Chapter 79: An unexpected gesture
Later that day...
Zara’s spirits gradually lifted as she spent the afternoon with Zane. The warmth of his presence soothed her frayed nerves. They laughed together while watching cartoons, played silly games, and read storybooks. At last, they sprawled on the living room floor with coloring books and crayons. Zane insisted she draw with him, and she did; the boy’s infectious joy kept her going.
By the time evening rolled around, Zara was drained but content. Leaving Zane happily engrossed in his artwork, she slipped away to the bedroom to rest. Just as she lay down and closed her eyes, her phone buzzed on the nightstand.
It was Bree.
"Hello?" Zara answered.
"You finally got discharged," Bree said, her tone tinged with faint disappointment. "Sorry, I couldn’t be there to pick you up."
"Don’t be sorry. Nathaniel was with me," Zara replied.
There was a beat of silence, then Bree’s surprised voice came through. "Really? He stayed with you? I thought he’d be neck-deep in meetings or calls."
Zara didn’t respond right away. Her mind replayed the morning. Nathaniel had offered to stay back with her. For a brief moment, she had believed he truly wanted to be there, to spend time with her. But then, his phone rang. And in the blink of an eye, he was gone.
’Work always comes first,’ she thought, a bitter taste settling in her mouth.
"He went to the office after dropping me home," she said eventually, keeping her tone neutral.