Chapter four

The following day at school, Jimmy arrived with an air of glamour, striding toward the building, blissfully unaware of his friends calling out to him. They rushed to him, playfully bouncing around him, jolting him from his reverie.

“What’s up with you? We’ve been calling for ages,” Samuel remarked as they continued their walk.

“Sorry, I was lost in thought,” he replied.

“Hmmm, lost in what? You look a bit different today,” Austin observed.

“Different how?”

“Your mood today is a stark contrast to yesterday’s. Did something spectacular happen?” Austin teased, prompting Jimmy to give him a playful shove.

“Buzz off, you’re so annoying,” he retorted, laughter spilling from them both.

“Honestly, he might be onto something. I suspect Taylor struck a chord,” Samuel smirked.

“You guys are something else.”

“Come on, spill it already; we want to know!” Austin pressed just then, Taylor called out to Jimmy from behind.

“Jimmy!” she called, and they turned to see her accompanied by her friends, Anna and Ruby.

“Hey,” Jimmy greeted, she approached, taking his hand and leading him away, leaving his friends staring, caught off guard by the sudden intimacy.

She pulled him into the lab, a dimly lit space devoid of anyone but illuminated by the corridor's light.

“Taylor, what—” His words faded as she silenced him with a kiss, catching him completely off guard.

Taylor kissed him deeply, leaving him momentarily numb, and then he gently pushed her away.

“What’s wrong?” she asked, still leaning in.

“Taylor, please stop.”

“Why, Jimmy? I’ve missed you, and this is the only quiet moment we have together,” she replied.

“Taylor, it’s too early for this. We have a test in twenty minutes, and we need to prepare,” he said, pressing a kiss to her forehead. “I’ll see you later.”he left, and she sighed heavily in his wake.

★Susan's Mansion★

Susan busied herself in her room, meticulously arranging her belongings. There was much to do around the house; the entire mansion gleamed thanks to the maids she employed and Mirabel, whom she had instructed to keep an eye on things. As she organized her possessions, she spoke on the phone with her brother.

"Yes, Jude, I'm fine. I arrived safely. I’m sorry I didn’t call you," she said over the phone, waiting for his response from the other end. "Sure, I will," she added, and the doorbell rang. "I’ll talk to you later, bro; my order is here.", she hung up and rose to answer the door.

She descended the staircase to find the delivery man waiting at her doorstep, her order in hand.

"Good day, ma'am," he greeted warmly, and she returned his smile.

"Thank you, and I apologize for keeping you waiting," she said, signing for the package before retreating inside and shutting the door behind her.

♦♦♦♦♦

Days later, Susan was jolted awake by the persistent ringing of the doorbell. She sat upright in bed, disoriented, glancing at the clock on the wall, wondering who could be at the door so early.

Rising from her slumber, she donned a short nightgown that fell just below her knees, its neckline revealing more than she intended. Grabbing a sleeping jacket, she wrapped it around herself and made her way down the staircase to open the door, surprised to find Jimmy standing there. He was momentarily taken aback by her disheveled appearance, swallowing hard and quickly averting his gaze, prompting Susan to pull the jacket tighter around herself.

"I'm sorry, I didn’t mean to come unannounced," he said, still looking away.

"It’s all right, come on in," she replied, and he stepped inside, he turned to see that she had now fully covered herself. "What brings you here?" she inquired.

"Um, I just realized I hadn’t heard from you in days, and Mom mentioned you were busy, so I thought I’d check in," he explained.

"Oh, yes, I’m still trying to get everything sorted," she admitted.

"Is there anything I can help you with?" he offered.

"Um, no, nothing at all. I’ve wrapped everything up; all that’s left is to grab some groceries from the mall."

"Oh, we can go together," he suggested with a smile.

"Okay, let me freshen up first. Just make yourself at home," she said before retreating to her room.

Jimmy wandered through the house, taking in his surroundings. He approached a shelf and spotted a photo of Susan with his mother from their childhood. A smile broke across his face as he continued to explore. An hour later, Susan emerged, fully dressed.

"Shall we?" she asked. Jimmy stood up, and together they made their way to the garage.

"I’ll do the driving," he said, taking the keys from her. They climbed into the car and set off down the road.

Before long, they arrived at the mall. Jimmy helped with the stroller as they ventured inside, gathering their necessities. They moved through the aisles, laughter and playful banter filled the air, drawing the attention of onlookers who smiled at their lightheartedness.

"Excuse me, are you two a couple?" an elderly woman asked from behind, catching them off guard.

"No, no, no, we’re not; he’s my son," Susan quickly clarified, while Jimmy offered a strained smile.

"Wow, who would have thought? You two look more like a couple," the old woman remarked before walking away.

"Come on, let’s hurry up," Susan said, continuing her search for items, while Jimmy sighed and rolled the stroller behind her.

Hours later, they returned home, each carrying a shopping bag from the trunk as they stepped inside and placed their burdens on the kitchen counter.

"I'll arrange the items in the fridge. You should go freshen up; you must be tired," Jimmy suggested.

"No, I can’t leave everything to you. There’s so much to do here. Let’s tackle it together, and I’ll whip up something for us to eat; it’s been a long day," she replied.

"Hmm, that sounds nice. It’s been ages since I’ve had your cooking," he said, and they both chuckled.

"Well, let’s hurry," she urged, and they began sorting the items to their rightful places.

As Susan reached to place some items on the high shelf, she struggled to stretch far enough. Jimmy noticed her plight, sighed, and moved behind her to assist in placing the items in the cupboard.

"Hmm, someone’s putting his height to good use," she teased, stepping aside. Jimmy sighed and returned to his task.

Moments later, Susan prepared pasta for the two of them while Jimmy set the dining table. She dished the food, they sat down, said a brief prayer, and began to eat.

"Wow, the taste is still the same," he remarked, and she smiled.

"Do you like it?"

"Mm-hm, I’ve missed this flavor for years," he confessed, and she giggled.

"You’re so funny," she said, taking another forkful of food. Jimmy watched her eat, a smile spreading across his face. When their eyes met, he quickly turned away. "What?"

"Nothing," he stammered, and she smiled at him before returning to her meal. "Um, Aunt Susan."

"Mm?"

"Um, sorry to ask, but do you have a boyfriend?" he inquired, causing her to nearly choke on her food.

"Why do you ask?"

"Nothing, it’s just that it’s been fifteen years since you left. I thought you might return with someone you want to marry."

"Oh, no, I don’t have a boyfriend."

"Really? Why not? With the fifteen years you’ve been away, what have you been up to?"

"I’ve been working to stabilize my dad’s business when it was struggling, but I did have fun going on dates."

"Oh, that’s nice! Did you meet Mr. Right among them?"

"Hmm, I thought I did, but it’s still the same old story."

"What happened?" he pressed, and she hesitated.

"Don’t worry, it’s nothing."

"Why not? You think I’m still a child?" he challenged.

"No, it’s not that."

"Then tell me. I’m a grown man now; I can handle it," he insisted, gazing at her earnestly. She sighed, weighing her words carefully.

After a while, both found themselves seated on the couch, drinks in hand, facing each other. Susan began to share the story of her tumultuous love life, her expression downcast as she recounted her sorrowful tales.

"I vow never to allow my heart to suffer a fifth time. Perhaps love is simply not meant for me, and I must learn to live with that."

"Certainly not! Those men are unworthy of your love. They fail to recognize its value, blinded by their own ignorance. They miss out on something genuine and instead chase after the trivial. You are remarkable; only a fool would see your worth and turn away," he replied.

"Perhaps there's something in me they desire, and once they attain it, they flee."

"Only fools do such things. You are not just beautiful; you are intelligent, clever, kind-hearted, and perfect in every way. Perhaps that's why I find myself drawn to you," he confessed, and they exchanged smiles.

"I understand, but pursuing a romantic relationship feels foreign to me now. If there is indeed a man out there meant for me, I trust I will meet him someday. For now, I cherish my life as it is."

"I believe you'll find him sooner than you think. And if I were that man, I would never take you for granted, for you are a princess who deserves to be treated as such," he said, and she smiled warmly in response.

"Thank you, Jimmy. Talking to you feels like a burden has been lifted from my shoulders."

"You are always welcome to share your troubles with me; I would be more than happy to listen," he replied, and they both giggled.

"Aww, my sweet little prince has grown into a fine man. I am truly happy with the person you have become, and I am proud of you," she said, playfully stroking his cheek as he smiled back at her.