The Love That Passed

Jared’s POV

I went home and looked for my wife and I sighed in relief after I found her in the kitchen with Betty and Mommy Lucy. “Hi, wife,” I greeted her and kissed her on her temple as I hugged her tight.

“What’s wrong, hubby? Is there a problem?” she asked worriedly. Betty and Mommy Lucy were looking at me, worriedly too. I smiled at them and said,

“No, nothing. I was just uhm, felt relieved.”

“Why, is everything OK in the office now?” Colleen asked and I nodded.

“Mr. Davidson had made up his mind. Maybe Ingrid had pissed him off and had their argument. You know my sister, right?” I replied and she nodded, smiling.

“She had a bad temper, that’s why I asked you to go with her. You will be able to think better because you’re calmer than her,” she replied.

“Yeah, that’s why I am so lucky to have a wife like you,” I said and she rolled her eyes at me and we all laughed.

“Now, dear, your husband is here now, so you two had better go somewhere else and not here in the kitchen. Let Betty and I do everything here, OK?” Mommy Lucy told her,

“I am not even holding a spatula,” she complained,

“Yes, but you keep on saying, “Is that necessary? Oh, you have to do this first, that first” and so on and so forth.” Betty told her and we all laughed. “I thought I was the one who taught her how to cook, but she was making it appear otherwise.” she added.

“OK, OK, we will leave you here.” she said and took my hand, so I led her to our bedroom.

“Oh, I forgot to get us something to eat.” I said, and I looked at her,

“I will go get it while you change your clothes,” she said, but I shook my head,

“No my wife, your hubby is here, so you just stay put and let me do it. I already told you that when I’m around, you don’t have to do anything.”

“Alright, you change first,” she replied and went to the couch, where we usually sit when we watch a movie together. I went to the closet and got a change into comfortable clothes.

“I will go and get our fruit, wife.”

“OK, what movie do you want?”

“Whatever you like,” I replied, smiling, and went out.

Mommy Lucy and Betty were still in the kitchen preparing for our dinner. “Did you forget something?” Mommy Lucy asked,

“I will just cut some fruits for Colleen,” I replied and went to the refrigerator and got some fruits and washed them. I was peeling the apple so I took the time to talk to them, “Did a mail come this morning?”

They looked at each other and shook their heads, “Why are you waiting for something?” Betty asked,

“If something came or was delivered to Colleen in any form. May it be letters or gifts or anything. Don’t give them to her and keep them until you are free to give them to me.” I replied,

“Why? Is there something going on?” Mommy Lucy asked. I didn’t want to tell them either, but if I didn’t, they would continue to ask me about it and I’m worried that it may reach my wife.

“I received a text message before I went home to threaten me, then I received photos of Colleen through email.”

“What?” Betty and Mommy Lucy exclaimed,

“Don’t inform my wife about it so she won’t worry. Although I am always here, unless, all the time, just like today, when I need to go to the office, do not let her leave the house alone.”

“Alright, but how about you? Surely the threat was intended for you,” Betty asked,

“Whoever he or she is, they won’t hurt me, unless they use my wife against me. I will make sure to find them before they get me.” I replied after I was done with the fruits. I got them and brought them to our bedroom where my beautiful wife was waiting.

“We only have a few fruits left, I am going to ask Betty to buy them tomorrow.” I said and put down a bowl of sliced fruits.

“I can go and buy them, no need to ask Betty for them.”

“No, my wife. I want you to stay here and don’t tire yourself. Remember that baby is going to come out soon.” I replied, I knew that she was not going to insist because of the baby. She loves her so much and was spoiling her already. “And you know Betty, she wouldn’t let you, too.” I added, laughing, and she did too.

“Yeah, she’s hardheaded.” she replied, “So, what happened to the company again?” she asked,

“Well, Ingrid and Mr. Davidson had a misunderstanding, knowing my sister, I knew that she said something to him that may have offended him or just wanted to give Ingrid a lesson,” I replied,

“Why?”

“Mr. Davidson is a playboy and you know that Ingrid hates those kinds of men,” I told her and she giggled,

“Maybe they were intended to be together, and Mr. Davidson was just testing her, you know.” she replied,

“Watching too many romance movies?” I asked as I fed her with the fruit.

“With Ingrid’s character, I am sure that her love life will be as wild as hers,” she said, laughing after she swallowed her food and I couldn’t help but laugh with her. I was looking at her happy face and the thought that someone might hurt her scares me.

I am not going to let anything happen to her and our baby. I had already suffered enough thinking about how she was going to leave me soon and knowing that she might get hurt because of me, I don’t know if I will ever forgive myself.

In the past months that we were together, every day, I came to know her even more. She’s different from the women I met and she’s the strongest and bravest, but has the softest heart. She told me that she worked hard so she could attend and finish college and I know that it was all true. I had her investigated before and when it came to her past, I surrendered to her.

Ingrid was right, even I could survive poverty alone, but not her condition and with a positive point of view. If I was in her shoes, I would blame everything on the one up there and that I would surely think that He gave me that burden. But she’s different. She never blames anyone but herself. Despite her suffering, she allows what God wants to happen to her.All text © NôvelD(r)a'ma.Org.

“Are you still going back to work tomorrow?”

“No, I already gave Ingrid some kind of reminders and warnings. She shouldn’t take it personally, because Mr. Davidson is a business partner. It’s not as though he wanted to fu** her, right?” I replied,

“Your words, hubby. Ingrid is your sister!” she exclaimed and I laughed really hard, my ever innocent wife.

“Alright, let’s not talk about her,” I said,

“And what do you want to talk about? Are you going to confess something to me?” she asked, anticipating my answer.

“You liked it so much that I am telling you about everything that happened to me after we got married?” she nodded her head, smiling.

“Very well, did you know that I wanted to wear all the suits that you prepared for me?” I asked,

“Why didn’t you?”

“I thought that you would be very happy and I wanted you to think that I didn’t care.” I replied, but she was still looking at me, waiting for me to continue. “I thought that I had already lost to you when I agreed to marry you. Wearing those suits will only make me feel worse. I couldn’t accept the fact that I let someone else decide about my marriage. It was a lifetime commitment so I wanted to choose the woman I am going to be with.” I added.

“I know that you have been battling with yourself. Whose man would want to be with someone they barely know,” she replied,

“Even with women—” I said,

“I am different, I didn’t care about you at first, so it doesn’t matter.” she stopped me, “I never thought that you were so handsome and so manly. Every time I see you coming in and out of work, I am always watching you. The way you walk and carry yourself, you are so confident. I didn’t know that I started to like you.” she admitted. Of course, I am happy about that.

“Did you know when I started wearing the clothes you prepared for me?” I asked,

“About 9 months later?” she replied.

“You mean, that’s when you started seeing me wearing them, right?”

“Yeah,”

“I started wearing them 2 months earlier,”

“What? How? Every time I prepared them, I always saw the last one in the same place where I put them.” And I started to laugh thinking how I was able to full that off. I saw her forehead creased,

“OK, whenever I knew that I was going home early, I took them to the office and changed there. When I was about to go home, I changed again and asked Rodney to have them laundry so I could bring them back home,”

“What??” she exclaimed and then laughed very loudly and I couldn’t stop myself from laughing too.” How could you do that? It was really hard, I mean, Oh, hahaha. I couldn’t imagine it.” she said,

“Yeah, it was very hard and I know that Rodney has been wondering as well. So, I decided to just wear them because I wanted to after two months of crazily doing that routine.” I replied and kissed him,

“How about the food?” she asked and I stopped and thought.

“Well, I brought them the next morning at work and had them during lunch.”

“Since when?”

“After I found out the incident in the café was a fraud.” I told her and her eyes widened. “Betty actually caught me but asked her not to tell you.

“So that’s the reason why she was suddenly hopeful about us?”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, at first she was mad at you, then suddenly, she was telling me that everything was going to be OK. Something like that.”

“Yeah, I was just so stupid not to make a move earlier.”

“And it’s worth it,” she replied, “We value our time now more than ever. We consider every second our best memory together.” she added when she saw me confused. And yes, we truly value our time now, especially me. I never wanted a second to go to waste because our time together is limited.

“Yeah, it’s really worth it.” I agreed, smiling and kissed her on her forehead.