020

THAT statement caught Vivian off guard. For a moment, she just stared at him, her eyes searching his face for some crack in his resolve. Then she let out a scoff, sharp and bitter, which slowly melted into a laugh, a sad, hollow laugh that carried more pain than humor.

“Wow,” she breathed, folding her arms tightly across her chest. “So… you don’t even love me?”

Adrian dropped the folded paper onto the bed and turned fully to face her. His voice was calm and deliberate.

“I love you,” he said. “But I’m a married man.” He laid heavy emphasis on the word ‘married’, as though to drive home a truth she couldn’t ignore. “There are certain boundaries I can’t cross.”

Vivian shook her head, her hair swaying with the sharpness of her movement. 

“Mm mm… no. You don’t love me enough. Because if you did, you wouldn’t make me feel like I’m nothing.” She turned away from him, her face hardening, her shoulders stiff, her arms still tightly folded.

Adrian shifted closer, closing the small distance between them. He slipped his left arm around her waist and drew her gently back toward him, his hand sliding upward until it rested against her head. He stroked her hair slowly, tenderly.

“You are not nothing,” he murmured. “You are special.” His lips inched toward her cheek, hovering close enough that she could feel his breath. She rolled her eyes, but he pressed on softly. “But I’m a married man. We have to be careful. I don’t want to hurt anyone, not her, and not you.”

She turned her head to meet his gaze, her voice quiet but pointed. 

“So… who am I?”

Adrian lifted his right hand, caressing her chin with gentle fingers. His eyes locked onto hers, his tone lowering into a near whisper.

“You are someone special… someone I care about… someone I don’t want to lose.”

Her hard expression cracked, softening into a smile despite herself. And before she could stop it, her lips leaned closer, brushing against his. He met her halfway, and they kissed.

Pulling back slightly, Adrian smirked. 

“I will get you that latest Samsung I saw screenshotted in your gallery.”

Vivian’s smile widened, her face lighting up instantly. 

“Really?”

He nodded, his eyes glinting with quiet assurance.

“Aww,” she said, wrapping her arms around his neck. “I love you.” She kissed him again, longer this time, her earlier sadness melting into the warmth of his embrace.

***

Adrian was seated at the dining table, his tablet propped up before him as his fingers danced lightly across the screen. The soft glow reflected against his face, sharp yet calm in concentration.

From the kitchen, Amelia walked in, holding a pack of juice and a glass cup. She stopped beside him, gently pouring into the glass.

“Here,” she said, sliding it toward him.

He looked up at her, his handsome face breaking into a smile that reached his eyes.

“Thanks, babe. The meal… it was amazing.”

She smiled, lowering herself into the seat next to him. 

“You enjoyed it?”

“I really did. Best chef in the world,” he replied, lifting the glass and sipping a little.

Her smile deepened. 

“Thank you,” she said softly.

He placed the cup down, then leaned back, his tone shifting. 

“Um, did I tell you Kenny’s mum passed?”

Amelia’s expression changed at once. 

“Kenny? Who is Kenny?”

“Oh, you don’t remember him? Kenny from uni?”

“Oh!” she said, recognition dawning. “Yeah. Oh, sad. His mom passed?”

He nodded gravely. 

“Yeah, she did.”

“Oh my!” she sighed, her hand brushing across the tablecloth as though weighing the heaviness of it.

“Life,” Adrian muttered, before continuing. “And the days for the funeral have been set. The funeral is on Friday, and there would be a party, an after party on Saturday. The old boys have decided to attend, to support him.”

She said nothing, letting silence settle in, and he carried on.

“So I will be leaving for Arizona on Thursday. I have already booked a flight.”

Her face fell.