The Court of Redemption

Chapter 11

"Here are your orders," the waitress placed their plates in front of them. "Let me know if there's anything else you need."

Zoilo and Arabella thanked her before she left. They then dug into their meals. It was agreed that they would meet for lunch. However, since they met, neither has brought up the reason for their meeting.

Zoilo was somewhat thankful for that. He wanted Arabella to enjoy her food first. He had told her that she could order anything she wanted, that he'd pay for it. Arabella didn't object, but he knew she wouldn't let him leave the tip for the waitress.

Every once in a while, as they ate, he'd ask her things related to their baby. He asked about how she was feeling, how her morning sickness was, and more. Arabella responded each one with ease.

At one point, they both grew into a comfortable silence. The soft music playing filled the restaurant.

Arabella and Zoilo might have not realized it, but they were both revisiting old memories.

Zoilo watched as Arabella danced in circles. Zoilo let out a few laughs but smiled through it all as he drank his wine. When he finished his glass, he stood to dance with her. Arabella waited for him with open arms that immediately held onto him the moment he stood in front of her.

Zoilo spun her around, making her release a laugh, and brought her into his arms. He then leaned to kiss her but she stopped him with her pointer finger placed on his lips. Arabella raised a brow and reminded him of the reason why.

It most likely wouldn't have done any damage to kiss then and there. While Arabella wouldn't have minded before, she was very precautious when pregnant.

"I know, but at least I get to do this."

He kissed her neck, once and then twice before she gave him more access to her skin. Whether it was the small amount of alcohol that buzzed his brain, the touch and taste of Arabella's warm skin mixed with the wine—or both—Zoilo wanted nothing more than for the feeling to last.

This woman was driving him insane, he thought, but didn't object to it. He loved every feeling he felt because of this woman. He loved everything about her.

And he continued to love her more every day.

Arabella bit her lower lip and began to laugh when he tickled her sides. Arabella detested being tickled because of the uncontrollable sounds she let out and the few tears she sometimes let out when she couldn't handle it anymore. But Zoilo loved that part of her too and Arabella didn't mind as much when he did it.

She begged him to stop and after a few moments he did. Arabella allowed him to place their foreheads together. Zoilo was the first to speak, telling her that he loved her. Before she expressed it into words, Arabella placed kisses at the corners of his lips.

"I know that look," she said.

It was the same look she was giving him. The one that ended with them being tangled in each other's naked embrace somewhere in their house.

"Go wash your mouth and come right back so that I can kiss you properly."

Zoilo grinned, "anything for you mia Bella."

"So when are you planning on telling me?" Arabella asked Zoilo. Her gaze wasn't on him at first, but on the table between them.

Anyone who might've been watching her on that moment would have assumed she was lost in her thoughts, only to quickly snap back to the present moment as she spoke.

They would've been right. But still, even after pushing her thoughts away, there was the lingering feeling that she could loose herself again. She did that quite a lot recently, revisiting memories of her marriage before it began to fall apart. It was one of the few times she felt happy, even if it was just momentarily.

She took a sip of her drink. Upon placing the glass down, she shifted her gaze to Zoilo's eyes. Even after all that has happened, she still loved him.

It wasn't the same love she held for him back then, but her heart didn't seem to want to let him go.

Funny how love works. The more you get hurt, the less you felt you loved the next. The less love you felt you had left to give.

Zoilo let out a breath, "it happened before I found out about the baby."

Before I found out about you and Veronica, Arabella thought.

Zoilo was planning on stopping what he had with Veronica, even before he knew of the baby and before Arabella found out about his affair. Which to her it meant that he really did want their marriage to work out, he probably still felt something for her. But what was it?

It didn't ease her pain.

"I wanted to stop the divorce, but I knew it wouldn't happen unless you also wanted to," he continued. "Since the process had already started, Nino and I able to come up with a temporary solution. The court granted me some time to stop the process."

"How is that even possible?" Arabella asked. "Wasn't I supposed to be there as well? The court can't just give you whatever you want."

"You forget Nino knows how to do his job well."

Too well. "But still..."

"Later today, your lawyer will receive a copy of what the court and I agreed upon. I would've called you to see you. I didn't want you to find out through him."

"What was the agreement?" She frowned.

"The court granted a month to put on hold the divorce. During those four weeks, we would go see a marriage counselor weekly."

What?!

"Are you—" Arabella was at a loss for words. By the lack of confusion she felt, she must've somehow felt Zoilo would do something like this. Go see a marriage counselor?

Arabella placed her hands on her temples and looked at her empty plate. She closed her eyes and tried to think of what to do, what do say. What were you thinking to come up with that idea?

"I missed you," he answered.

In that moment, Arabella realized that she had voiced her thoughts.

"I realized how much I had fucked up and what I would lose if I didn't try to do anything," he admitted. "Whether you believe it or not, I still do love you."

Arabella didn't say anything right away. She simply stared at him.

Having been married and living under the same roof allowed her to really get to know Zoilo better than most people. She knew the things he did or said when he felt a certain way and whether he meant it or not—and vice versa.

Right now, she truly believed he meant what he said.

But did she want this? A chance to save her marriage?

What do I want?

____

Thoughts?

These past two weeks have been the busiest due to finals, but at least I'm finished until summer classes begin. I hope you're all doing well during these times ❤️