Chapter 194 Having a Child for a Deceased Husband
Josephine was sitting by a small creek, the water so clear you could see the plants swaying below. She was stirring the water with a tree branch in one hand and holding a phone to her ear with the other.
With a slight smile, she said softly, "Liam, I'm really fine; don't worry about me."
Liam was on the other end. He had used the IDs of two hospital security guards to get several phone numbers and randomly chose one to call Josephine. He didn't want to leave any clues for Stuart.
"I really want to see you," Liam said.
"Don't," Josephine replied. "I'm doing well here and get along with everyone."
"Josephine, do you..." Liam hesitated, "Do you think about him?"
They both knew who he meant without saying the name.
Josephine laughed. "You don't have to be so cautious. I've moved on. Avoiding him now isn't because I still have feelings, but because I just don't want to see him."
"That's good," Liam said, not mentioning how miserable Stuart had been. "If he came begging for forgiveness, would you forgive him?"
"I would," Josephine said.
Liam's heart sank.
"There's nothing I can't forgive; it's all in the past," Josephine continued. "If I held a grudge, I wouldn't be able to forgive him. Besides, we won't interact in the future, like strangers. There's nothing I can't forgive."
Liam felt relieved hearing this. He always called her with a different number and didn't talk for long.
As they were about to hang up, he said, "Claudia and Laura are still asking when you'll come back."
"Take good care of them for me," Josephine replied. "I think it'll take me two or three years to return."
"That long?" Liam muttered. "It doesn't have to be that long, does it?"
"I'm just setting a tentative time," Josephine said. "It might change."
"I understand," Liam agreed weakly. "Can I have used the hospital's aid mission as an excuse to come over?"
"Liam," Josephine's voice became serious, "Do you not want to contact me anymore?"
Liam was confused. "Seeing you once won't change anything. I'll be very careful. I need to see how you're doing to be at ease."
"I'm fine. I'm an adult; I know how to take care of myself," Josephine said.
Liam didn't speak.
Knowing he was unhappy, Josephine coaxed him. "I want to be alone and quiet for a while. Liam, if you want to see me, how about next year?"
Liam reluctantly agreed. He never went against her wishes.
"You said it; after this year's Starlight Festival, I'll come to find you," he said.
There were less than four months until the Starlight Festival.
"We'll talk about it then," Josephine said.
"Look at you, already thinking about backing out before the time comes!" Liam teased.
"I meant next year, the second half of next year," Josephine clarified.
"Why? That would be a whole year!" Liam exclaimed.
"Liam, please, just agree, okay?" Josephine pleaded.
Liam gritted his teeth. "Fine! Then in October next year, I must see you!"
"Okay," Josephine laughed. "When I see you then, I'll give you a gift."
"I don't care about your gift," Liam snorted lightly.
Josephine gently tapped the water with the branch. "Then I won't give it to you."
"You're just trying to annoy me!" Liam snorted. "Where else would you find such a good childhood friend like me!"
"Alright. I won't annoy you anymore," Josephine said, her smile fading. "It's fall now; the mornings and evenings are getting cooler. Take care of yourself."
Liam, still worried, gave a few more reminders before hanging up.
Josephine sat a bit longer, then put the branch aside, picked up a cushion from a rock, and walked back.
Next to the creek was a small village with about fifty or sixty households. Most young adults were away, leaving mostly the elderly and children.
The village was far from town, making school difficult for the kids. When Josephine arrived, a teacher was leaving, so she took over.
She gave herself a fake name, Karen. Her name and degree were fake, but her skills were real. Having skipped grades to get into the best medical school, teaching elementary kids was easy for her.
The villagers knew Karen as beautiful, kind, and great with kids. She tutored them all summer, and when school started, the town sent test papers. For the first time, the village kids scored well.
Before, their scores were always at the bottom. Now, with improved scores, Karen gained more respect in the village.
Karen had been there for over two months. Some elderly villagers, noticing she hadn't gone home, asked about her family.
They learned her husband had died on a mission the same month she started teaching. Heartbroken and pregnant, she decided to stay and keep the child.
The elders thought Karen was a good woman with deep feelings and loyalty. Many wives would remarry after their husbands died, but Karen wanted to have a child for her deceased husband. How wonderful!
Because of her profession and background, the villagers were even kinder to her. After a while, Josephine genuinely loved this simple, honest place.
Moreover, her pregnancy was real. When she first found out, she struggled but decided to keep the child.
As a doctor, her duty was to save lives. A life to her was not just a product of a sperm and an egg. She knew how to save people, not end lives.
When she decided to keep the child, she didn't think about Stuart. This was her child and had nothing to do with him. But she knew it would cause trouble if Stuart found out, so she had to be careful. That's why she didn't let Liam come.
Firstly, it wasn't safe. Secondly, Liam would never agree to her keeping Stuart's child.
But a year later, everything would be settled. Josephine looked down at her still not very noticeable belly and smiled.
