Part 5

Haisley blinked and saw Gilbert towering over her. His knees bumped into Haisley's, which were dangling from the edge of the bed to the thick carpeted floor.

"Sleeping beauty, wake up! Hurry up and change; it's mealtime," he said, sitting down on the room's sofa. "Looks like Nathan won't be back until late, so your longing will have to wait." He said casually, flicking on the TV and scrolling through channels.

Haisley searched for her suitcase, which she had only opened earlier to find some underwear and a change of clothes. But it seemed to have disappeared into thin air. "I asked Aunt Jody to sort out your clothes," Gilbert pointed to the wardrobe on the other side of her bed. Not exactly a wardrobe, but a protruding section of the wall fitted with wooden doors. Haisley opened it and found her limited collection of clothes neatly arranged, along with shoes and other items.

"Thanks," she said, then picked something from the wardrobe and headed to the bathroom. She emerged wearing knee-length jeans and an oversized short-sleeved shirt, her long hair tied into a ponytail. "What are we having for food?" she asked while tying her hair.

"For sure, not salad, because you're not a goat," he teased, knowing that Haisley didn't like salads. It's not that she disliked eating vegetables; it's just that imagining a meal dominated by greens made her feel...

They went downstairs, not heading to the dining table as it felt too formal. Gilbert preferred to sit and serve the food at the bar counter. "I purposely bought a new rice cooker and special rice just for you," he pointed to the mini rice cooker near the double-door fridge.

Haisley snorted. "Don't act like it's just for me; I know you're a rice lover too!" she said, opening a drawer and grabbing a plate. Aunt Jody seemed to have learned to cook American dishes. On the bar counter, there was soy sauce-marinated chicken with pickled cucumbers and a bottle of instant chili sauce. They both dug in, occasionally joking around and discussing what they would do tomorrow.

Since her initial plan to see Nathaniel's reaction hadn't panned out, she had to change tomorrow's plans. So, inevitably, the agenda for tomorrow had to shift to exploring the city where she would spend the next four years of her life. Or maybe more if Haisley chose to pursue her Master's there. Or perhaps if she married Nathan? A hopeful smile spread across her chubby face.

The next day, Gilbert took Haisley on a tour. They explored the city where she would be living, visited the campus where she would be studying, relaxed in the city park with ice cream in hand, and did many other things.

Haisley knew that Nathan had come home the previous night. However, she wasn't aware of when he returned or when he left. All she knew was that he had returned from the basket of dirty laundry Aunt Jody had brought when she and Gilbert were sitting down for a belated breakfast.

Of course, Nathan wouldn't bother waiting for her to wake up and greet her. His avoidance was very evident, clear even without Gilbert commenting on it.

In the evening, they spent their time eating at a roadside diner. Jumbo hot dogs and a glass of cola were their conversation companions before eventually heading back home. And when she saw the black car parked in the garage, Haisley knew. This was the moment.

With her heart pounding, she followed Gilbert. Haisley was a girl filled with optimism; she believed that as long as she kept fighting, nothing was impossible. Although she knew that God's hand played an active role in every struggle and prayer. However, her optimism vanished when it came to one name. Nathaniel.

With Nathaniel, Haisley always thought of the worst side of him. Nathaniel, the cold one. Nathaniel, who didn't love her. Nathaniel, who didn't care about her. But no matter what, Nathaniel remained the man she admired. Over the years, that feeling hadn't changed; instead, it had grown larger, tightening its grip on her chest.

"Hi, Gil," a melodious voice greeted them as Gilbert and Haisley opened the door. A beautiful woman with a sharp nose, fair skin, and thick brown hair waved at them. Her slender body was clad in a tight black dress that clung to her, accentuating her curves, resembling the body of a Spanish guitar. Wasn't that the term men always used to judge a woman's body?

"Loretta, how are you?" Gilbert greeted warmly, kissing the girl's cheek. Loretta. A name that had become his rival. Yes, Gilbert had mentioned her name. The woman who was currently getting close to Nathan. A woman who was the opposite of Haisley in appearance. But that wasn't something that made Haisley give up. "Let me introduce you, Haisley Smith," he said, putting his hand on Haisley's shoulder and presenting her to the beautiful girl.

"She's beautiful," the girl sincerely praised. "Your girlfriend?" she asked enthusiastically.

"Almost there," Haisley replied flatly. "In the process," she said with a wide smile. Did she really want this girl to know that she was currently pursuing the guy she was getting close to? Loretta looked at Gilbert with a questioning expression, and he just shrugged casually.

"Just trust her," he replied flatly. "Where's Nathan? Do you guys have plans?" she inquired, probing for information.

"He's in the study, making a call to someone. He said there's an invitation from his colleague, so we'll be having dinner there," she said, downplaying the situation. "Do you both live together?" The girl seemed genuinely curious about Haisley's presence.

"Yes, of course. She lives here with us. Considering Nathan is rarely at home, her presence means a lot," Gilbert said, patting her shoulder and embracing her more tightly, playing along with Haisley's game.

"I'm thrilled! Hopefully, we'll meet often," the girl said enthusiastically.

"Feel free to visit us anytime. You could become close friends. Coincidentally, H hasn't made any friends here yet."