The Woman He Married

11. All Along

"I'm curious," Mae hummed, putting her phone away when the storm calmed down. Zane opened his eyes and looked at her.

"About what?"

"You're either home, at work, or at the gym," Mae pondered, "Do you have hobbies?"

"Working is my hobby."

"Are you serious?"

"Imagine how much older I'd look if that's the case," Zane muttered. He then told her, "I swim. Sometimes I do rock climbing. Camping. Go on a hike."

"Very active lifestyle you have right there."

"What about you?"

"I sleep to fill my time."

"I do that sometimes."

"You should."

"That's your hobby, sleeping?"

"I cook. I love cooking," Mae told him.

"Ah, then I shouldn't be paying you for cooking from now on."

"That's not fair."

"What else do you enjoy doing?"

"Being outside, like going to beaches, hanging out at the park... But I enjoy cooking the most, sometimes I spend my day trying new recipes."

"Come to think of it, you were always in the kitchen whenever I look for you."

Mae nodded, "Don't get used to it. You will feel empty when I'm gone."

Zane rested his chin on his knee, staring at her. "You know, some people have a place they go to when they feel troubles. Something like a hiding place, or a thinking spot. Do you have places like that?"

"Let me think about it," Mae hummed.

"Like that one time that you left because I scolded you. Where did you go to clear up your mind?"

"Oh, I went for a stroll at the beach at that time. But if I need to shut the world out..." She pondered, "Maybe somewhere near my parents."

"Where would that be?"

"Why did you ask? Are you worried that I might quit the job?" Mae joked.

"I'm just curious. Just in case you go missing, I'll know where to to go first when I look for you."

"Just... Near my parents," Mae muttered. "It's not a definite place, but I'll always be nearby. How about you, where's your hiding place?"

"I'll show you once we get out of here."

"I don't know if that's possible. You'd be busy again once the network is back," she chuckled.

"I promise. The office will be closed tomorrow."

She pondered, "Are we bringing Xavi with us?"

"No, it's going to be a secret between us."

"Just us?"

"Yeah," he smiled, "Because I trust you."

"Don't trust people too easily," Mae warned him.

"I know," he nodded, "But I want to trust you, Kate."

At that point, she felt the need to tell him the truth. She saw no point of keeping the lie going on for too long. Zane should know the truth.

But what if he got mad and chase her out? Alaia would not be in town until next month. Mae would have nowhere to go. She does have money to stay at a motel for a couple of days, but she would run out of it sooner than the date Alaia was expected to come home.