The Court of Redemption

Chapter 7

Arabella and Costano were currently seated across from each other at a nearby restaurant. Her look was more casual than his. She wore a ivory and black long sleeve floral blouse and high waisted jeans with black sandals. The blouse had a deep v line that reached just between her breasts and buttons along the sides of her forearm. Costano wore his usual attire when in work, a grey suit with a white button up shirt underneath.

They had already ordered and were currently in the mist of eating. "How's work been?" Arabella asked before she sipped her glass of apple juice. Any type of alcoholic drinks were no longer an option now that she was pregnant.

"It's been good," he answered. While it wasn't all a truth, it wasn't a complete lie either. Costano did enjoy his job when he was able to help those who needed to get out of their marriage. There were days where he truly wondered why a couple would want a divorce when it was obvious that they still loved each other. And then there were the very few days that he questioned himself on why he had chosen a case.

While the client seemed nice enough the first day and seemed that their case would be quite easy to solve, things changed after one agreed to it. They knew divorce was not always a simple thing, and yet they bickered because of how long it was taking and the process they had to go through. It was those cases that one realized that not everyone was who they seemed to be. They sometimes hid stuff from Costano and didn't say anything until after he would find out, to which they would get angry thinking it wasn't necessary he knew about. Costano dreaded those days.

"What about you with modeling and the business?" He asked.

"I haven't gone back to work with Zoilo, but everything is going great with modeling." She answered. "Things will be a bit different after I start showing," her voice softened at the end. Costano didn't comment on it, but knew it must've been due to her fear of having another miscarriage. Her voice somewhat remained soft as she continued, "even so after the baby is here, at least for a time after that."

"Everything's going to be okay," Costano said and gave her a small smile. His hand held hers over the table. He didn't care if this was breaking the business restricted relationship between him and her. He had to let her know that he'd be there for her.

Arabella returned the smile. Costano had done so much for her and the fact that he still continued to be there for her meant everything.

They spent the next hour enjoying their meal. The waitress finally came with their receipt to which after a disagreement, Costano ended up paying for it and Arabella left the tip. As they waited for the waitress to come back, Costano asked, "are you sure you want to go through the divorce?"

Arabella blinked and then furrowed her dark brows. "Why... why are you asking that?" Her voice sounding unsure.

"I don't want you to make a decision you'll later regret." Even if it means I will. "While they are rare, I've had cases that ended up in divorces and later on they regret doing so. Some get together, most don't."

"I'm sure," she said with a nod.

A small smile graced Costano's lips before the waitress came back, handing him his card. As he watched Arabella thank the waitress, something about her words didn't reassure his thoughts about what Nino had asked him. Maybe her husband didn't bring up considering to try again their marriage. Maybe no one did. But it didn't mean that Arabella hadn't thought of it. How many times did she ask herself what could've avoided her marriage from coming to an end? How many times did she think of what she could do to stop it?

"Ready?" Arabella asked.

Costano brought himself back from his thoughts. He stood from his seat, along with Arabella, and they headed out and to his office.