Seeing Marie’s name flash on his phone made Jaxon’s chest tighten. It had been over three weeks since they last spoke...almost a month.... and he had been avoiding all unnecessary calls. He had been surprised that Marie hadn’t called as often as before, but he preferred it that way; he didn’t want her to suspect anything about Aurora. He knew she would rush over, drop everything, and ruin all his plans. He was so deep in thought that he missed her first call. When she rang a second time, he finally answered.
The sound of his voice made Marie’s heart sink slightly, though she didn’t show it. She forced a smile and said,
“Jaxon, I hope you’re all doing well. It’s been so long since I heard from you, and you haven’t called me either… is everything okay, Jaxon?”
He forced a laugh, replying,
