Chapter 4 Meetings (One)

• I wake up early later that morning and go jogging in a bid to clear my head. Unsurprisingly, the remainder of my night had been horrible, and now, there were dark circles beneath my eyes, but the crisp morning air helped to revive me a bit. Soon, I was in a better mood than I had been in the previous night.
• However, my good mood soon disappeared when I heard the sound of running footsteps behind me. I whirl around, already in a defensive mood, not that I would have been able to do anything if a predator was coming up to me. My ordeal in the hands of Charlotte had left me skinny to the point of emaciation, and I hadn’t gained much in terms of weight since then. In summary, I am as light as a feather, so to speak. My mood plunges more when I realize that it is Charles who is running behind me.
• “What the hell is your problem? Has your family not tortured me enough? First, it was your father, then your sister, and now, you? What did I ever do to all of you?” I snap at him without so much as a ‘good morning.’
• “Good morning, Jessica. I didn’t know that you like jogging.” He says conversationally, ignoring my outburst. I note that he is as surprised to see me as I am to see him, but still, I’m upset.
• “So you weren’t following me? Is that what you’re trying to say?”
• “I don’t know why you think I’ll be following you. I know you don’t think much of me and my family, but I have no intention to torture you or anything like that, I promise. I’ll be on my way now. You have a good morning.” He says and jogs away from me, leaving me standing there and staring at his retreating and well-built back.
• Once he is out of sight, I complete my jogging and head back to Sebastian’s house. I have to leave today. The last thing I need is to keep bumping into Charles at every turn. I book my flight as I trek back to the house. By the time I get ready and prepare to leave, I’m told by Sebastian that Charles has already left and gone back to his base. He flew down for the ceremony as I had done. There’s a stranger, a man who doesn’t look much older than Sebastian, in the living room with him, Carol, and their baby. Feeling relieved that I won’t bump into Charles again, I say goodbye to Sebastian, and Carol, who urges me to come visit anytime I feel lonely.
• “I could do with some help with the baby and I need someone to have a girls’ night out with now and then,” Carol says, patting my hand in reassurance. I know that she is trying to get me out of my shell, so I smile and mumble something about coming to visit after a few weeks, something I know is a blatant lie. I blow their baby boy a kiss, and for a moment, it crosses my mind that I could have been the one with the man I love and a baby.
• I immediately put the thought away from my mind. I don’t think I would ever fall in love again. I had been in love, really in love only once before, and that had been with Sebastian. Look how that had turned out. While I was busy holding on to thoughts of him to get me through those dark days, he was busy getting married to another woman.