Chapter 6: Lucas
1190 Words
The next morning, Willow left the house with dark circles under her eyes.
She'd spent the entire night tossing and turning, unable to sleep.
With a sigh, she decided to visit her old therapist hat warm, kind Dr. Harrington. Maybe he could give her some guidance.
She arrived at the clinic.
"Hi. Is Dr. Harrington available for a session today?" she asked at the front desk.
"Oh, Dr. Harrington? He seems fully booked today." The receptionist flipped through the schedule.
"Miss Willow?" Lucas had just walked in, ready to start his shift.
"Dr. Harrington, I was hoping we could talk, but you're booked..." Willow said apologetically.
"It's fine. I'm not officially on the clock yet. We have time." Lucas smiled.
Grateful, Willow followed him into the therapy room.
"So, still struggling with insomnia?" Lucas sat across from her and poured her a glass of warm water.
"That's incredible, Dr. Harrington. How did you know?" Willow's eyes widened as she gave him a thumbs-up.
Lucas chuckled.
"Miss Willow, with those dark circles, it's hard not to notice."
"Ah... right." Willow nodded.
"What brought you here today? Something you want to talk about?" Lucas's voice was gentle. Willow had always found him easy to open up to.
"Well... last night, when I was trying to fall asleep, the room felt so terrifyingly quiet. And I suddenly thought, if I leave my husband, I'll be completely alone in this world." Willow lay back on the therapy chair, speaking softly.
"Maybe you could consider getting a small pet. It would distract you and provide emotional comfort." Lucas thought for a moment.
"A small pet..." Willow nodded.
A kitten. A puppy. A... baby.
"Could a baby work?" Willow asked.
"..."
When no answer came, she turned to look at him.
"Excuse me, are you pregnant?" Lucas asked, startled.
"Yes... I'm only about a month along. I was going to terminate it." Willow said, her hand instinctively moving to her lower abdomen.
"What made you want to keep it?" Lucas asked.
"It's the only blood relative I have left in this world." Willow's eyes turned red.
"I'm so lonely." Her voice caught slightly.
"And maybe... it'll be the one thing that keeps me attached to this world." Willow whispered.
The word attached made Lucas frown slightly.
"Regarding the baby, I can't give you advice on that. It depends on what your heart is telling you."
"If I keep it..."
"Willow, whatever you decide, listen to your own heart." Lucas's voice reassured her.
"Feel free to reach out anytime. You can add me on w******p, and let me know in advance next time." Lucas said naturally.
"Dr. Harrington, your next appointment is here." The receptionist knocked gently on the door.
"Ah, right. Thank you." Willow added him on w******p and stood up.
Just then, Adrian called.
"Where are you?"
"I'll walk you out."
As she answered, both Adrian's and Lucas's voices came through simultaneously.
Willow quickly covered the receiver, nodded at Lucas, and hurried out.
"I'm out. What's wrong?"
"Who are you with?" Adrian's voice didn't sound pleased.
"With... a friend."
"Willow. A male friend?" Adrian's voice dropped dangerously low.
Willow hung up without answering.
Jerk.
She left the clinic, headed straight to the old house, and turned off her phone.
She lay down on Grandpa's bed. Finally, she felt some semblance of peace.
"Grandpa, should I keep it?" Willow asked, looking at the framed photo on the nightstand.
"Grandpa, don't worry. Willow will take good care of herself." Willow fought back tears.
Grandpa had seen too many of her tears already. She couldn't cry anymore.
Curled up on the bed, clutching Grandpa's photo frame, Willow fell asleep without realizing it.
Meanwhile, on Adrian's end*?
Willow turning off her phone genuinely infuriated him.
But worry quickly followed.
Willow barely had any friends. She had almost no one besides Adrian, and occasionally Sophie. She rarely went out, spending her days at home painting.
Now, with her phone off and unreachable, there was only one place she could be...
Adrian drove to the old house and used the spare key he kept. When he saw Willow's shoes at the entrance, he finally exhaled in relief.
It was a modest two-bedroom apartment. Adrian walked from the living room into the bedroom and immediately spotted the tiny figure curled up in the middle of the bed.
Willow had tucked herself into a ball, looking impossibly small.
Adrian approached quietly and crouched down.
She was crying... and sleeping fitfully, clutching Grandpa's frame, hiccuping softly in her sleep. She looked utterly heartbreaking.
Adrian gently stroked the top of her head and carefully removed the photo from her arms.
He looked at the picture of Grandpa Arthur, with his ever-kind smile.
"Grandpa Arthur, I didn't take good care of her, did I?" Adrian murmured softly.
It was then that Willow woke up.
"Adrian?" She looked at him in surprise.
"That old habit of yours urning off your phone without a word." Adrian ruffled her hair.
Adrian always knew where to find her.
Whether it was the flowerbeds at school, the old house, the hospital, or...
Adrian always found her.
Willow stared at him, slightly dazed.
"Willow, I'm sorry. I didn't take care of you." Adrian looked into her swollen, red-rimmed eyes.
At his words, Willow felt tears threatening again.
If only he'd said this sooner, she thought.
She shook her head.
"I can take care of myself."
"Adrian, for Grandpa's sake, let's end this amicably." Willow said softly.
Adrian leaned down and kissed her, silencing her.
Lately, Willow kept saying things that hurt him.
At first, she struggled. She resisted. But, as always, she melted into Adrian's kiss.
Until his hand moved lower. Willow suddenly tensed and grabbed his wrist.
"No." Thinking of the baby in her belly, she shook her head firmly.
They were so close, and Adrian was sweating slightly.
He looked at her, his eyes dark and unreadable.
"Willow, who was that man on the phone this afternoon?" Adrian asked, his gaze locked on her.
He was acting like he was certain she was seeing someone else!
"My friend." Willow tried to push him away, but he was as heavy as a tank. She couldn't budge him.
"You want to leave. Is it because of him?" Adrian pressed on.
Willow was fed up with his baseless accusations.
She punched him hard in the stomach.
"I don't want to argue with you here." She set Grandpa's frame aside.
Adrian straightened up, rubbing his stomach, looking at her flushed, angry face. Only one thought came to mind.
Even a cornered rabbit bites...
"Adrian, do you love me?" Willow looked up at him.
Love?
Adrian didn't understand why she would ask that. Couldn't she see it? He'd married her, hadn't he? Why else would he marry her if he didn't love her?
"Why would you ask that?" Adrian countered.
"Forget it. It's pointless now." Willow didn't wait for him to continue. She got up and walked out.
Adrian was always like this sing questions to seize control.
Perhaps she had accumulated too much disappointment. Willow no longer wanted to know the answer.
- Writer
