en's

ehind me before turning towards her chair. "It's only right that I have a cute pet name for

Trying to act cut

known publicly. If I had known what my pare

like this for the past three years.

." I w

thing else. "But it's no difference, we're going to get marrie

ed me to

sigh and sh

ute around me to curry my favor. But she was J

d oppose the idea of our m

be a betrayal

wanted us to

if they my personally, so he de

this gatheri

same. I wasn't agr

ed the idea around her head so m

be with another woman? No one understood me the way she di

r if I just

l Zia had a lot to say, but she didn't speak. This was

s arrived. As though they were follo

e as she walked into the private sector of the restaurant w

o keep any of you waiting." She said with a hug smile b

please them... She alwa

ore taking her seat next to me. My father sat

et, shielded from the rest of the restaurant by tall wooden partitions and dim golden lighting. Soft inst

lightly, placing leather-bound menus in front of each of us. The faint clink of

re of grace. My mother leaned slightly toward her, whispering so

ndeed try

glanced a

ed politely when he noti

plied without looki

ded and turned

fined. My parents followed, my father choosing something heavy, my mother opting for a salad. The

er left, sile

n't peaceful, it carried a s

team curling upward in thin ribbons. The aroma of grilled meat and seaso

ew why we

dig in when my mother, in all her smiles,

let her

f the coffee, but then I

My answe

against porcelain echoed as my mot

ng interrupted, but I h

arried to Zia, no m

und the edge of the tablecloth, but she kept her p

. She has waited patiently for you all these years."

my gaze t

you are well aware of

t, the practiced smile faded, reveali

en bu

here to say, please

d my ch

y mother's

yde

yde

d unhurried. The restaurant staff pretended not to

ide into the c

traffic humming softly in the distance. I loosened my t

smoked

the sharp scent filling my lungs

pproached f

till s

ately. I exhaled slo

n after her. It help

s tightly as if warding off the night chill.

long already. It's time y

le, but there was p

my gaze

ant anyone else. I'

saying about you? Jayden, they claim that you're gay. The death of your fiancée had somehow af

quiet brea

how capable I am to our business partne

ly toward me n

t you want to give m

gered longer tha

my mind before I

bo

cheeky, and the overwhelm

you found out that you

paused halfw

fr

? When? Who? Is it Zia? Is she pregn

y question, excitement r

cigarette be

thing else to do. I'

t my time in the car calculating the yea

dchildren... What if

ore she coul

here. You can't just drop so

ther," I yelle

yde

ehind me as I wal

," I heard her

pa

r... almost

to be a g

d the c

greeted as

muted thud, sealing m

the seat, my express

he informat

lasses, holding a t

most rea

the city lights reflect

mo

he had disappeare

into my life with two c

she liked

to find ou

er if those we