All Chapters of Closer To You: Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

There were so many questions in his mind, but he couldn't utter a single word to say to her. The look of disappointment she threw at him a moment ago was still fresh in his mind. It was like she was expecting something unpleasant but what she got was even worse. Gale was 100% sure this woman is Ava Shelley. She knew him, and even if he doesn't remember anything, he knew her in some way. Like when he went to the bridge this morning. There was an aura that calls him, that claiming him that he was in the right place. But Avelyn's cold demeanour towards him makes Gale felt like his world crumbled down slowly. He needs to know what happened in the past that could lead them to become like this. His eyes were burning, and hot tears finally escaped from his lids. Gale tried to wipe them away before Avelyn or Julia could see them. He lowered his head and pinched the bridge of his nose to stop the tears, but it was useless. His eyes sting, and

She stands at the entrance of the living room. She was looking at Gale and Alex with an unreadable expression. She flinched after a few seconds and bent down to pick up the phone she dropped."I'm sorry," she said with a tight smile. "The pie is ready.""Ave, come here," the old lady said. Avelyn walked towards her. "Gentleman, my name is Maya Shelley, and this is Avelyn, my daughter. Julia is her daughter."Gale unconsciously exhaled a breath of relief.Avelyn uses her maiden name. Maybe she's divorced from Julia's father or never married at all. Still, he was slightly anxious. For the first time, he dared to look at her. He was studying her face while she wasn't looking at him.She was as beautiful as Gale remember her from yesterday. Her hair was in a low ponytail this time. A few tendrils were loose from the ponytail and dangling on the side of her face. She wears high-waisted khaki trousers with a cream blouse. She looked gorgeous.A nu

Both Gale and Avelyn snapped their heads towards Alex."Alex!" Denise hissed. "It's okay, Dee," Avelyn interjected. "I am a single parent, Doctor.""Please, call me Gale." He said as he tried to suppress his victorious smile at knowing that Avelyn is a single parent.Avelyn made a face to protest, but then she sighed. "I– alright.""I'm sorry if my question makes you uncomfortable.""No, it's fine. It's just– it's been so long since the last time I have to explain this matter to anyone. I hardly have time to make friends, so meeting new people was quite a challenging task for me. I'm sorry if my demeanour was a bit slack and cold. I hope I don't offend you." She said to Gale and then glanced at Molly and Ben with an apologetic smile.Molly and Ben smiled understandingly at Avelyn, but Gale only watched her with a straight face, although deep down he still felt so happy at the prospect that he could have feelings for

Gale exhales slowly to calm his roaring feelings and then begins to tell the rest of the story. He told everyone about his first year of recovery and how Meryl had helped him a great deal. He then told them what he thought when he decided that he wanted something more than friendship with Meryl, which was very uncomfortable as he realized he never thought he was in love with her. Gale only thought about the advantages of dating Meryl, how kind, beautiful, smart, and patient she was. How she made him feel secure and safe. And then he admitted he was scared of losing the one person that shows him endless support, and he thought that if he didn't have any ties with her, she would leave him. Then he finally comes to the reason for the downfall of his relationship with Meryl."At first, everything was fine, happy and well... steady. I love feeling secure. But there was something I didn't tell Meryl." Gale glances at Ben and Molly on the opposite side of the room, and both of them

It's almost a week since Avelyn met Gabe, and she hasn't been able to stop thinking about him. And she was grumpy. She didn't even get proper sleep because of it. Avelyn decided to bring lunch for Denise at her studio. They were eating when suddenly Denise asked. "This man that Alex didn't stop talking about for two days straight. What's he like?"  "Tall," Avelyn answered nonchalantly despite the thumping of her heart at remembering Gabe. "That's it?"  "What else do you want me to say?" "I don't know... Did he offend you or something? That's why you prefer not to talk about him and Alex blabbering about this guy," "No, it's just... He mostly talked with your son, so there's really nothing for me to say about him. Alex already said it all." That wasn't a lie. Gabe was indeed talking mostly with Alex. But Avelyn doesn't need to tell Denise of how Gabe's gaze was mostly pointed at her even though he was talking to Alex.