ด้วยรักตลอดไป (With Love, Forever)

Jeff

The movie had ended some time ago, and the peaceful silence between us had slowly shifted into a comfortable routine. I could feel the weight of the evening settling in-nothing more needed to be said, and yet, it felt like everything was left hanging in the air, unspoken.

I glanced at the clock on the wall and realized it was getting late. As much as I enjoyed the quiet companionship with Jackson, I knew it was time for me to head home.

"I should get going," I said, standing up from the floor and stretching. "It's getting late, and I've got work tomorrow."

Jackson nodded, a small, almost reluctant smile pulling at the corner of his lips. "I'll walk you out."

I waved him off. "Don't worry about it. Just get some sleep. I'm fine."

He raised an eyebrow, clearly about to protest, but I cut him off with a grin. "You've done enough tonight."

With a final nod, I left the warmth of their home and stepped out into the cool night air. It was one of those crisp evenings where the breeze carried a hint of the change of seasons, a small reminder that life keeps moving forward.

As I made my way down the street, the quiet of the neighborhood surrounded me. But then, I heard footsteps-someone walking behind me. I didn't think much of it at first, until I heard a voice call out.

"Jeff?"

I turned, surprised to see a woman standing there in the dim streetlight. She had short hair, dressed simply in a coat, and she carried a somewhat tense expression, as if she wasn't sure whether to approach or not.

For a second, my mind struggled to place her. She looked vaguely familiar, but I couldn't quite connect the dots. "Yes?" I asked, my voice hesitant.

She smiled lightly, though it didn't quite reach her eyes. "I'm sorry to bother you. I thought I recognized you from somewhere. You're a teacher, right?"

I nodded, still unsure of where I'd seen her before. "Yeah, that's me. Do I know you?"

She hesitated, and something flickered in her eyes. It was almost imperceptible, but I could sense it-like she was weighing her words carefully. "No, not really. I'm... just passing through."

I glanced at her, suddenly realizing I recognized something more than just her face. The faint, fleeting recognition hit me like a wave. I had seen her before-though not in person. A photograph. Jackson had shown me a picture of her once, weeks ago. His ex-wife.

But I didn't say anything. I didn't call her out, didn't ask her about the custody issue. Instead, I smiled politely and decided to let the moment pass.

"Well, it was nice to meet you," I said, deciding to keep things light. "I'll let you go."

She nodded, her expression softening slightly. "Take care of yourself."

I watched her walk away, trying to ignore the lingering sense of discomfort that had settled in my chest. After a moment, I turned back down the street, the encounter swirling in my mind.

As I walked the rest of the way home, I couldn't help but wonder how things were going to unfold between Jackson and his ex-wife. It was clear she still had a presence in their lives, whether or not she was directly involved. And something about the way she'd approached me made me feel uneasy.

I shook the feeling off. I didn't know her, not really. But in the back of my mind, I knew this was far from over.

I would have to stay out of it-at least for now.

When I finally got home, I closed the door behind me, but that unsettling feeling lingered, the image of her face still fresh in my mind.

Maybe I was overthinking it. Maybe not. But I had a feeling, things were about to get a whole lot more complicated.