As she locked eyes with the elderly woman, a flicker of defiance sparked within her, fueled by the frustration of their ongoing disagreement.
“You don’t tell me what to do with the child,” she declared, her voice laced with determination as she stood her ground.
“We have the same privilege, so I get to decide too,” she asserted, though her words fell on deaf ears, the elderly woman’s frown only deepening in response.
“I have no issue with the woman, but you do. You want to kill her, and I want us to kill the baby,” she continued, her frustration mounting with each passing moment.
But the elderly woman remained unmoved, her expression stoic as she listened to the younger woman’s tirade.
“The baby is important,” she insisted, her voice gentle yet firm.
“And I don’t want it,” she snapped, her anger bubbling to the surface as she struggled to contain her emotions.
With a resigned sigh, the elderly woman relented, though her resolve remained unshaken. She knew, deep in her heart, that she would never allow harm to come to the innocent child growing within the young woman’s womb.
“Fine,” she conceded, her voice tinged with sadness at the thought of the conflict that lay ahead. But even as she spoke the word, a silent vow echoed in her mind-a vow to protect the life of the unborn child at all costs.
For she knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that some things were worth fighting for. And the life of an innocent child was one of them.
~~
As Fiona chatted excitedly about her time with Neo, I couldn’t help but feel a pang of guilt gnawing at my conscience. She was so genuinely happy, unaware of the tangled web of emotions that surrounded Neo and Beatrix’s past.
“So he bought me flowers and we went to this expensive dinner, he is so sweet,” Fiona gushed, her smile infectious as she recounted her date with Neo.
“Has he asked you to be his girlfriend yet?” I couldn’t help but ask, the words tumbling from my lips before I could stop them.
“Nope, but I know he would very soon,” Fiona replied, her eyes shining with hope and anticipation.
I hesitated for a moment, torn between wanting to spare Fiona’s feelings and feeling obligated to tell her the truth. But in the end, honesty won out.
“There’s something that I have to tell you first,” I began, drawing her attention to me. She looked at me curiously, her expression a mixture of confusion and concern.
“Okay, go ahead,” she said, her tone encouraging.
“Did Neo ever mention to you that him and Beatrix dated?” I asked, bracing myself for her reaction. Fiona’s shock was palpable as she shook her head in disbelief.
“No, he didn’t mention,” she replied, her voice tinged with disbelief.
I sighed, feeling a wave of guilt wash over me at the thought of disrupting Fiona’s newfound happiness. But I knew that honesty was the only way forward, even if it meant potentially causing her pain.
“I’m sorry, Fiona. I just thought you should know,” I apologized, reaching out to squeeze her hand in a gesture of comfort.
Fiona nodded, her expression thoughtful as she processed the revelation. “Thank you for telling me, Phoenix. But you should have least told me from the start,” she said, her voice tinged with sadness.
As Fiona turned to me, her eyes filled with uncertainty, I couldn’t help but admire her honesty and self-awareness in the face of a challenging situation.
“How would Beatrix feel that I am dating her ex?” she asked, her voice tinged with concern as she searched my expression for answers. But I remained silent, knowing that ultimately, the decision lay with Fiona herself.
“Are you going to stop seeing him?” I asked gently, my gaze meeting hers with a mixture of empathy and understanding.
Fiona hesitated for a moment, her thoughts swirling as she weighed her feelings against the potential consequences of her actions.
“I really do like Neo,” she admitted, her voice soft yet resolute. “But I have to talk to Beatrix first, if it’s okay with me dating her ex.”
I couldn’t help but smile at her response, a surge of admiration swelling within me for Fiona’s maturity and integrity. Despite her own feelings, she recognized the importance of open communication and respect for Beatrix’s feelings-a quality that spoke volumes about her character.
She really was the mature one.
~~
Beatrix stood in the dimly lit waiting area, her fingers nervously playing with the strap of her bag as she hesitated to take a seat on one of the worn-out chairs. The scent of disinfectant lingered in the air, mixing with the faint aroma of coffee from a nearby cafe.
She watched the seconds tick by on the old wall clock, her heart pounding in anticipation. When he finally emerged from the hallway, her breath caught in her throat, and for a moment, time seemed to stand still.
Neo’s expression morphed from surprise to a warm smile as he spotted her standing there, a solitary figure amidst the bustling activity of his workplace. With purposeful strides, he made his way towards her, his eyes never leaving hers.
“Hi,” he greeted her, his voice soft yet filled with genuine warmth. Beatrix couldn’t help but return his smile, feeling a rush of relief at his presence.
“Hey,” she replied, her voice barely above a whisper as she met his gaze, her eyes searching his for any hint of what was to come.
As they stood facing each other in the quiet corner of the waiting area, Beatrix took a deep breath, summoning the courage to speak.
“I brought you lunch,” she offered, extending the bag towards him. Neo’s eyes flickered to the bag, then back to her, his expression unreadable.
“Sorry, but I already have lunch plans,” he responded, his tone apologetic yet firm. Beatrix felt a pang of disappointment, though she tried to hide it behind a polite smile.
“With a girl?” she ventured, her voice tinged with curiosity and a hint of unease. Neo’s hesitation was palpable before he nodded in confirmation.
“Yeah,” he admitted, his words hanging heavy in the air between them. Beatrix struggled to maintain her composure, her grip tightening on the bag in her hands.
“Your girlfriend?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper, her heart pounding in her chest.
Neo sighed deeply, his gaze softening as he looked at her, his expression a mix of regret and understanding.
“You said we could see other people, right?” he reminded her gently, his eyes searching hers for understanding. Beatrix nodded slowly, though her heart felt heavy with disappointment and uncertainty.
“Yeah, but I didn’t mean it,” she confessed softly, her words tinged with vulnerability.
“Bea,” he said, reaching out to gently grasp her hands in his, his touch sending a shiver down her spine. She looked up at him, her eyes filled with a mixture of emotions.
“I know I messed up a lot when we were together, but the truth is, maybe we shouldn’t have dated in the first place,” he admitted, his words hanging heavy in the air. Beatrix felt her heart ache at his confession, though she couldn’t bring herself to look away.
“You didn’t think of that when you asked me to be your girlfriend, or when you kissed me, huh?” she retorted, her voice tinged with frustration and hurt.
“That’s not it,” he protested weakly, his gaze pleading with her to understand.
“Then what?” she demanded, her voice rising slightly in frustration and desperation.
“You’re just 18,” he blurted out, his words hitting her like a punch to the gut. Beatrix felt her chest tighten at his words, the sting of tears threatening to spill from her eyes.
Their conversation was abruptly interrupted by a voice, causing them both to turn towards the source of the sound. Beatrix’s heart sank as she saw Fiona standing there, a polite smile on her lips.
“Hi,” Fiona greeted them, her gaze flickering between Beatrix and Neo. Beatrix felt a surge of frustration and disappointment wash over her, her expression darkening as she turned and walked away, leaving Neo behind in the dimly lit waiting area, her heart heavy with unresolved emotions.
~~
I dined alone that evening, the empty chair across from me a silent reminder of Rome’s absence. He had informed me earlier that he would be working late, so I wasn’t overly concerned.
Meanwhile, Jess seemed to have made it her personal mission to disrupt our lives. Her constant demands for Rome’s attention and assistance grated on my nerves, testing my patience with each passing day.
As I lounged on the couch, awaiting Rome’s return, the sound of his car pulling into the garage stirred me from my reverie. With a sense of anticipation, I rose from my seat and positioned myself near the entrance, eager to greet him.
As Rome’s footsteps approached the door, I tucked myself into a corner, hidden from view. Peeking out discreetly, I waited for the perfect moment to surprise him. However, when I finally emerged from my hiding spot, Rome’s reaction was not what I expected.
To my surprise, he didn’t startle or flinch at my sudden appearance. Instead, he regarded me with a stern expression, his demeanor serious.
“You could have at least pretended to be scared,” I remarked, a hint of disappointment evident in my voice as I turned away.
I heard him chuckle softly behind me, further fueling my annoyance.
“And you should know that your belly is quite Big,” he remarked casually, his words catching me off guard.
“Wait… are you calling me fat?” I demanded, crossing my arms defensively.
“What? No, I’m not,” Rome quickly interjected, his tone softening as he approached me.
“But you just did,” I retorted, a frown marring my features as I turned away from him.
I could sense his amusement as he closed the distance between us, wrapping his arms around me from behind.
“You are not fat, okay?” he reassured me, his warm breath sending shivers down my spine as he kissed my neck tenderly.
“I hate you,” I muttered under my breath, though the playful tone in my voice betrayed my true feelings. Rome’s chuckle only served to deepen the warmth in my chest, his laughter a melody to my ears.
“I hate you too,” he murmured in response, his hands spinning me around to face him before capturing my lips in a tender kiss.
To be continued…