The Unwanted Marriage (UNDER EDITING)

56: Dinner & Plan

"I'm sorry for your loss," Jessy said, after a while. "Arthur told me about the stillbirth last week, I'm sorry I hadn't had a chance to visit you."

I nodded my head, resting my back on the sofa. "It's alright. I was not in the best state when it happened, but thank you for your thoughts."

Another silence fell upon us. I didn't know how to act around her, we were not that close, but I grew to like her a little more. She let out a sigh and closed her eyes, as if she was in pain. I took this chance to pull out my phone and scrolled through my messages. I got a text from Arthur, telling me that he left to Jessy's house to grab something and would be back in around 15 minutes. I replied 'okay' before slipping my phone back.

"Can I ask you something?" Jessy asked, but her eyes were still closed.

"Anything."

"Will you be able to love Josh as your own, Thea?"

I was surprised with her question. "Why are you asking that?"

She was silent for a while, rubbing the back of Josh's head. "Josh adores you, a lot. He doesn't get comfortable with people so easy. I see the way he behaves around you, Thea. He really likes you, he found a comfort being around you."

I smiled at the thought of Josh. He indeed is an adorable kid. "I care about Josh a lot."

She nodded her head and finally opened her eyes to look at me. "Then I trust you that you will love him as your own, you will not love him any less when you have more kids. Right, Thea?"

"I love him already, so I don't see how I can not love him as my own. It takes time but I'm willing to try, Josh already has that spot in my heart."

"Good. Then I don't have to worry to leave him to you and Arthur when I have to go."

I didn't respond to that. I knew her tumor was terminal, but I was not ready to have a conversation where she felt like she was going to leave soon. Everytime we were left alone, we always had this deep conversation about her and Josh. I have faith that she will stay a little longer than she thought, but I can promise her that I will love Josh as my own, when the time comes. Right now, our only focus was Jessy's health.

Not long after that conversation, Arthur came back, bringing a few stuff for Jessy as she was going to stay overnight. He looked puzzled between me and Jessy but didn't utter a word. Instead, he leaned in and kissed Josh's head before picking him up into his arms. Josh stirred with the suddent movement, opening his eyes with a confused look.

"Come on, buddy, let mummy rest." Arthur said softly, rubbing Josh's back, making him sleepy again with the touch. "Are you going to be okay?" he now asked Jessy.

"Yeah, I'll be fine. I called Mum to stay with me, she will be here anytime soon. You go take him home, keep me on updated, okay?"

He nodded before averting his gaze to mine. "Come on, darling."

We left the hospital afterwards, Josh was now sleeping on my lap as Arthur drove us home. Josh would stay the night with us as he was not allowed to stay in the hospital. It would be his first time staying in our house, and I was excited to spend the night with him. It had been a while since we last spend the day together, and I have missed his company.

When we arrived home, Josh was still fast asleep so we brought him to Nicholas's room, tucking him into bed. Somehow seeing Josh in Nico's room brought some warmth in my heart. "Nico would love to share his room with his big brother, won't he?"

Arthur was stunned with my question, but a smile crept into his lips before looking at his son. "Yeah, I think he would."

We smiled, looking at sleeping Josh in Nico's room. Surprisingly I didn't feel sad for a bit, in fact I was happy. Arthur put Josh's bag on the chair, then brought his hand to my back, rubbing it softly before we quietly left the room but left the door open just in case he was crying.