Chapter 22


    Quinta invited Jocelyn over for dinner at her ce.


    After her divorce, Quinta snagged a tiny two-bedroom pad, but once she married Damian, they quickly


    sold it off and, with a loan, bought the current little cottage they’re living in. It’s one of those ces with


    stairs, right up on the top.


    floor.


    When Quinta sold the old ce, her mother had a good moan to Jocelyn’s mom on the phone. She


    was like, “At least the old house was mine. Now, it is sold, and they got this new one, and it’s joint


    property’. If things stay peachy, great, but what if it all goes down the drain?”


    Quinta’s mother was all sighs when she talked about it


    At six in the evening. Quinta had the meal ready and called Damian. After a few words, he hung up, so


    she carried the dishes into the dining room and told Jocelyn to dig in.


    “Isn’t Damianing back?


    “A couple of work buddies roped him into fishing.” Quinta set the table. “Forget him, let’s eat.”


    Jocelyn always felt there was something off about Quinta and Damian’s vibe, but she couldn’t quite put


    her finger on it. and it didn’t seem right to pry. They were newlyweds, after all, and jumping to


    conclusions wasn’t cool.


    After they ate, it was already seven in the evening.


    Quinta wanted Jocelyn to stay, which made Jocelyn think of what Melvin had said before.


    For some reason, she felt a rebellious streak and didn’t want to do as he said, so she agreed to stay.


    The sisters huddled on the couch that evening, watching TV and chatting, mostly about Damian’s kid


    and the old folks


    back home


    It was the usual family drama. The blended family with kids alwayse with a string of issues.


    Like the ex dropping by to see her son, or the grandparents doting on the grandson. Quinta felt like an


    outsider in that house, just couldn’t fit in.


    “Didn’t cut tiespletely, huh?” Jocelyn was curious.


    “How can we ever cut tiespletely? That’s the kid’s mom. We can’t just pretend she doesn’t exist,


    Quinta sighed. “The woman is jobless now, and hearing Damian made squad leader, she’s not sitting


    still. Luckily, Damian doesn’t really deal with her. He won’t even pick up her calls. He says he does it to


    ease my mind, letting the kid stay with his grandparents.”


    Jocelyn hugged Quinta. “Just be the best you can be.


    “With marriages like ours, I’ve gotta have a kid of my own to really cement the family together Quinta


    patted her hand. “Marriage isn’t some wild beast, but you’ve gotta think it through before diving in. After


    all, it’s an elevation of al rtionship but also the start of a whole new set of responsibilities.”


    “A lot of divorces happen because people can’t handle those responsibilities, right?” Seeing Jocelyn’s


    dazed look, Quinta quickly added. “I’m not trying to scare you. There are happy marriages too. Look at


    your folks. They’ve been lovey-dovey since day one, right?”


    Jocelyn’s lips curled up slightly. “I know. I’ll think about the consequences before I decide on anything.”


    “Your boyfriend must ve been through something, and that’s probably why he’s shying away from


    marriage.”


    “He’s never been married.” Jocelyn was sure of that.


    Quinta chuckled, “It’s not that you have to go through marriage to see it through Could be his family


    background or other life experiences. Anyway, if you really want to get serious with him, you’ve gotta


    worm your way into his heart. Once he opens up, you’ll find out what’s really going on.”


    Jocelyn’s expression turned serious. That was just it; she hadn’t cracked Melvin’s code yet.


    Otherwise, why would she know so little about him?


    Jocelynis phone buzzed


    Quinta nced over and asked, “Melvin


    “Yep Jocelyn answered “Hello?”


    Melvin’s voice was indifferent, “Where are you?”


    “At Quinta’s


    Silence hung heavily after she spoke Jocelyn bit her lip, waiting for him to continue.


    “Send me your location. And with that, he hung up.


    Jocelyn was stunned


    Quinta was curious. “What’s up?


    “He wants my location Jocelyn was baffled “He’s noting to pick me up, is he?”


    “it’s eight already, and it’s over two hundred kilometers away. That’s a two-hour drive.” Quinta looked at


    Jocelyn and suddenly burst intoughter, “He must love you, huh.”


    The word “love” felt foreign to Jocelyn


    Apart from sleeping together, she couldn’t feel Melvin’s love.


    Her phone vibrated again. Melvin was prodding her for the location. Not wanting to upset him, she sent


    it.


    “Wait for me”


    The three words were brimming with an air ofmand.


    Jocelyn was holding her phone, lost in thought.


    Quinta nudged her with a knowing smile, “He seems to really miss you.”


    Jocelyn’s smile was tinged with helplessness.


    Melvin said he wasing, and Quinta refused to go to sleep, eager toy eyes on the man who had


    Jocelyn wrapped around his finger.


    Before two hours passed, Jocelyn’s phone rang again


    It was Melvin.


    “Hello?”


    Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org.


    “I’m downstairs at your building. Come down, or should Ie up?” he asked


    Jocelyn was shocked, he had made it in less than two hours.


    How fast was he driving?


    “What’s going on? Quinta inquired.


    ‘He’s here, Jocelyn said.


    Quinta was also taken aback but quickly blurted out. “Invite him up!”


    Jocelyn, thinking Melvin would be reluctant to let others know about their rtionship, and recalling his


    earlier words that might have been in jest, decided to test him by saying, “Come up. She gave him the


    building and floor number, and hung up without waiting for a response.


    Now she was on edge, nervously watching the door


    Quinta, on the other hand, was brimming with excitement, standing at the door in wait.


    Soon enough, the doorbell rang.


    “He’s here Quinta beamed.


    Melvin gave Quinta a slight nad when he saw her. I’m here to pick up Jocelyn.”


    “You came all this way to pick up Jocelyn; how abouting on in and having a drink of water?” Quinta


    subtly sized up Melvin as he arrived Sure enough, he fits the bill of a posh bachelor who’s all about


    dating but not settling down


    Melvin stood at the door, noticing Jocelyn sitting on the couch motionless, her almond-shaped eyes


    slightly closed Polite as ever, be said to Quinta. “No wornes. It’s gettingte, and we should head back”


    It’s prettyte, so why not crash here? We’ve got space, Quinta offered, trying to get him to stay.


    “I’ve got an early start tomorrow.”


    Oh, alright then “Quinta could tell that Melvin was a tough nut to crack, he seemed polite but there was


    a hint of distance. She couldn’t help but worry for Jocelyn, thinking she might be wasting her time on


    this guy.


    With Melvin at the door and his stance clear, Jocelyn had no choice but to follow him out


    “Drive safe and text me when you get home, Quinta gently reminded them as she saw them off


    Jocelyn nodded You better head back and get some rest.


    Quinta waited until their car pulled away before heading back herself.


    Jocelyn sat there silently. At that moment, she felt like a student who’d skipped ss and got caught by


    the principal, now being dragged back to school.


    She felt the pressure.


    Melvin drove in silence


    It was a long way to go and he’d been driving for so long, Jocelyn couldn’t help but feel a pang of quilt.


    “How about we stop at the next service area, and I’ll drive for a bit?” she suggested. After all, at this


    hour, the highway would be pretty empty, and she wasn’t that scared.