CLAUDE
“Wow, you seem happy! You got some good news to share?” Monte asked as I sat beside him.
It was Zadkiel’s birthday, and the celebration was at his house. Our group of friends, along with our wives, gathered. I had initially planned not to go because I didn’t have my wife with me. I felt embarrassed to invite Sia since she was still in her home which was hours away from where I was.
It’s been over a week since I dropped off my family at their house. I missed them, but I was buried in work at the office, so I couldn’t leave. Fortunately, video calls worked these days. Although I felt guilty because Adrian often asked when I would visit them. I couldn’t give a straight answer because I wasn’t sure when I could leave the office. I squeezed this visit to Zadkiel’s birthday party into my very busy schedule. If it weren’t for Monte and Zion’s insistence, I wouldn’t have come.
“Hey, Claude! Mr. Chairman is asking you, why aren’t you answering?” Arlo, seated across from me, queried.
“Yeah, I’ve noticed. You’ve been so happy lately. It’s like you’ve returned to your old self. Did something good happen to you?” Caelan remarked.
“Come on, spill it. Maybe someone’s making you happy now,” Jenson added.
I raised both hands. “Okay, I’ll admit it. I’ve been happy lately because Sia’s back.”
“Sia? Your ex-wife?” Zion asked.
I shot my friend a stern look. “Correction, Sia isn’t my ex-wife. We’re still married because our separation didn’t push through. She just left, and obviously we didn’t see each other for five years. But during Zeke’s wedding, she was there with our son.”
“Really? You have a son? Why did your wife leave you if you already have a child?” Arlo furrowed his brow.
I sighed. My friends fell silent as I became serious.
“Actually, Sia was pregnant when she left. But she didn’t tell me. She didn’t want to use our son to prevent us from separating.”
“I think I’ve heard that story before. Isn’t it the same as Zadkiel’s situation? His wife was pregnant when they separated, and Zadkiel didn’t even know she was pregnant,” Zion interjected.
“Maybe you’re referring to Zadkiel’s second child. They separated for a long time, right?” Monte confirmed.
“Right, that’s Zadkiel’s second child,” Caelan agreed.
“Whatever. I’m happy now. My son and I have become close instantly. I just need to win Sia back. Once we’re okay, I’ll bring them back here. For now, I’ll settle for video calls and visit them at her place. I couldn’t care any less about the distance; what’s important is I’m with my family.”
Jenson raised an eyebrow. “That’s interesting. You used to ask for advice on how to divorce your wife. What made you change your mind?”
I took a deep breath and glanced at Jenson. “I also don’t know what happened to me. When Sia left, I was actually relieved to have her out of my life. But when I found out about her pregnancy, I suddenly wondered why my wife left without telling me about her condition. Usually, women would confess they’re pregnant to salvage their marriage. But my wife didn’t do that. I felt guilty. So, when my parents said they would look for her, I didn’t refuse. I even helped in the search,” I explained.
“And you still didn’t find her until she showed up at Zeke’s wedding. Right?” Monte asked.
I nodded in response to Monte’s question. “Zeke’s wife is Sia’s best friend, that’s why my son became the ring bearer,” I explained.
“So, that’s why you were eyeing the entourage during the ceremony. I see, your son was there,” Arlo remarked.
I grinned broadly. “It was my first time seeing Adrian. He seemed aloof. He didn’t even talk to other people, not even to other kids. But when I approached him and talked to him, he responded warmly.”
“Of course, you’re his father. It’s in the blood, that’s why he behaves like that towards you,” Zion said.
“So, now that you’re happy, maybe you should treat us. You rarely join our outings now. It’s like you suddenly became allergic to us. If not for Monte and Zion constantly persuading you, you wouldn’t come. I thought you were deliberately avoiding us,” Caelan teased.
I scratched my head. “Sorry if I acted like that before. I just didn’t want to be tempted. Because just when I managed to get Sia out of my life, I started missing her. I felt like a fool.”
“In that case, we should celebrate because you’re getting back with your wife. Introduce her to us so we can see her in person and not just in pictures on your cell phone,” Jenson teased.
“Fine. I’ll treat you all as soon as I bring my family back. I’m getting closer to winning her over. She’s starting to agree to hold hands with me. At first, she wouldn’t even face me. But now, I can hold her hand and even kiss it,” I said with a sweet smile.
“What? You’re fine with just a hand kiss? That’s not enough for me. You should be French kissing since you’re married,” Arlo joked.
Jenson playfully hit Arlo. “You’re crazy! If a woman leaves you or breaks up with you, you’re happy even with just a hand kiss or a pat on the head. You’ve never experienced being left by a woman. You don’t know the feeling of trying to act normal every day when your heart is actually breaking because you’ve separated from someone you love. I’ve lived with that pain for more than ten years, so I should know what it feels like to be alone,” Jenson explained.
Arlo slapped his neck. “Oops! That probably won’t happen to me because Ingrid is so crazy in love with me,” Arlo said.
“I hope so, so you won’t end up like us who were once left by our wives,” Zion said.
“Enough of that. Let’s just eat. It’s embarrassing if we argue here at Zadkiel’s own party,” Caelan intervened.
After the party, I left immediately. I needed to return to my office. I had a document I needed for a breakfast meeting tomorrow.
When I arrived at Artisan Pavilion, the lights in the cubicles I passed by were off. Only the hallway was lit. I went straight to my office. As I sat in my swivel chair, I glanced at my watch. It was already eleven at night. That’s why there was no one in the entire building.
I searched for the folder on my desk. When I couldn’t find it, I opened the drawers. It wasn’t there either, I stood up and looked in the steel cabinet. That was where I found what I was looking for. Just as I was about to leave the office, my phone suddenly rang. I paused in my tracks. I took out my phon and read the caller ID.
I smiled broadly when I saw ‘Sweetpea’ on the screen. That’s what I saved Sia’s name as in my phonebook. I returned to my seat before answering the call.
“Hi, Sia!”
“Hello! Am I disturbing you? Are you about to sleep?”
“Of course not. You know you can call me anytime,” I said with a sweet smile as I gazed at my wife’s beautiful face on the screen.
“Okay. I just called because I wanted to invite you. I was planning to call earlier, but I had a lot to arrange at the bookshop. So, I thought of calling you now before I forget again because it’s for tomorrow,” she said.
“Invitation? For what?” I asked curiously.
“Oops! Just a moment. Let me get something.” Sia walked away, and I could see her walking on the screen. My throat nearly choked when I caught sight of my wife’s body. She was wearing shorts with thin fabric, I could see what she was wearing underneath. It seemed like she was looking for something in the cabinet she opened. When she bent down right in front of me, I almost dropped my phone. I could clearly see her smooth thighs. I could almost see what panties she was wearing too.
I swallowed hard several times. I felt like my desire had awakened. When I looked down at myself, I already had a bulge in front of me. Shit!
“Claude! Can I ask for a favor?”
When I looked at the screen, I could only see Sia’s face.
“W-what is it?” I asked nervously. I didn’t know why I suddenly felt nervous.
“Can you buy me a cake that looks like this?” Sia showed me a picture.
“Bring it here on Saturday because it’s Pia’s birthday. I’ll pay you back when you arrive.”
“Uh, y-yeah sure. I’ll take care of it. Just send me a picture of it so I can show it to the baker.”
“Thanks. Just make sure to collect the payment when you get here, okay?”
“Sure. No problem. I won’t charge you too much.”
Sia furrowed her brow. “What do you mean? Are you going to add to what I have to pay? You’re quite the businessman!”
I laughed at what Sia said. “I don’t need money, Sweetpea. I’ll ask for a different payment.”
Sia raised an eyebrow. “What kind of payment?”
I smiled meaningfully. “You’ll find out on Saturday when I’m there. Maybe we’ll both enjoy the payment I’ll ask for.”
Sia blinked several times. She was already thinking about how she would collect.