Turning around, I saw that he had fallen asleep. At this moment, he was sleeping on his side with one hand curled up before his chest. Given that he was 1.9 meters tall, I thought he would feel uncomfortable sleeping in this posture.
But he seemed to be sleeping soundly, his lips curled into a faint smile. Nonetheless, his brows knitted as though he was worried about the company’s problems that he hadn’t solved yet.
He’s too tired.
Feeling sorry for him, I lifted my hand to caress his brows. Then, I carefully moved his body so that he could lie on his back comfortably.
After that, I leaned on his chest and laid the blanket over us before drifting off to sleep.
The results of Professor Zidd’s treatment were promising. It was then the eighth day of my pre- treatment, and I was ready to undergo a hormone injection for superovulation.
After exiting the hospital, I recalled that I rarely kept Summer company recently. As such, I decided to bring her along to meet Rose later.
Before today, I had always thought that I wouldn’t meet Jackson again, at least for a long time. Nevertheless, when we visited a maternity store, I was shocked to bump into him. Moreover, there was a lady standing next to him.
“It’s been a long time,” I broke the silence first. In the past, Jackson would greet me excitedly whenever he saw me. But now, he merely stood still and looked at me blandly in a way that none could read his mind.
Initially, Summer was playing with the toy Rose bought for her with her head lowered. She only looked up curiously after we stopped walking. As soon as she saw Jackson, she spread her arms and lunged toward him to hug his legs. “Mr. Jackson! Mr. Jackson!”
Apart from Anthony and me, Summer was closest to Jackson. Probably because she didn’t know how to express her emotions, Summer pursed her lips and fell silent. She then rested her head on Jackson’s shoulder and sobbed slightly.
As Summer was reluctant to leave Jackson, we had no choice but to leave the maternity shop and look for a place to sit down.
Jackson wasn’t good at coaxing a child. However, the lady beside him tried her best to play with Summer, thus freeing him to turn around and look at us.
Although Jackson behaved warmly like he used to, I somehow felt that he had changed a lot.
A moment later, I took the initiative to say, “How have you been lately?” My mind went blank once I started talking. As such, I paused for a while before I continued, “I heard that you went overseas. Have you settled everything?”
“Mm.” Jackson nodded in response, indicating a silent admission. The next moment, he shifted his gaze toward Rose.
I suddenly recalled that I hadn’t introduced them to each other. “This is Rose, Nick’s wife.”
With a warm smile, Rose reached out her hand and greeted, “Nice to meet you.”
Jackson was startled by Rose’s enthusiasm. Shortly afterward, he shook her hands and replied meaningly, “I know you.”
Since Rose wasn’t aware of the relationship between Jackson and Nick, she asked in surprise, “Oh, really? Did Sienna mention about me?”
I was taken aback by her words and dared not respond.
Fortunately, Jackson defused the awkwardness, “The news about your marriage with Mr. Harrison was all over Facebook. So how can I not know you?”
He withdrew his hand and continued, “You and Mr. Harrison are a perfect match. I give you two my best wishes.”
Since their marriage established a close relationship between the Harrisons and the Walkers, the wedding was a grand event that received wide coverage. Therefore, it wasn’t surprising at all that Jackson watched their wedding online.
“Thank you!” Rose blushed as she replied.
I heaved a sigh of relief. Then, I gazed at the lady next to Jackson and changed the subject of conversation, “May I know who she is?”
Judging from the lady’s behavior, I felt that she wasn’t a loose woman as Nick had described.
Upon hearing it, Jackson wrapped his arm around her shoulder and introduced proudly, “She’s Lydia, my wife.”
I was taken aback. He’s married already? But he only left for merely a few months! Besides, this was the first time I met his so-called wife. Perhaps due to my self-esteem, I couldn’t accept that Jackson, who grew up with me, married someone without informing me. Hence, my face darkened once he introduced her.
“Are you surprised?” He flashed me a broad smile, but the dimness in his eyes remained. “Well, I don’t blame you since you’re not really aware of my personal life. I’ve known Lydia for almost a year, and we registered our marriage two months ago. So it wasn’t really a flash marriage.”
My heart sank although he was speaking in a joking manner.
Deep down, I knew that Jackson was blaming me.
After all, what he said just now was true. Back then, as I was in a romantic entanglement of sorts, I had basically neglected my childhood friend.
“Jackson, you…” My mind went blank once I started talking.
Overwhelmed by guilt, I turned around and avoided his gaze. However, the next moment, I met Lydia’s eyes which were brimming with kindness. After putting on a faint smile, I lowered my gaze without uttering a word.
In Rose’s eyes, it was only a reunion between two old friends. As she thought Jackson was joking, she chimed in, “Well, it’s not a problem even if you had a flash marriage. After all, falling in love at first sight does happen. My husband and I were already deeply in love shortly after we met, and we still have a blissful marriage. So, it’s perfectly fine as long as you two are happy.”
Jackson was taken aback by her straightforwardness. A moment later, he recollected himself and replied, “You’re right. After all, it’s just a matter of individual choice. No one is nobler than the other.”
Feeling that he was insinuating something, I was rendered speechless. Besides, I found it difficult to inquire where he had been in front of Rose and Lydia. What happened?
Feeling conflicted, I could only muster up a single commonplace out of the thousand in my head. “Come and have dinner at my place when you’re free. After all, Summer has been missing you.”
“We’ll see,” Jackson rejected indirectly. “Since I’ve just opened my new clinic, many of my patients will be coming for follow-up examinations. So, I’m quite busy and don’t really have time.”
It was obvious that he wanted to keep a distance from me.
Besides resenting me for ignoring him in the past, Jackson probably thought I was also responsible for Macy’s death.
Now that Macy was not here anymore, Jackson was the only childhood friend I had. Hence, I was reluctant to let go of our friendship.
I was about to persuade him when Lydia, who was listening to our conversation, interrupted with a gentle voice, “Don’t worry. I’ll remind him to come to your place when he’s free.”
She was gentle and dazzlingly beautiful, and I had to admit that she and Jackson were indeed a perfect match. Meanwhile, Jackson didn’t voice his objection after hearing that, which meant that he agreed to it.
Suddenly, I felt that my fixation with mending our friendship seemed to have faded away.
I felt that Jackson was right. After all, we should let bygones be bygones. At least, there was now a woman who could tame Jackson’s temperament so that he didn’t have a fallout with me.
Feeling grateful for Lydia’s help, I flashed her a smile and replied, “Thank you, Lydia.”
I had always regarded Jackson as an older brother, for he was half a year older than me, and now, it was only right that I treated his wife, Lydia, with the respect she deserved.
“Don’t mention it,” Lydia replied politely with a faint smile on her face.
Shortly afterward, I thought about getting their address since they were still staying in the country. I asked, “Is your clinic in J City as well?”
But before I could finish my sentence, Jackson had turned around to play with Summer as if he deliberately wanted to avoid me. Fortunately, Lydia saved me from embarrassment as she explained patiently, “It’s in K City. Jackson moved his clinic there. He said that it’s more convenient for us to take care of my parents.”
I nodded in agreement, recalling that Jackson had always been conscientious since he was young. Therefore, it made sense that Jackson took care of his wife’s family too.
Jackson’s phone rang as soon as Lydia finished. After picking up the call, he went outside to talk. A minute later, he came back and excused themselves due to some urgent matters.
It wasn’t until they vanished from sight that I recalled that I hadn’t asked for their address. Hence, I immediately took out my phone to send a message to Jackson via WhatsApp.
When I couldn’t see Jackson’s profile photo anymore, a shiver ran down my spine.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.
Leave a Reply