Chapter 46 We're Not Getting a Divorce, Okay?
Jessica clung to him, her head resting against his back, feeling the warmth emanating from him. At that moment, Gabriel tensed up even more.
After a moment of hesitation, he finally spoke, "Okay." It was a simple, softly uttered syllable. But to Jessica, it was enough to make her heart soar with happiness and contentment.
When they got home, Gabriel filled the tub with hot water and urged Jessica to take a good soak. The rain had been relentless today, and after hours of being drenched, they needed to ward off the chill to avoid catching a cold again.
Immersed in the warm bath, Jessica felt her body regain its lost heat. Color returned to her cheeks, chasing away the pallor.
While Gabriel showered, Jessica quickly drank her warm pregnancy-preserving medication, then crawled into bed, succumbing to her exhaustion.
Gabriel, finishing his shower, climbed into bed, ready to call her name but found her already fast asleep. "Little fibber," he murmured affectionately, his fingers brushing through her hair, his eyes softening with tenderness. She had just pleaded, with mock pity, that she couldn't sleep without his embrace, and yet, here she was, sound asleep.
After four sleepless days, Gabriel lay down beside her and immediately drifted off as soon as his eyes closed.
In the middle of the night, Jessica, half-asleep, reached out and found a warm "wall." She smiled in her daze and turned over, falling back into a secure and peaceful slumber.
For them both, this sleep was deep and undisturbed.
Upon waking, it was already ten o'clock. The sun outside was intense, its rays penetrating the window with a blinding glare. Jessica hastily turned over only to find herself locking gazes with Gabriel.
His eyes were as dark and deep as ever. Jessica quickly averted her gaze, her head bowed. So much had happened in the past few days. If it weren't for Xavier's abrupt passing, they would've been divorced by now and would have become total strangers to each other. And yet, here they were, lying side by side on the same bed, face to face. The irony wasn't lost on her.
"Who was it that said she absolutely couldn't sleep without a hug, only to be found deep in slumber the moment I finished my shower?" Gabriel broke the silence with a tease.
Lifting her head, Jessica's embarrassment grew, "Sorry, I was just so tired, I fell asleep as soon as I hit the bed."
"Did you sleep well?" he asked.
"Mhm, I did," she confirmed.
Gabriel threw back the covers and got out of bed. He opened the wardrobe and pulled out a beige dress, laying it across the bed for her.
Jessica was momentarily lost in thought; if her memory served her correctly, it had been two years into their marriage, and this was the first time he had ever taken the initiative to pick out clothes for her, excluding, of course, that one time with the pajamas.
"Come on, get up and eat, you're not in good health and breakfast is a must."
"Okay." Nodding, Jessica quickly slipped into the clothes he had chosen.
After freshening up, the pair headed to the dining room side by side. The breakfast laid out before her was all of her favorites. Gazing upon the spread, Jessica's mind raced back to the day he proposed divorce.
It was eerily similar to today's scenario. The memory of his tone when he mentioned divorce still provoked a sour pang in her heart.
The silence at the dining table was profound, the clink of spoons and forks almost piercing.
Both ate in silence, neither speaking, yet both seemed to have an unspoken agreement to take their time. Jessica spent nearly ten minutes nursing a bowl of plain porridge.
Eventually, when every morsel had been consumed and there was nothing left to eat, only then did they finally lift their heads and look at each other.
"Gabriel..."
"Jessica..."
Both began to speak in unison.
"You go first," said Jessica.
Like that day, she gave Gabriel the chance to speak first.
Despite Xavier's last wishes, if Gabriel still insisted on the divorce, she wouldn’t hold him back. She was prepared to cooperate and go through with the paperwork.
Gabriel furrowed his brow and gazed at her. "This time, you go first."
"Are you sure?" she said, surprised by the difference in demeanor.
"Yes, you go," Gabriel insisted.
"Okay." Jessica nodded, clenching her fists so tightly that a layer of fine sweat formed in her palms, threatening to soak her entire hand.
The words in her heart churned, brewing relentlessly, yet she couldn't figure out how to express them.
In the end, with her eyes shut, she decided to just go for it, "I want to say, if it’s possible, can we not get a divorce?"
"I regret it, I don't want to divorce." And with that additional confession, Jessica felt as if the world had ground to a halt.
The stillness in the living room was suffocating. Holding her breath, she waited earnestly for an answer. When she finally looked up, Gabriel’s brows were still deeply knitted together.
She pinched the palm of her hand and quickly spoke, "I'm sorry, that was presumptuous of me."
"If you’re determined to go through with it, let's do it now. I've got all the documents ready." With that, Jessica rose to fetch the papers from upstairs.
But as she took the first step, suddenly, she felt a tight grip on her hand, and the next moment, she was pulled into a warm embrace.
Gabriel wrapped his arms around her from behind, his chin resting gently on her shoulder.
His scent enveloped her in an instant, a familiar aroma that flooded her senses as she drew breath.
Jessica's heart hammered wildly against her chest, her self-control slipping away with each pounding beat. After what seemed like an eternity, she finally mustered the voice to ask in a quivering whisper, "What are you trying to say?"
"Gabriel, this isn't funny at all," she added.
Holding her tighter, Gabriel's deep voice resonated in her ear, "Jessica, I'm the one who should be apologizing."
"Fine…," she managed to respond.
"What?" Jessica asked, her confusion breaking through.
Turning her to face him, Gabriel locked his gentle gaze with hers, "Didn't you just ask me if we could avoid divorce? I've agreed. I said yes."
"What?" This time, it was a mix of surprise and disbelief that colored her voice.
She stood there, frozen in place. For a moment, her mind went blank, and she felt utterly foolish.
Gabriel reached out, pulling her into his embrace, his voice soothing yet earnestly whispered by her ear, "You heard right, I've thought it through. We're not getting a divorce. From now on, let's make the best of our life together."
"Is it because of Xavier?" she asked.
"The reason doesn't matter. What’s important is that we won’t be parting ways." His avoidance said it all.
Taking a deep breath, Jessica looked up at him and replied simply, "Fine."
The name Diana seemed to have suddenly become taboo. It remained unspoken by her, and Gabriel did not broach the subject either.
But then, Gabriel's phone rang.
After the call, he approached her and spoke first, "It was Diana."
"Are you going to see her?" Jessica inquired, a slight disappointment in her tone.
"Yes, just to clear some things up."
"Okay," Jessica nodded.
As Gabriel left, his retreating figure became more and more distant, more and more blurred to her vision.
In her heart, she longed to ask, now that you've decided to stay married, will you end things with Diana? What will become of the two of you?
