Bear | ✔

Chapter Ten

"Marissa, can I ask you a question?" Leila asked hesitantly with an arched brow.

Marissa hesitated at first, but then she nodded. "Of course, Leila. Anything."

"Do you know about Susannah?" She asked, biting down on her lower lip. The pressure was too hard that her lip almost split.

Marissa froze. Maybe she hadn't been expecting that question in the way.

She stared at the space in front of her instead of Leila's eyes. "Yeah, Leila. I do," She declared. "Did he tell you?"

"No!" Leila replied.

Marissa glanced up. "Then, how did you know?" She questioned as he brows furrowed in confusion.

"I googled him," Leila stated as if it was nothing. It took Marissa a while for her mind to comprehend the words and she suddenly cracked up laughing in the middle of the hall. People started eying her like she had suddenly been through a major breakdown.

"Hey! That's not funny," Leila complained. She crossed her arms over her chest, feigning disapproval.

Marissa shook her head as she tried to contain herself. "Yes, it is. Oh, God! You searched your own husband. Did you even tell him that before? He would have died of embarrassment."

"Okay! We joked. We laughed. Now, let's get serious," Leila said in irritation. "What do you know about her?"

"You're not trying to resemble her, are you?" Marissa asked in concern. Her fingers tipped the hollow wooden back of the chair.

"No!" Leila shook her head in denial. "I would just love to know more about the woman that captured my soon-to-be ex-husband's heart, who by the way got me pregnant by mistake and is now letting go of me."

"Fair enough." Marissa cleared her throat. "How about we go grab lunch and talk? I don't think the church would be the most appropriate place to chitchat about exes, you know."

"You're right," Leila agreed. "If I'm not delaying any of your plans."

After saying goodbye, Marissa grabbed her coat and they both walked down the curb to a famous pizzeria restaurant that served halal food. Marissa said the family had used to spend the evening there together, chatting and playing pool.

Putting it that way, that shop sounded like heaven, but Leila's dreams were crushed upon seeing the place. It was a stereotypical diner, like the one in the movies. It copied the same red and white theme, mastering booths that overlooked the street. They both scooted into one at the very secluded corner at the back and were handed the menus.

"Susannah was Turkish," Marissa started as she flipped through the pages she could memorize word by word. "John had met her father at one business meeting in LA. The family had come along on a vacation at the West Coast. It also occurred that the wedding of another partner of the company was due that exact week."

It sounded like fate.

"So, was David by any means the best man?" Leila concluded and Marissa grinned in response.

"Yep! The one and only," She replied. "He was still fresh out of college. Got a degree and started working for his father's company. He was so young, and so reckless."

It was really hard trying to imagine David as a normal guy with a normal life and normal friends. It was just beyond the logic.

"He met Susannah that night. The air was cold and she wanted to smell some fresh air. A breeze flew by and accidentally snuck away his scarf. He practically chased the wind to bring it back."

If it were possible, she would be gushing about how a wonderful man and husband he would be.

"And that's it?" Leila asked. "That's the epic love story?"

"And that's it." Marissa smiled dreamily as if reminiscing the good old days. "They got married two months after that. They lived together happily for four years. I remember how bubbly and enthusiastic he was back then."

"And she died," Leila replied flatly to crush the mood. Marissa's face fell.

"You're evil," She accused.

"Oh! Come on," Leila whined. "It's not like I killed her or something."

A waitress came over to take their orders. She had a large, muscular building and her hair was braided behind her back. She wore the local uniform and held a small notebook in one hand. Marissa ordered for both of them as the woman scribbled down the weird names. She said that everything will be ready in fifteen, then she disappeared.

"So, how exactly did she die?" Leila asked and rested her elbows on the polished surface of the metallic table.

"It was a car accident," Marissa replied in a small voice. Of course, she should have seen that one coming. "They were fighting over something and David was too busy to notice the lorry taking the U turn at the end of the road. They crashed and she died. He got twenty-two stitches, a few broken ribs and a scar on his forehead that will always remind him of just how much he had lost."

Leila stared outside the window to her left. She felt the guilt twisting in her stomach. He had been through all of that, but he didn't tell her. She had always thought he was a spoiled brat with no manners. Oh, she had been so wrong.

"She was pregnant," Marissa struck the news. Leila glanced back at her in utter shock. "Fifth month."

"Oh, my God!" She breathed. That's why he had been so overprotective of her. He was afraid that something bad might happen to her. He was afraid that he might do something to harm her.

"That's why he hates me, right?" Leila asked shyly. "Because I took her place. Because I was a burden he never had to take."

"No!" Marissa shook her head and extended her arm to meet hers. She covered Leila's hand with hers. "He doesn't hate you. He just doesn't want to give you false hope, because he might never be able to love you."

"So, he made me hate him." The words rang in the air as a long pause stretched between them. He didn't hate her. He actually cared about her. He wanted to protect her.

But then he raped her.

Could he have possibly done that to make her hate him even more?

"I'm sorry, Leila. I really wished I had told you that earlier. I was just scared that you might lose your mind and commit suicide or something," Marissa apologized and squeezed her hand reassuringly.

Leila nodded as the waitress came back, holding two small-sized circular pizzas. Marissa smiled weakly at her before she looked away.

It was going to be okay.

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