Chapter 5- Reunion

"Are you stupid? Obviously wrong!" somehow Sarah was listening to Joan's current vent about the conversation she had with Lynd at her wedding. Joan couldn't find any other friends to share his anxiety with about Lynd. Even though Sarah had just returned from her honeymoon. She was relaxing at home spending the rest of her day off from work when Joan called and said he wanted to talk about Lynd.

"What? I want us to be friends. Friends, just friends!" Joan sounded so determined to make Sarah understand or agree with him.

"Yeah you consider Lynd a friend and want to be friends, and maybe a close relationship like when we were in school. But Lynd already said she had feelings for you. Don't you think about her feelings? Her position? Or furthermore people's views on your relationship later."

"Sarah, you're going too far… I don't understand the way you look at this. What does that have to do with other people?" Joan sounded annoyed.

"Okay, okay, I made a mistake." Maybe it was true that Sarah had gone too far. Before reaching other people's views, she had to make Joan understand what Lynd wanted. "Okay, listen. How about you try to be in Lynd's shoes right now, Jo? Thinking from her side, surely don't you want more things from the person you love? Naturally, the desire to want this and that or a bond more than just a normal relationship must exist. Yea, you know what I mean!" Sarah finished explaining. "Then don't you think about it? What difficulties will Lynd have to go through if she keeps seeing you? At the same time, she also has desires like this and that with you."

Really dangerous, didn't Sarah's explanation make it clearer to Joan's view of how dangerous Lynd's feelings for him were if they held on to those. At first, he didn't think much of it because Lynd's confession seemed unreal. But now if Joan thought about it again, was that the reason Lynd rushed off and she secretly cried all because of him.

"S-Sarah, I made a mistake." That day Joan forced Lynd to talk and easily spoke, also touching her carelessly.

Sarah didn't want to know what mistake Joan meant by his words. Right now all she wanted to do was end the call and make him give up on paying attention to her best friend. "Come on Jo, forget whatever happened. Now it's not too late for you, if you are sorry please respect Lynd's wishes."

Sarah had at least heard the story from Lynd's side about what happened that day...

After leaving Joan who is still shaken by the honesty of her confession of love, Lynd rushes back to the wedding hall to meet the bride and groom to congratulate them.

"Honey! Let me introduce you to Lynd Olsen, my best friend." Said Sarah to her husband who was standing right beside her.

Lynd's frantic face had to put on an awkward smile, not wanting to leave a bad impression on Sarah's life partner when they first met.

"Nice to finally meet you." While holding out his hand the groom looked enthusiastically at the figure that made him curious about Sarah's story so far.

"Congratulations on your happy marriage. You two are a perfect match." Shaking the outstretched hand, Lynd felt compelled to make small talk even though she was nervous about being rushed for time.

Fabian, the groom smiled shyly. "Thank you. I've heard a lot about you."

"Oh, is that so? Ha ha." Lynd's laughter and intonation were unsteady.

This lasting conversation was not at all processed perfectly in Lynd's brain. Right now her mind and heart are in a state of chaos. Sarah knew the expression well, the look that suggested something was wrong, something strange and out of the ordinary. Even though Lynd tried to hide it, Sarah was too memorized inside and out and couldn't be fooled.

"Lynd, what's wrong? Something happens?" she already sensed that something was off today, especially with Lynd and Joan's behavior. Whether the two are related and something happened between them, speculation in her mind.

"Uh, I'm sorry, Sarah. I feel like I have to go."

"Eh? Now? But we haven't talked alone and we just met after a long time." Sarah was clearly disappointed that Lynd had left like this.

Lynd's nervousness went awry too. "Really sorry. It's your wedding." She didn't want to spoil the happy day. "I promise, we can arrange a time to meet again later and talk things over, Sarah."

Sarah pulled Lynd a little farther away to talk alone. Sarah asked in a low voice almost a whisper. "Tell me, something happened to you and Joan?" frankly she was made curious about Lynd's current attitude.

"Huh?"

"I saw you two leaving the room together earlier."

Lynd's eyes widen, shaking frantically as her fear came true. Currently, one witness has appeared who saw her with Joan earlier.

"Please don't ask anything right now Sarah, don't make me talk. Please… And don't mention Joan's name again in front of me."

Lynd's firm denial left Sarah even more confused but also convinced that something was up.

Sarah couldn't forget the worried expression on Lynd's face. At that time if she had not forced her best friend to leave, maybe Sarah would not have known this story either. Lynd had to tell stories and talk to her to ask her to stop linking Joan in the future for any business.

"Jo! You hear me?" Sarah didn't hear a response or a sound from the line that was still connected.

"Y-yes."

"Joan, you don't need to think anymore. Just let her be." Sarah cut off the one-sided conversation.

Joan still vacillates between logic and heart. His logic agrees with Sarah and wants to grant Lynd's wish. But his heart couldn't forget what Lynd had said that day, the expression on her face, the look in her eyes even the final touch when Lynd's hand was free from his grip. Damn, this is making Joan go crazy. Yes, Lynd made Joan's peaceful world shake to this day even though weeks have passed since that day.

***

Reuniting with an old friend makes Lynd want to know about her other best friend, Arte. During high school, the three of them were always together until one incident broke Sarah and Arte's friendship because of some conflict. Since then the two pals have been separated and Lynd has always been in between. The fractured relationship didn't change Lynd's think, seeing how she couldn't find Arte's presence at the wedding yesterday. That's right, Arte's name had been completely erased in Sarah's past life records as well now.

Located in a downtown cafe, Lynd makes an appointment to meet Arte after they previously contacted each other through social media that had been used for quite a while since their school days. Luckily, just like Lynd, who occasionally looked at her account when she was a teenager, Arte also remained active using the same social media.

"Coffee latte." Order at the counter. There was a reason why Lynd had to come all the way downtown from where she lived. And even now she came early waiting for Arte to come because she thought it would be troublesome if Arte had to come to meet her.

"Ooh, Lynd! I'm really sorry I'm late and made you wait."

Lynd who was enjoying her coffee immediately stood up to welcome Arte's arrival which left a dramatic impact. How could she explain it, seeing Arte exhausted with all her innate attributes and a little boy in tow. She did not think that her best friend would come with the baby. Lynd automatically felt the need to help her, for some reason.

"Of course not Arte. I haven't been here long." But in the end, she stood awkwardly not knowing what to help Arte with. "How about—" Before she could finish the sentence, Arte lunged for her in a tight hug.

"Really, you! Where have you been?" Meanwhile, the boy who was originally holding Arte's hand was stunned to see the expression of joy mixed with a little bit of his mother's annoyance at the figure of a woman who was foreign to him.

"A-Arte, calm down first. Erm, here it is. Your son looks at me strangely." Lynd thought maybe the little boy didn't like it seeing the two adults engrossed in themselves and could have forgotten his presence.

Arte let go of her embrace. "Oh! Lynd, this is my son Stefan, 5 years old. Sorry, I had to take him along because there was no one to look after him."

"Ahaha, of course, it's fine. I'm glad to have met your son." Lynd's attention was completely engrossed in that small, quiet yet powerful presence. "Hello Stefan, I'm Aunt Lynd."

Being greeted and brought to attention suddenly, the little boy reflexively hid behind his mother. "Stef, it's okay honey... Aunt Lynd is mom's friend."

"Friend?" he mumbled softly as he peeked a little.

Lynd crouched down, smiling so that the fragile little creature wouldn't be afraid. To get closer and be able to see each other's faces more clearly. "Yes, friend."

Then with courage, Stefan slowly came out of hiding to face Lynd, although he remained silent.

"Today auntie wants to treat you. Is there anything you want?"

"Cookies." The answer is pure.

"Of course. Oh, and you?" this time Lynd asked the mother.

"Americano."

"Okay." Then Lynd left the mother and daughter to return to the counter to deliver their order.