Font Size:  

I reminisce about our time together and all the laughs we share. Our beautiful moments of playing and goofing around on the beach replay on a loop whenever I hear his name. It is a picture that has forever burned itself into my brain, and it helps me understand why she can’t seem to let him go.

A man like him is so hard to come across these days. He knows just how to treat a woman the way she deserves, the way she dreams about. He’s the kind of man every woman wants to marry. I love spending time with him; every second we get together is a treasurable moment.

But, as much as I want to escape reality and focus on how perfectly he treats me and the memories we share together, I can’t allow myself to forget that it’s only following the contract. Not a single part of me believes that someone like him will want anything to do with someone like me, outside of our current situation.

Remember that our relationship isn’t real, and the feelings I’m trying to fight can never happen. I wonder if my reaction to her following him is out of kindness, worry or jealousy. I know I have no right to be jealous, but I can’t stop the feeling of needing to protect him somehow.

What do I do now? Do I follow him and make sure he’s okay? Do I follow hoping she’ll see us and go away, or at least confront us and stop lurking in the shadows?

My mind races back and forth, and the decision to follow or not to follow dances around in my head.

I don’t want to seem like a crazy person if he sees me behind him. Even when I stop to talk to him, if I tell him I’m only following because I saw her following, I’m concerned it ultimately makes us no different from each other. Are we both just two smothering women who can’t let go?

Will he think I’m crazy like she is, even if my intentions are vastly different than hers? Will he be grateful when he sees me instead of being angry or weirded out? Am I just overthinking things like I always do? Do I care what he thinks as long as I know he’s safe?I giggle to myself for fighting in my own head about someone else’s opinions of me.

It doesn’t matter what he thinks, I decide. He doesn’t like me outside of the contract anyways, and I know in my heart I need to go make sure he’s okay. I am genuinely concerned about what Ada might do, and it’s not just jealousy that makes me say so.

Once I make my mind up, I quickly head inside to grab my keys off the hook by the door. Just before I reach them, my mom calls for me.

“Josephine, are you back inside?” she asks.

“Yes, momma, what’s going on?” I respond, my hand hovering over my key chain.

“Can you help me for just a moment? I think your father is in the bathroom and can’t hear me.”

“Yes, one moment. I’ll be right there.” I sigh and stare out at the street for a moment.

He’s going to be okay. It’s Aiden, after all. Everything’s going to be okay. Plus, what if I’m wrong and it wasn’t even her car? Maybe I’m just being paranoid.

I shut and lock the front door behind me and walk down the hall toward my mother’s room to see what I can do to help her.

Her calling for me is probably a good thing anyways. I don’t need to worry about or rescue a man that isn’t mine. Nowhere in our contract does it say I have to devote unnecessary time or feelings to him. I have enough problems without worrying about a man who doesn’t want to be worried over.

I ponder my thoughts as I make it to my mother’s doorway, ready to turn my attention on someone who wants it.

40

AIDEN

I’m buried in my pillowtop-covered mattress, sleeping peacefully and dreaming about Josephine’s gorgeous curves, when a sudden pounding on my door startles me awake.

My eyes slowly open, and I’m trying to decide if the pounding is real or if it is some part of the dream I was in. Just then it happens again, officially settling the debate. I roll over to the nightstand and tap the screen of my phone to check the time.

Who the hell is pounding on my door at this hour?I think, angrily pulling on my sweatpants while yanking a shirt over my head. The pounding continues, growing louder as I walk to the door.

“I’m coming, damn!” I yell to whoever is causing the ruckus outside. I unlock it and throw it open, ready to fight whoever decided to wake me up like this.

To my surprise, it’s my mother and father standing in the doorway. My father’s face is so red it’s nearly purple. My mother is in tears, slightly behind him.

“What’s going on?” I ask when suddenly my father steps forward with a clenched fist. As soon as he sets his eyes on me, he begins ranting and raving. The words are so disorganized in his anger, I can’t figure out a word of what he’s trying to say.

Still, the angry tone and the fist make one thing very clear. He’s not happy, that’s for sure. As if he is literally unable to settle, he pushes his way inside and begins to pace in front of the door.

My mother is still hovering in the doorway, wringing her hands. I think she’s too nervous to follow and is still waiting to see what happens next.

I step away from him again and look to my mother for an answer. She’s in tears. He continues to unload whatever his complaint is, but she starts shouting over him, trying to help and begging him to stop. The rage on his face only grows the more she begs.

“No, I won’t stop until he’s learned his lesson for making a fool out of us all!” he yells at her.

Source: www.allfreenovel.com
Articles you may like