you and Papa, I can chat with Deasy. Today is her last day at the office before she moves.”
Darwin was surprised. He had no idea that his wife’s close friend was about to leave the Vortex Group. She had been dedicated to the company for a long time and had even become Veronica and Damian’s confidante.
“Deasy is moving?” Darwin inquired.
“Yes, her mom invited her to move to America. So, today she’s packing her things. While waiting for your meeting, I can chat with Deasy and help her pack.”
“Okay, you can come along,” Darwin agreed after hearing his wife’s explanation. “But remember! Don’t overexert yourself. I don’t want anything to happen to you, darling.”
Veronica smiled and nodded. She was grateful that her husband had finally allowed her to join. After getting ready and having breakfast, Darwin immediately took Veronica to the Vortex Group building.
As they got out of the car and walked into the building, they saw several employees passing by, greeting them warmly. Darwin and Veronica responded just as kindly.
“I’ll go to the meeting room first. If there’s anything urgent, don’t forget to contact me immediately. Later, after the meeting, I’ll come pick you up, and we’ll go to Papa’s office together,” Darwin said shortly after exiting the elevator and ensuring Veronica was safe. Only then did he leave.
Once Darwin was gone, Veronica knocked and entered her friend’s office without waiting to be invited. From her eyes, she could see how busy Deasy was, putting some files into the white box she was holding.
“Are you busy?” Veronica commented as she approached. “Can I help?”
Deasy reflexively looked up. Upon seeing Veronica, she immediately approached, reached for Veronica’s body, and led her to sit on the sofa.
“Oh my goodness, this pregnant lady! Why can’t you just stay at home? Something might happen if you keep going here and there,” she protested. Her face showed frustration as she watched Veronica’s behavior, which, even before pregnancy, couldn’t stay still at home for even a moment.
“I get so bored at home, Des. I can go crazy if I stay there too long,” Veronica complained honestly.
Being used to working and never staying in one place for too long made Veronica feel a bit restless during her pregnancy. That’s why, when she was at home, Veronica spent her time baking or taking care of the flower garden that Darwin had specially made for her when she had been jealous of Sean.
But what can she do? Darwin had already made a decision, and Veronica had agreed to it. After all, all of this was for her and the baby’s well-being.
“Just be patient, Ve. It won’t be long before you give birth. How many months do you have left?”
Veronica nodded.
“Yeah, true. How many months are left? But it’s a shame that when I give birth, you won’t be here.”
Deasy smiled, approached, and then hugged her close friend, whom she had come to consider as a sibling. She was sure that when she was in America, she would miss Veronica immensely. After all, the two of them had been together for years and had never been separated.
“Don’t say that. I’ll be sad if you keep talking like that,” Deasy said after releasing her embrace. Her eyes became teary with sadness.
“Well, what can I do? You’ve been my closest friend since forever, Des. Annoying at times, but no one cares for me as much as you do.”
They continued to chat while packing and organizing their belongings into boxes. Almost an hour passed. Because Deasy didn’t want Veronica to get tired and run out of energy, she even ordered drinks and snacks for them to enjoy once their current activity was done.
“Finally, it’s all done. Thank you so much for helping, even though you annoyed me more than anything,” Deasy said honestly, even making Veronica laugh.
“When else can I annoy you, Des? After this-”
“That’s enough,” Deasy interrupted. “Let’s not talk about it anymore. We’ll just get sad.”
Veronica agreed with a nod. Taking a bite of the sandwich Deasy had bought, she then brought up another topic.
“So, is your whole extended family moving to America? What about your brother Andrew? Is he going with you too?”
Deasy shook her head. Born as the youngest child, she had been used to being separated from her older brother since she was a teenager. Andrew, Deasy’s older brother, had been living abroad. He had only visited Indonesia a few times.
“My brother Andrew and his wife live in Germany. It’s just my mom, dad, and me who are moving to America. My move is actually because my dad is opening a new business there. Mom didn’t want to be alone, so she asked me to move too.”
“If you move to America, will you get to see Sean?”
Deasy shrugged. It was too early for her to conclude whether she would be able to meet Sean again when she moved to the new place. Considering they were on the same continent but in different cities.
“Well, I hope so. At least, I can have a friend there.”
“I’ll pray for the best for you. I hope you quickly find a new job there, meet a partner, get married, have children, and live happily,” Veronica prayed sincerely.
Deasy smiled and hugged Veronica tightly once more while speaking softly.
“I’ll say amen to that prayer. Thank you so much,” she said as she released the embrace. “The same prayer goes for you here, Ve. May your delivery go smoothly and may you live happily with your little family.”
Veronica nodded. Before she could respond further, Deasy seemed to want to continue talking. So, Veronica let her friend say whatever she wanted to say.
“And, about Darwin,” Deasy continued. “I hope your marriage is happy forever. If there’s anything, don’t hesitate to tell me.”
“Of course. You don’t need to worry,” Veronica nodded.
“One more thing…” Deasy said. “Please convey my thanks to Darwin. Thank you for the help he has given me. I’m sorry if I may have gone too far.”
“I forgave you a long time ago.”
Suddenly, Darwin appeared at the door and entered without being invited. He approached the spot where his wife was sitting. From his words, it was clear that Darwin had heard what Deasy had said earlier.
“From the beginning, I actually didn’t dislike you,” Darwin admitted honestly. “But it was you who seemed to hate me and deliberately kept your distance.”
Deasy smiled awkwardly, unsure of how to express herself.
“I didn’t like you because of the way you mistreated Veronica. Your rude behavior made me lose respect for you, and I saw you in a negative light.”
“It’s okay,” Darwin said understandingly. “It’s natural for you to think that way. I admit that my actions in the past were out of line. But you should know that I regret it, and I promised Veronica that I won’t repeat the same mistakes. And as for the help I gave you a few times, it was sincere, without any ulterior motives.”
Deasy nodded. Looking into Darwin’s eyes, it was clear that he was sincere, without expecting anything in return. All this time, it had been her own pride and efforts to push away the kindness that Darwin had shown.
“Well, anyway, before I go, I want to thank you for the help you’ve provided.”
“You’re welcome. I wish you success in your new place.”
After a long period of hostility, Deasy had finally set aside her ego and opened up to reconcile with Darwin. At the very least, as she left Indonesia, she didn’t want to have an ongoing feud that would only leave her heart troubled.
Veronica, on the other hand, finished bidding farewell to Deasy and went on to meet her father. She spent quite some time in Damian’s room until Darwin eventually urged her to go home.
***