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Chapter Thirty-Three
Jade slid off her shoes and dropped her clutch on the entry table. She felt emotionally and physically drained. There were so many things about Miguel's life that she needed to process; it felt overwhelming at the moment. "I'm home," she called out, following the sounds coming from the kitchen. She could hear a female meteorologist discussing the weather forecast. Marissa was perched at the island, gazing at her phone with a full glass of wine in front of her. She was still in her pajamas and looked like she hadn't left the house in days. "Hey," she glanced up as Jade trudged into the room. "I was just making sure the weather wouldn't delay our trip."
Jade groaned, "God, I can't wait to be there. I need a vacation." She slumped onto the stool next to Marissa and rested her head against the cool countertop. "How was your weekend?" She mumbled.
"Uneventful," Marissa murmured before taking a sip of her wine, "Mm," She stood up at once and bustled across the room, "I did r
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Rendezvous Chapter Thirty-Four
Jade gazed out from the hotel balcony, taking in the view. The balmy sun glistened off the strip of white dunes as she closed her eyes, enjoying the tropical air. She listened as the coastal waters calmly lapped over the endless shoreline, and seagulls squawked in the distance.It was nearly noon, and through the open sliding glass door, she could hear Marissa greeting the waiter who was delivering their room service. They'd both just woken, agreeing that alarm clocks wouldn't manage them during their vacation. Jade appreciated the extra sleep.She felt refreshed and clearheaded. The only thing she needed now was a shower.As they enjoyed their meal, the two worked together to develop a schedule for the day. Before anything, they needed to get dressed. Not wanting to unpack all of her luggage just yet, Jade scoured the suitcase for a suitable outfit. Sundress, sunhat, sunglasses; all for the wonderful sunshine. She slipped on her sandals and glanced around the r
Rendezvous Chapter Thirty-Five
With more curiosity than courage, Jade turned into the Pharmacy parking lot. She'd allowed nearly another week to pass by, hoping this all was just a fluke. She needed to believe there could be another explanation.Stress, maybe?With each passing day, the prospect of that dwindled. It was now December, and she was finally beginning to come to terms with the situation.The first step was answering the most crucial question: Is she pregnant? Everything else would follow.The pharmacy had a plethora of pregnancy tests to choose from. Each looked identical: Rectangular boxes that only seemed to come in the shades pink or blue. Her eyes scanned over the selection, landing on one that read:'Clear results in just sixty seconds.'It sounded simple enough. She tucked it between her arm and marched towards the register, determination in her every step.The box's contents rattled out onto the bathroom countertop; two white plas
Rendezvous Chapter Thirty-Six
Jade stood under the portico and slipped off her soiled boots, not wanting to track sleet into the house. The last hour had been nothing more than a blur, a space in time that she could vaguely remember. Snowy bits dusted the porch as she removed her winter gloves, hat, and jacket as well. Her mind was so numb that it didn't even register the frigid air.Inside, a hush radiated throughout the house, indicating that she was alone. Jade placed her purse onto the entry table; the contents of it mirroring the doctor's diagnosis. She was pregnant.Eleven weeks, nearly three months!The very thought of it still shocked her. Jade didn't know how to be a mother; she wasn't even given a good example of how to be one. Sheventured past the entryway and gazed around, unsure of what to do with herself. Any other evening she would've happily poured herself a glass of wine after such a stressful day.There was a huge list of things she could no longer c
Rendezvous Chapter Thirty-Seven
Jade pulled away from the curb and steered the car to the neighborhood entrance. The clock on her dashboard read that it was only 1:00 PM, much earlier than she had anticipated leaving the party. From here, she was supposed to drive straight to an art exhibition downtown, where she would then meet Miguel.Now, she thought,there would be time to stop at home and freshen up beforehand.As she passed the rows of lavish homes and manicured lawns, the tail end of a black sedan up ahead caught her eye. She was certain it was Andrea's car parked on the side of the road, steam billowing from the exhaust pipe. Jade slowed down and veered the car onto the crunchy grass a few feet away from its rear, concerned for her friend. It didn't look like the car had been in an accident.From behind the driver's window, she could see Andrea was visibly upset, with her light lashes soaked in the evidence of grief. Her eyes were closed as if, like a t
Rendezvous Chapter Thirty-Eight
Jade slipped into something a bit more formal and then headed for the Art Expose. She wasn't sure the appropriate attire to wear to such an event but decided she couldn't go wrong with a conservative dress and heels. As she entered the gallery, she paused to glance around at the crowd, glad that she had time to change out of her jeans.The clicking of her heels echoed throughout the individual corridors that lead her to each new exhibit.She clutched her pocketbook in front of her and pretended she belonged. Every room was filled with different pieces, in different styles. Occasionally, she paused to observe the artwork hanging from the walls and then would search the unfamiliar faces. There were so many people; she wasn't sure where to even look for him."Ma'am?" She turned towards the deep voice, looking up at a tall waiter carrying a tray of crystal champagne flutes. Jade politely declined, "No, I'm fine. Thank you."From behind him, her gaze lande
Rendezvous Chapter Thirty-Nine
"So you do recognize me." The woman's voice was thick, foreign. Jade did, although her looks were inconsistent with the online photo she'd seen. She appeared sickly now, emaciated. Her collar and hip bones protruded from underneath the thin fabric of her dress, and her face was gaunt, the contour of her cheekbones too sunken. With all her makeup, Jade thought she resembled aDay of The Deadsculpture.She said nothing as the tall woman stepped towards the sink beside her, swaying her hips as if she were on the runway. "I recognized you as well." She leaned over the bowl and wiped lipgloss from the corners of her mouth, her slenderness revealing every bump of her spine. Nadia turned on the faucet beside her, and through the mirror, continued to speak, "Although, I've yet to learn your name."Jade rolled the lipstick back into the tube. "That's because it's none of your concern," she shot back in a snarky voice.The woman laughed, ad
Rendezvous Chapter Forty
The further out they drove, the more rural the scenery became. Highrises and expansive freeways merged into suburban communities and shopping centers. Past the county line, they reached widespread farmland and tall groves that stretched out further than the eye could see. The plowed snow continuously thickened along the narrow roadway as Jade listened to the hum of the tires beneath them. Occasionally, she would peer through a break in the forest and catch a glimpse of ridged mountaintops in the distance. It was now miles between driveways, each defended by rod iron gates and fences.A road-marker indicated that they were nearing Gladwyne. She glanced over at Miguel, who was still occupied by his tablet. She had occasionally caught a glimpse of the screen: twelve boxes of real-time, black and white surveillance footage of his apartment, always appearing unchanged.What was he looking for?She could only think of one thing,Nadia.The shor
Rendezvous Chapter Forty-One
Astonished, she stared at him as her mind began to turn. She sensed their tour had just come to an abrupt end.Reading her face, he continued, "You lookalmostas shocked as I was when my ex-wife called me earlier. It seems you left a tad-bit of information out of your story, the part where you threw it in her face that you were pregnant."Jade contemplated her words. She never thought Nadia would have the chance to tell Miguel before she did. She wasn't even sure why she threw it in her face, other than to retaliate. Her words had bruised Jade's ego, even if she knew they were false. It was a rash decision that had obviously not ended in her favor. "I never told her I was pregnant.""So your not?" He asked flatly.Jade felt her knees grow weak and leaned on the windowsill for support. The edges of it cut into her thighs. She frowned at him and then at the floor. This isn't what she had planned; it wasn't supposed to be like this. She c
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