Meetings

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. Granted, it had been a contract marriage which his uncle had insisted upon in exchange for using his resources to find me. But then, Sebastian had fallen in love with Carol, and my heart had been shattered. No, I wasn’t giving love a chance anytime soon.

“You should ride with Maxwell. He’s on his way to the airport.” Sebastian is saying, referring to the stranger, who was his business associate.

“Yes. I can drop you off. It’s not a problem at all.” Maxwell says eagerly. I peer at him, not liking what I see in the least. He looks like he’s interested in me, which is the last thing I need right now, or for some time to come, for that matter.

“Or one of the drivers can take you if you’d rather not,” Sebastian says again, probably sensing my reluctance.

“No, it’s fine. Thanks for the offer.” I decide since I don’t want to come off as rude.

“I’m so sorry for what happened to you,” Maxwell tells me on our way to the airport.

“Thanks.”

“I’m glad you’re getting better. I want to invite you on a boat cruise organized by one of Sebastian’s companies. It’s going to be fun-filled. Sebastian can’t make it because he’s going on his honeymoon, so I’m going to be in charge of everything. You should come, Jessica.”

“Sure,” I reply rigidly, just to stop him from talking. I don’t like the fact that so many people, even people I don’t know, know my business. Maxwell and I exchange numbers and he promises to send me the details of the whole thing, which he does that very day. I do not reply, because I don’t intend to go on a cruise, and certainly not one with Maxwell and his very interested eyes.

After a few days locked up in the mansion that Sebastian had bought for me in exchange for the one which we had jointly owned, I start to feel stifled and bored. At the last minute, I decide to go on the cruise, after all. Maybe mingling with other people, apart from my housekeeper wouldn’t be so bad, after all, I reason.

The first day is uneventful, and I spend it holed up in my cabin, after declining Maxwell’s invitation for me to come to spend some time with other people. By the evening of the second day, however, I decide to go on deck so I can see the sunset at least, and maybe spend some time, however little, in the company of others, apart from myself.

As I approach the deck, I realize that there is a broad-shouldered and tall man leaning against it. I pause, planning to beat a hasty retreat, and already going back on my earlier decision to make chit-chat with strangers. There is something vaguely familiar about this man, which makes it all the more imperative for him not to notice me. I begin to tiptoe back the way that I had come, trying not to make a sound, and I didn’t make any sound, but the man must have sensed someone’s presence because he turned and caught me tiptoeing away.

“Oh, for fuck’s sake! You gotta be kidding me!” I exclaim when I realize exactly who it is. I’m stuck on a goddamn cruise ship with the very same man I’ve been avoiding.