The atmosphere was light and cozy, with lots of conversation on the trip home from the restaurant. The gentle hum of the car's engine blended with the talk between Jason and Kendall. Their faces were softly glowing as the city lights poured by. With every word Kendall said, Jason's curiosity about her grew. He cast a quick glance at her. "I had no idea you were so passionate about art," he said, his eyes showing real curiosity. "It's obvious that it resonates deeply with you." With a little giggle, Kendall's eyes glistened with anticipation. It's something I've cherished forever. The emotions and stories that art can portray are often too strong for words to fully capture. It offers a window into the mind and a glimpse into the world of another person.Jason nodded, clearly intrigued. That fascinates me. You have this really perceptive and novel way of looking at the world. It's among the qualities of you that I now find admirable. As he spoke, Kendall's heart began to race. She fe
Jason stood in his dimly lit bedroom, leaning against the cold marble counter, his mind clouded with thoughts of Kendall. He hadn't been able to shake the memory of the one moment when they almost felt real—when their lips met in a kiss that was meant to be nothing but he wanted more.The kiss had been brief, but it stirred something inside him. Contractual was not how her lips had felt on his, nor the unsaid tension that simmered under the surface. He gave a strong breath in an attempt to get rid of the sensation, but it stuck to him like second skin. The barriers separating them felt impenetrable, but he couldn't deny the pull. It was forbidden to break the terms of the agreement, their arrangement. A knock on the door took his attention away from his thoughts.Jason scowled and retreated from the counter. It was too late for anybody to come over. His eyes grew wide with surprise when he opened the door. Bathed in the warm light of the hallway, Kendall stood there. Her hands tremb
As they lay entangled in the covers, Jason's body crushed against Kendall's, their heats met. Though there was still an unspoken but palpable tension to the encounter, there was also a compassion between them. Breathing deeply, Kendall's chest rose and fell, feeling and emotion obscuring her thoughts. The heat from their shared moment lingered in the air, and she could still feel Jason's weight alongside her. However, she felt a pull from something deeper, more primordial.She moved her head to face him as her eyelashes flickered open. Jason was lying on his side with one arm resting idly across her waist and his eyes closed. His ordinarily sharp features were softened by a serene expression. She lay there staring at him for a minute, not knowing how to react or even comprehend the last exchange between them. This was not intended to occur—not within the parameters of their agreement, their carefully crafted separation.But it had. And now, the air between them felt different.Her bo
Their bedroom's drapes were glowing softly with a golden hue as the sun had just started to rise. Jason had already woken up, his thoughts focused on organizing a surprise. While he was in the kitchen meticulously preparing the breakfast items, his mind kept going back to Kendall, who was still asleep upstairs.A slight smile appeared on his lips as he reminisced about the evening they had spent together, and he sensed a spark of something different - something more tender - starting to develop between them.With a calm resolve, he retrieved her beloved comforts: recently baked croissants, a container of her favorite strawberry jam, and an assortment of ripe fruits - juicy strawberries, blueberries, and some slices of mango.He reached out and took her favorite things. He took his time brewing her favorite mix of coffee, the pleasant scent filling the house as he brewed.He glanced around, searching for the perfect touch to add. His gaze fell upon a tiny vase resting on the ledge, an
3 cm invasive tumor in situ… Stage 3… Metastasis is present…Kendall’s hands trembled as she read her test result. She swallowed thick lumps of saliva that were about to choke her.“Wh- what does… this mean, doctor?”Her voice was trembling and so was her whole body, coupled with her labored breathing. Even though she knew what it meant, she rather lived in denial.“Miss Kendall,” Doctor Sophia took off her glasses and focused on the patient in front of her.“You have stage three cervical cancer.” She dropped the heartbreaking news.“No… I don't… doctor, this is not my result.” Tears rolled down Kendall’s cheeks as she kept on arguing. There was no way that she would accept this result as hers.She only had pain and heavy bleeding… And a few minor symptoms. She was sure that there was a mix-up somewhere. There had to be.“I can't have cancer,” Kendall heaved a sigh. It felt like her whole world was crumbling before her and she was too weak to put the smallest pieces together.“How?” S
“How could you?”Alicia was furious as her voice took over the living room. This had to be a joke.She ran down to Kendall’s house after seeing the multiple mixed calls only to be given double strikes; Kendall hadn't only slept with a stranger, but she had already called Doctor Sophia, saying that she was ready for the IVF procedure.“What would I have done?” Kendall wasn't having it. Matter of fact, she was done trying to explain herself."Anything..." "Just not messing around." She shrugged.Kendall hated that she was diagnosed with cancer, and had woken up in bed with a stranger, with the effect of the alcohol wearing off and she felt terrible. Like every other girl, she had the fantasy of a small family and having her babies, not opting for a sperm donor.“I'm sorry for not being by your side at the time you needed me most,” Alicia apologized."You don't have to be." "All that I expect from you, is love, support, and kind words…""That's if you are dealing with so much, and you're
“Anywhere but home.”Jason informed Lucas after getting into the back of his black-tainted car. He was done with work for the day, but for fear of his mother breathing down his throat, he'd rather stay out late.“Alright, sir,” Lucas, his driver responded.He didn't need to think twice, he knew the exact place that his boss frequented when he needed to escape his realities. Slowly, he increased the volume of the music, trying to soothe his boss.“Turn it off.”Jason hissed, tugging on his tie that was suddenly becoming too suffocating.“I'm sorry, sir.”He was already exhausted from today’s hassle, but he had to quickly fix a few meetings for tomorrow. His eyes were glued to his tab the whole time, as he immersed himself in work.The rest of the journey to the club was calm and boring. In about half an hour, they arrived at the spot and Jason went to the bar. They didn't do much security check-up on him."Brandy is fine." He told the bartender who jotted down his order. He looked arou
“Mother, it's too early,” Jason grunted as he knotted his necktie and adjusted his black pants.“Too early for your mother to have a word with you?” The ever-cheesy Catherine followed her son around.Her hair was a rich silver with streaks of gold and styled in a grand puff. She had a sizable nude gown that matched her skin tone and a light brush of pink lip gloss. For sixty-one, she defied the number.Jason sipped from his teacup and set it down on a saucer. He knew what his mother had to say and was avoiding the topic by all means possible.“How about we do that when I return from work?”"Then I would be in the salon fixing my hair or getting spar treatment." "We need to talk now."Sealing her point, she stopped by the door, silently telling him that no one would leave the room until they had a discussion. The last time she sat on the foot of his bed in protest, he ran out without remorse. She wasn't about to make that mistake now. Yesterday, he purposely ignored her calls and sneak