Chapter 211
The night I left home, Ernest''s ce was cloaked in darkness, his windows void of light, indicating he wasn''t there. By the time Dustin called me, I was already waiting at the train station.
This time, I opted for the high-speed rail instead of flying.
Even though it would take an extra two hours, I preferred the feeling of being grounded to floating in the air.
"Felicia, your car''s ready. Where are you? I''ll bring it over," Dustin''s voice, always so warm and soothing, reached me.Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.
I nced around the waiting room, noting everyone''s heads bowed over their smartphones, and replied nonchntly, "Just leave it at the garage. I''II pick it up myself."
Dustin paused, and I added, "I know the ce."
The Wagner family always took their cars to the same garage for maintenance, something I was well aware of.
"Mechanic mentioned your car was tampered with," Dustin''s words made me freeze for a moment.
Of course, I felt guilty because I was the one who had it tampered with.
"Is that so?" I feigned surprise.
"Felicia, has someone else been driving your car?" Dustin pressed, concerncing his tone.
I knew he was worried about me. I bit my lip, pondering over how to respond.
Then, Dustin added, "Whoever did it wasn''t out to harm you, just to cause some trouble. Luckily, it happened when you were heading home. It could have been more problematic if you were elsewhere."
With that, I no longer felt the need to make up excuses. "I understand."
After a brief silence, Dustin spoke again, sensing the noise around me, "You''re out, aren''t you? It sounds busy."
"Mhm," was all I replied with.
Dustin, picking up on my reluctance to continue the conversation, softly said, "Just be careful, then."
He hung up, and I let out a sigh.
Lately, I''de across videos
advocating for simplification in life,
including reducing unnecessary
social interactions. Now, I was beginning to understand the
sentiment.
Even though ites from a good ce, the care and concern from others can sometimes be overwhelming.
However, I did send a message to Fanny, letting her know I was heading out of town.
The saint-like patience of Fanny didn''t surprise me with ack of response, and I suddenly grasped why she never bothered with dating.
She said being as busy as she was, barely having time to answer calls, no one would want to be in a rtionship with her.
Even if someone did, the likelihood
of them enduring the long haul was slim, considering love required closepanionship and friction to foster dopamine secretion. Content
belongs to
Better not to start something than to end itter, she reasoned. I had called her an ostrich for her views, but now, I saw her wisdom.
On a whim, I boarded thest train to Gxy Harbor, specifically aiming for Sunnyside to visit Ernest''s sister.
It was a spontaneous decision, driven by my desire to understand Ernest better.
Admitting to myself that I had developed feelings for Ernest, I was cautious due to past heartbreak. If I were to start something, I wanted to be in control.
Arriving at Gxy Harbor in the dead of night, I avoided the family home, fearing Ethel might insist I stay, and opted for a hotel instead.
By 10 a.m. the next day, I reached Sunnyside and soon found Ernest''s ce.
Standing outside, before even stepping foot in the yard, I regretted noting sooner.
The quaint yard was straight out of a dream, adorned with trees, flowers, a grapevine draped perg, and a swing. The houses, with their te roofs and brick walls, connected by a porch lined withnterns that swayed gently in the breeze, captivated me.
Across from the yard was a river, with a stone bridge where people were washing clothes, a scene so idyllic it felt lifted from a fantasy.
Had I not seen it with my own eyes, I would never have believed such a fairy-tale ce existed in real life.
It was absolutely beautiful.