Beatrice
When we finally arrived in front of my house, the atmosphere in the car was much lighter. I thanked Andrew for the ride and prepared to leave quickly, aware that Edward was waiting, along with Timothy. However, Andrew held my hand, preventing me from getting out.
"Do I deserve a kiss from my girlfriend?" Andrew asked with a tender smile.
I felt obligated to grant my boyfriend's request, after all, I genuinely liked him. The kiss between us was tender and passionate, and for a moment, I could forget all the confusion surrounding my life.
When the kiss finally ended, I felt my heart warm, and I returned the smile that lit up Andrew's face.
"Should I be concerned that your ex-husband is waiting for you at your house?" Andrew as
EdwardWithout anyone needing to explicitly state it, I noticed how Beatrice tried to maintain a certain distance between Timothy and me, something that became more evident each day.I understood that reigniting our marriage would be a challenging task, filled with unspoken words and silences that spoke for themselves. Especially considering my mistake in trying to win her back months after our separation.I was left to accept whatever was possible, even if it was little, sometimes almost nothing on her part. Anything was better than nothing.When Beatrice started coming home every day with Smith, something that became a routine since the day she was late, which hadn't happened before, it was clear that a significant change had occurred in their relationship.
BeatriceI lived in what seemed like a normal relationship with a man who made his love for me clear. However, the feeling of happiness and fulfillment eluded me. The reasons for this emptiness were unknown to me, and I did my best to avoid confronting them, indefinitely postponing this reflection. Not even at that moment, when I was finishing my activities in the newspaper office and getting ready to go home with my perfect partner, was it appropriate to address these thoughts. Everything seemed perfect, but something was out of tune. A discreet knock on the door indicated that Andrew was waiting, ready for us to go home together, as we always did."Hi, dear," he greeted me, quickly kissing my lips. "Can we go?""Of course," I agreed without hesitation. We went down the elevator to the basement, and when we were alre
BeatriceDinner with Andrew's parents went smoothly, although I always felt a bit uncomfortable with the Smiths' stiffness. However, it wouldn't be fair to say they were unpleasant or anything of the sort. Maybe my discomfort was because Joel Smith was the owner of the newspaper and, consequently, my boss. Either way, there was still nothing I could pinpoint for sure.As we were about to leave, well past eight o'clock, a conversation topic immediately caught my attention. We were discussing the lunch in celebration of Andrew's birthday, scheduled for the upcoming weekend."I hope Justin doesn't bring his nephew this time," Mrs. Thomas said, surprising me. "I hate when they bring children to my house."Justin was a close friend of Andrew; they studied together, and I was deeply s
BeatriceI woke up later than usual after a dream in which the three of us were playing tennis, appearing like a perfect and happy family. It irritated me. I didn't want to go back to the past, as I've been there and it wasn't pleasant. Nevertheless, I tried once again and insisted, and I can say that the attempt was almost as terrible as the previous one.The insistent ringing of the doorbell worsened my mood even more. I put on a robe over my black silk nightgown and went to answer the door, feeling reluctant. It was only when I reached the hall that it occurred to me that the person could be Edward, coming to drop off Timothy. A familiar chill in my stomach and an increase in my heart rate made me pause for a moment and take a deep breath. I needed to calm down and not let my ex-husband realize that, even against my sensibility and rationality,
EdwardTimothy was visibly moved by the bouquet of roses, and it didn't take long for him to start crying intensely. I perceived anguish on Beatrice's face and sought an explanation for the boy's suffering at that moment.Beatrice hugged and stroked his back and hair, trying to console him in the best way possible. As I watched that scene, I felt confused and out of place, as if I were an intruder amid their intense expression of emotion.However, everything changed when Timothy opened his eyes and looked at me with those still teary eyes, wiping the tears away with the back of his hand and smiling at me, even though he was clearly in pain. I was completely taken aback by that expression and couldn't understand what was happening."Mom used to sell red rose
BeatriceSince our long and passionate kiss in the kitchen, I had been deliberately avoiding Edward. Besides feeling guilty for betraying the man I was in a relationship with, I had taken an extreme risk, veering into a dangerous path. I was being cowardly by running away, but I thought it was best for all of us. I already knew where that would lead us, and I wasn't willing to go through the suffering it would cause again.The word that summarized my feelings was temptation. Edward had always been and still is my weakness. I wouldn't allow myself to be dragged by emotions to the point of suffering again for him. So when Timothy returned to the kitchen, I sighed in relief and left them eating their sandwiches while I returned to my room. Before anything else, I removed all the flower bouquets from the living room, leaving only the red roses, the ones that had moved Timothy so much. I thought he might want to keep that memory of his mother. The other flowers were a strange and unwanted
BeatriceIn a way, Andrew and I ended up finding a balance, although it was a somewhat winding path to get there. He avoided touching on the delicate subject of his parents, and I decided to accept his approach.After much reflection, I realized I couldn't hold onto my anger toward Andrew forever for something he didn't do. He insisted on his disagreement with his parents' views, and that gave me some comfort. I decided to give our relationship another chance. However, if I had been cautious before due to my past experiences, now I was even more hesitant.A few days later, the day of Sebastian and Elizabeth's wedding arrived, and we went together to Kent, specifically to Higham, where the Maddock family's rural estate was located. That's where everyone gathered for the festivities.The trip to Higham was quick, and in less than an hour, we parked at Elizabeth's parents' vast and well-kept estate, already filled with cars belonging to other guests.The butler awaited us and led us to t
BeatriceSometime later, when we returned to the garden, several people were enjoying the mild summer weather outside the property. They chatted animatedly and watched children run and play.I engaged in conversations with some people I knew, mostly relatives of Edward with whom I grew up during my childhood and adolescence. I also encountered some old friends, with whom time and distance had separated.Soon, Sebastian approached from where I was, displaying a broad smile upon seeing me talking with Maggie, Abigail, and Edward's mother, while Timothy played in the garden with other children."Hello, beautiful ladies!" he greeted us enthusiastically. "How are you?""Sebastian!" I responded with excitement. "I'm so happy you're getting