A Love After Marriage

Thirty Eight

"She just left," Jhoanna murmured into her mobile phone, the device pressed against her ear. With her free hand, she held a coffee cup on the table and took a thoughtful sip of her drink. She remained seated in the coffee shop where she had met Caitlin just moments ago. "You guessed it right," She confirmed. "She was truly there that night and left before hearing the whole conversation."

"Hmmm..." Bea's voice carried a heavy weight of emotions through the phone. Suddenly, everything clicked into place for her, and she understood why Caitlin had been so determined to distance herself from her. The pain and disappointment she had seen in her eyes every time she gazed at her, it all stemmed from what she had overheard that night.

Jhoanna's heart brimmed with regret and sympathy. "I'm really sorry," she said, her voice tinged with remorse. "If I hadn't acted that way that night, she wouldn't have misunderstood, and none of this would have happened."

Another deep sigh escaped from the other end of the line.

"It's not your fault," she whispered softly, her voice filled with regret. "Even without this incident, sooner or later, this would have still happened." Her words hung heavy in the air as she paused, her breath catching in the grip of his pain. "You are not the root cause," she finally admitted, her voice trembling. "I am."

"Do you love her?" Jhoanna asked over the phone, her voice rang with anticipation, as she tried to coax the words out of her. She already had a deep sense of the answer, but her curiosity about why this woman hesitated to utter those three little words gnawed at her.

For Bea, it felt like a sudden bomb had been tossed into her world, exploding with a deafening silence that hung heavy in the air. After a long while, her voice was heard again. It was a slow and hesitant response that seemed to carry the weight of the world.

"I... I don't know. I care about her deeply. If I love her, why do I keep hurting her? But if I don't love her, then why am I fighting so hard to make her stay? I should be more than happy when she wanted to divorce, right? But my heart... it felt otherwise."

"Maybe... because of Isabelle? All these years, you care for me because of your promise to Nico. You think you are responsible for me. And now, you couldn't let her go...because of Isabelle. It's all about responsibility too," Jhoanna said, intentionally speaking the words that would challenge her heart. She hoped that by forcing her to confront her feelings, she would finally admit the truth that she loved Caitlin. Sometimes, a gentle nudge was all it took to make someone realize what their heart truly desired.

Another deafening silence filled the air, broken only by the sound of deep, contemplative breaths from the other end of the phone. Finally, she spoke, her voice laced with uncertainty. "You mean... I don't love her. I just want her to stay... because of responsibility?"

Jhoanna couldn't help but roll her eyes in frustration. Why was she always so stubborn, so unwilling to admit the truth that was right in front of her? It was as if she were deliberately avoiding the obvious.

"Let me put it this." She pressed on, determined to break through her denial. "Let's say... both of you doesn't have Isabelle. There is only Caitlin alone and not pregnant. At the same time, I'm giving you a chance to be with me. Will you... will you agree to the annulment?" She held her breath, hoping that this hypothetical scenario would make her confront her true feelings once and for all.

As the conversation drew to a close, Jhoanna couldn't help but feel a sense of frustration. Bea remained silent in response to her question, refusing to give a definitive answer. But like what Bea said to her on that night, they had known each other for what felt like a lifetime. She understood her as well as he understood her. She chose not to push her any further, believing that this woman, who had been a part of her life for so long, would eventually find the answers she sought and confess her true feelings to the woman she loved. Sometimes, it took time for the heart to catch up with the mind, and she hope Caitlin will wait for her to find her way.