The next morning, Richie was mindlessly scrolling through his phone when it buzzed with an incoming call. He glanced at the screen, rolling his eyes when he saw Mr. Leo’s name flash on it.“Unbelievable,” Richie muttered under his breath. He let it ring a few times, debating whether to answer or ignore it. Leah entered just then, with a plate of pancakes.“Who’s that?” she asked, placing the plate on the table and giving Richie a curious look.Richie sighed. “Mr. Leo. He’s probably calling because of Janet.”Leah frowned but didn’t say anything. Richie let out a frustrated sigh and swiped to answer the call. He pressed the phone to his ear and leaned back in his chair.“Uncle Leo,” Richie said, his tone low. “What do you want?”Mr. Leo’s voice was cautious but firm. “Richie, look, I know you’re still upset. And you have every right to be. But Janet wants to apologize”Richie closed his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose. He wasn’t in the mood for this, not after the chaos of last n
Jack walked through the mall, trying to clear his head. It had been a long week for him. He’d been thinking about Mariam a lot lately, more than usual, and doesn’t know why he couldn’t resist thinking about her for these past few days.No matter what he did, he couldn’t get her out of his mind… He is the one that wanted them to break up, why is he feeling down about it recently..She’d moved on, at least that’s what he told himself but a part of him wasn’t ready to accept that. He felt like he was stuck in this loop, unable to let go, even though it was clear to him Mariam had.As he strolled past the bustling food counter, something caught his eye….There, by one of the tables, stood a woman with long, dark hair, the exact shade and texture as Mariam’s. She was laughing, her head tilted back, completely lost in the moment. Jack froze.“Mariam?” he whispered to himself, feeling his pulse quicken.Before he could process what he was doing, his feet started moving on their own. He walke
Jack sat on his couch, staring at his phone for what felt like an eternity. Ever since that incident at the mall, he hadn’t been able to stop thinking about Mariam. Paul was right, he needed closure. But the thought of reaching out to her made his chest tighten with anxiety.He had almost convinced himself not to call when his phone suddenly buzzed with a notification. It was a message from a doctor friend amongst his crew.. Who worked at the hospital nearby. "Your girlfriend’s mom got admitted earlier. She’s not doing well."Jack’s heart dropped. "Girlfriend? I don't think I have one now"... he replied."Oh! I thought you were still with the chubby one. You know Mariam!" He hadn’t heard from Mariam or about Mariam’s mom in a long time, but he remembered how close they were. Without thinking twice, he swiped through his contacts and found Mariam’s name. His thumb hovered over the call button for a moment, before he finally tapped it.The phone rang. Jack’s heart raced, unsure of wh
Mariam had spent her whole day in the hospital looking after her mother. It was finally time for the surgery.The sterile smell of the hospital was heavy in the air, as Mariam nervously paced up and down the corridor outside the operating room. Her heart raced unsure of the outcome of the day but still Jack had stayed by her side all morning, offering silent support, as her mother, Mrs. Adams, underwent surgery.The doctors had explained everything to Mariam before they wheeled her mother into the operating room. Mrs. Adams needed a partial gastrectomy, (a surgery that involves removing part of her stomach). It was a necessary procedure to address a stomach ulcer that had grown dangerously large, threatening to rupture. Complications were possible, but the doctors reassured Mariam it would be alright..Still, that didn’t ease Mariam’s anxiety.She took out her phone, her hands trembling as she scrolled through her contacts. Without thinking twice, she called Leah.The phone rang onc
Leah sat beside Mariam, watching Mrs. Adams rest peacefully after her successful surgery. Mariam sat quietly by her mother’s side, gently rubbing her hand. Leah walked up to the window, staring out at the hospital garden below, deep in thought. Just as she was about to speak, the door to the ward opened, and in walked Jack, carrying bags of food, fruits, and a beautiful bouquet of flowers.Leah turned around, surprised to see him “Jack,” she said with a warm smile, "I have been waiting to see you".."Hi Leah".. he waved and smiled at her.“you didn’t have to.” Mariam said inaudibly..Jack shrugged, replying to Leah, his usual laid-back demeanor unchanged. “I couldn’t stay away. I just wanted to make sure Mariam and her mum are alright.”Mariam looked up from her mother’s bedside, her eyes softening as she saw Jack approach. “Thank you,” she said quietly.Jack gave her a small smile and set the bags down on the bedside table. “I brought some fruit, snacks, and flowers for Mrs. Adams.
The days passed, and Mrs. Adams was steadily getting better, the light had returned to Mariam’s eyes and she was feeling better.Jack decided to take her out for dinner to help her feel relieved.After they had gone out for dinner at a cozy little restaurant downtown, Mariam found herself standing outside Jack's house. It was her idea when Jack wanted to drop her off at her house.Jack pulled his car into the driveway and turned off the engine. He looked over at her, his fingers tapping lightly on the steering wheel.“I’m glad you came tonight, Mariam,” Jack said, his voice sincere. “I missed this. Us.”Mariam turned toward him, her lips curling into a soft smile. “Me too, Jack. I missed this, and I missed you.”They got out of the car and walked toward his front door. Jack fumbled with his keys for a moment, clearly nervous about what to say next. He had been carrying a burden for a while now, and he knew he needed to clear the air between them.As they stepped inside his house, Jack
Leah sat on the living room couch, her eyes glued to the television, but her mind miles away from the show that was playing. Richie had been acting strange lately, and she couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off. He’d been coming home late, making mysterious phone calls, and giving her vague answers whenever she asked what was going on.It wasn’t like him to be so secretive, and it certainly wasn’t like him to lower his voice or step out of the room when he was on the phone. Yet, for the past few days, that’s exactly what he’d been doing.Leah sighed heavily and looked toward the kitchen, where Richie was rummaging through the fridge, grabbing a late-night snack. She watched him carefully, her mind running wild with possibilities. "Was he hiding something? Was there another woman?"... she thought.“Richie,” Leah called out, trying to keep her tone casual.“Yeah?” he responded, his voice slightly muffled as he pulled out a bottle of water.“What time are you coming home tomo
Richie, Dazzle, and Mariam had everything set for Leah's engagement surprise. Leah, on the other hand, was getting bored at home. Being on a two-week break from work sounded like fun at first, but with nothing to do, she found herself restless. While she flipped through TV channels, her phone buzzed with a message from Mariam.“Girl, you need to get out of that house! There’s a party tomorrow, and you’re coming with me.”"Party?"..."Yes, of course".. make up your mind, you are going with me, no excuses.Leah sighed, staring at the message. She wasn’t in the mood for a party, but staying home was even worse. After a moment of hesitation, she texted back.“Alright, fine. I’m in.”The next morning, Mariam showed up, a bit too cheerful for Leah’s mood.“Good morning, sunshine!” Mariam said, bouncing into the house. “We have a full day ahead of us.”“A full day?” Leah groaned. “I thought we were just going to a party tonight?”“We are,” Mariam said with a sly grin. “But first, we’re mak