AUTHOR'S P.O.V
Arthur had the greatest sleep last night, despite the mess and the stress he got from the day before. He woke up the next morning in his wife's arm, holding him securely. His heart warms at the sight of her sleeping figure wife, not knowing that his wife just had slept 2 hours ago.
Thea barely had sleep last night, her worry kept her awake all night, knowing that something bothers her husband. She couldn't help but wondered what had happened that caused him being this upset. In all honesty, she has never seen him this upset before and she knew exactly it was not something about his work. It's more than that. It's something personal, and she wondered what it is.
Thea finally managed to fall asleep 2 hours ago, guess she was tired after having midnight thoughts about what has happened to her husband.
Arthur felt a bit nervous to tell his wife about Jessy and their son. He was worried with how Thea would react. He was worried that Thea would get upset to know that he has a son with his ex-fianceé. But he knew as soon as Thea wakes up, she will question him what had happened and he has to tell her everything. He doesn't want to keep things with his wife, especially something important such as his son.
He was that anxious to think about it that he didn't realize he was stirring a lot and woke up his wife. Opening her eyes, she was hit with a little headache, making her groan.
"What time is it?" she asked, pinching her glabella.
"It's 7.30," he said beside her. "I'm sorry I woke you up, darling"
"It's fine, I have to get up anyway," she rubbed her eyes then looked at him. "Are you okay?"
He had to admit, he felt much better now. "I'm okay, darling"
She was not satisfied with his answer, she needed him to tell her what happened. But she doesn't want to pressure him into telling her. "If you're not ready to tell me, that's fine. I will be here when you're ready"
Instantly Arthur felt bad. It's true, he doesn't want to speak about it, at least not now. He wants to enjoy his morning with his wife, but he could see how much she wanted to know everything.
He let out a sigh. "Thea, I-I don't know what to say"
Thea reached out to his hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. "It's okay, you can start with what bothered you yesterday"
Thea couldn't help but feeling a bit impatient. She had been awake all night, thinking what could possibly went wrong. She wanted him to spill out everything.
"It's Jessy. She's back" is all Arthur said.
It took her a while to understand what he was saying. Truthfully she forgot who Jessy was at first, then it hit her. She recognized the name. It's the name of Arthur's ex-fianceé.
Suddenly she became anxious. "Wh-why did she come back?"
Arthur began telling her everything that had happened yesterday at his office. How he finally met Jessy again after 4 years. Thea was quiet the whole time, listening to her husband without interrupting him. She wanted to understand what had happened.
She was shocked to find out the reason why Jessy left him 4 years ago, and couldn't help but feeling sorry for Jessy that she has a brain tumour.
"She's on Grade 4 now"
Her heart's broken when Arthur said that. She couldn't imagine how Jessy feels and what she has been through. She may not know her personally but doesn't mean she would be heartless not to feel about other's feelings.
"There's another thing that I have to tell you"
Hearing that, she became even more anxious now.
Arthur looked into her eyes, feeling nervous as he was scared with how she would react. "Thea, I- Jessy and I have a son"
Thea felt as if she had been hit by a car. It did feel hurt. She was rather shocked that her husband has a son with another woman, and it happened to be his ex-fianceé.
Arthur could see the hurt in his wife's eyes, instantly wanting to beg for her forgiveness. "Darling, I'm so sorry"
Thea didn't want to be selfish, she has no right to be upset that Arthur has a son that's not with her. "Arthur, it's fine. Please, don't be sorry. If anything, your son is a blessing for you"
It made him feeling even more guilty, he expected her to get mad at him. But he realized that Thea has a gold heart, he knew her reaction would be nothing but support. He then told her about his promise to take care of their son if the worst scenario happens to Jessy.
"Honestly, I don't know how to feel about it. I'm not even sure if I'm ready to meet my son" Arthur said truthfully. Hearing that, Thea smacked her husband's head. "Oww! What was that for?"
"Are you crazy? He is your son! You have to see him, Arthur. He needs his father!" she said. She couldn't believe Arthur would even think like that. "Whatever happened between you and Jessy, don't take it out on your son. He has no idea what happened to his parents, but one thing you should know that he deserves his father's love"
Her words hit him home. She was right, Thea and Jessy were right. His son needs his father's love. Arthur suddenly felt so stressed just to think about it. He felt like wanting to cry, Thea has been so supportive to him.
"Why are you so nice to me, Thea? What did I do to deserve you?"
"Arthur, I would do the same if I were you. Okay maybe I'm a little upset that your first child is not from me," she joked to lighten the mood, making Arthur smiled. "But he is still your son after all. Be the father he needs"
Arthur let out a sigh and looked at his wife. "Are you going to leave me?"
That confused Thea. "Why would I leave you?"
"Because I have a son with another woman"
This broke Thea as she could feel his insecurities, she pulled him into hug to comfort him. "Arthur, you know that I love you, right? I don't care if you have a son with another woman, you've got a son before we were married so no, I'm not mad or upset about that. I'm not going to leave you because of that, so don't worry.. you're not gonna get rid of me that easy"
That made Arthur smiled. "Thank you so much, for not giving up on me. I honestly don't know what I would do without you"
She grinned. "You will be a hot mess without me, husband"
Arthur chuckled. "I think I am"
THEA'S P.O.V
Arthur finally met his son yesterday. I didn't come with him as I didn't want to interfere his time with his son. This is not about me but him and his son, so I let him go without me. Though my mind was preoccupied with so many thoughts, and questions.
How does Arthur feel about meeting his son? How does he feel about meeting his ex-fianceé again? Does his feelings to her get back when he sees her? Will it be a good idea to let him meet her again, knowing that he is with me right now? Should I trust the two of them behind me?
There are so many questions on my mind, mostly.. should I be worried that Jessy won't try to steal Arthur away from me?
I knew I couldn't be selfish, I couldn't think worst about people, but I just couldn't help it. A part of me scared that things would go bad, and I would have to lose Arthur in the end. A part of me scared that Arthur would fall in love with Jessy again.
Am I wrong for thinking such a thought?
"Any question for today's meeting?" Matthew asked, bringing me back from my thoughts. We were currently in a meeting and I didn't even listen to whatever topic we were discussing today.
Seeing as everyone was quiet, Matthew dismissed the meeting. I let out a sigh I didn't know I was holding. I need to focus for my work.
"Thea, I need to talk to you" Matthew said as I was about to leave. I stayed on my spot, waiting until everyone leaves. Matthew closed the door and sat on his chair. "You were distracted during the meeting today, are you okay?"
I didn't feel like talking about it, but I was feeling anxious today and maybe a talk with someone I trust could ease my anxious. So I talked. I told him everything about what had happened to Arthur. I didn't have to lie to him because Matthew is a family after all, a brother figure to me.
I told him that I'm worried about certain things, mostly how I'm worried that Arthur would have feelings to Jessy again, after all she was once his everything.
ARTHUR'S P.O.V
"If you don't mind me asking, how did you manage to go through the pregnancy while doing the chemo?" I asked to break the silence.
I visited Josh again today, getting to know my son. The first time I met him a few days ago, I cried my eyes out. My son is the exact replica of me when I was at his age, he looks just like me. The moment he saw me, the first word he said was "daddy". It's like he already recognized me, and it's enough to warm my heart and feels the joy that my son recognizes me, even though that was his first time to meet his father.
Josh was fast asleep in his bed after I played with him, so Jessy and I were currently in her living room, talking.
"Dr. Maida suggested that we had to postpone the chemo and radiotherapy for the first trimester of my pregnancy, as it is not safe for the baby. However, I got medical treatment options during the first trimester that has least teratogenic effects to the baby. By the time I reached the third trimester, we started doing the chemo as it is safer to do in that trimester," Jessy explained. "I was scared, and nervous of doing that, but luckily it didn't do harm to the baby, though at the end of the pregnancy they had to deliver the baby by C-section. But I'm more than grateful to have delivered Josh safely and healthily"
I felt bad knowing that Jessy had to go through that alone. She was ill and had to go through the pregnancy too at the same time, knowing that her treatment could harm the baby but thank God it didn't.
"I'm so sorry, for not being there to help you" I said.
She looked at me. "It's okay, it's not your fault, Arthur"
I gave her a smile. Things had been pretty awkward between us. I'm no longer mad at her, though I still tried to learn to forgive her.
"So.. how's marriage life to you?" she suddenly asked, making me a bit surprised.
"Well, honestly it feels amazing" I said truthfully. It's true, the marriage with Thea feels amazing to me. And I couldn't ask for better.
I could see a hint of sadness in Jessy's eyes, though she quickly smiled. It got me thinking.. she seriously doesn't have feelings for me again, does she?
"That's.. that's good to hear. I'm happy for you, Arthur, I really do"
"Thanks. What about you? Have you met someone.. after me?"
She looked down at her hands. "No, I can't look at anyone else when I'm still in love with you"
To say that I'm not surprised is an understatement. After all these years, she still loves me?
Seeing my shocked face, she laughed. "Relax! I'm not expecting you to still love me too. I'm not gonna live for long so might as well telling you that I still love you after all these years"
She looked like she was fighting not to cry. Like she said, she can't expect me to still love her, as now my heart belongs to Thea. She is the woman who owns my heart now. But doesn't mean that I no longer care about Jessy, truthfully I still have feelings for her, but not as strong as I have feelings for Thea.
Jessy is only a part of my past now, my feelings for her holds because she used to be my bestfriend, and of course I will continue to care for her, as now she is the mother of my son.
"You deserve to be happy, Jess. And I hope you will find your own happiness"
"I already have my own happiness, Josh is my source of happiness now" she said, holding the car toy Josh just held a few moments ago. "Enough about me, now tell me about your wife" she asked with a little bit excitement.
Instantly I smiled just by thinking about Thea. After all this time she still manages to make me smile like an idiot.
"Oh man, I get it. You're so in love with her, you should have seen your face right now"
I looked at her in confused. "What do you mean?"
She grinned. "You have this stupid look on your face when you are in love, you are thinking about her"
That made me chuckle. "Well yeah I love her so much, but I don't have a stupid look on my face!"
She shook her head. "Now, now, that's a lie, Arthur. I have known you for years, I still remember how you look when you are in love. It doesn't change much"
"Really? You can still see that in me?"
"Of course, it's not hard to when you look like a grinning donkey"
I laughed as soon as she said, it reminds me of the old times when Jessy and I used to joke around and called each other names. She would tell me I look like a grinning donkey and I would tell her she looks like a tipsy duck, and we would laugh so hard it hurt our stomachs.
"You still remember! You are a tipsy duck!" I said in between the laughs.
"I do not look like a tipsy duck!"
"Of course you do! It's the way you walk when you are drunk"
She rolled her eyes. "Nah I'm not drunk now so I'm certainly not a tipsy duck"
"You are still a tipsy duck to me"
"Whatever, Arthur," she giggled a little. "By the way, I want to meet your wife"
"Why do you want to meet Thea?"
"Thea? That's her name? It's beautiful," she nodded her head. "I want to meet the girl who makes you this happy, also I think I sort of owe her an apology for bringing this mess to your marriage life"
I shook my head. "You didn't bring any mess into my marriage life, if anything I'm glad that you came to tell me that I have a son"
"But still, I'd love to meet her and get to know her," she said. I looked at her unsure about it. "Come on, I'm not gonna hurt her or something. I simply just want to talk to her, that's all"
I trust that Jessy will do no harm to Thea. She is not an evil person, she is a sweetheart. Maybe it's okay to let her talk to Thea, they can learn to be civil. Plus, I think it will be good for the both of them to get to know each others. That way, Thea will have nothing to worry about me and Jessy once she gets to know Jessy.
I'm sort of worried that Thea would think negative thoughts about this, though she has never said it before but you can never know what goes through someone's minds. I just want to assure her that nothing happens between me and Jessy other than co-parenting Josh.
I sighed. "Alright, but after I talk to her about it and if she agrees to meet you"
"Deal"