I offered her a gentle reassurance, "It's just a hypothesis, honey. Don't take it to heart. I guess I'm still jittery from that sudden curveball life threw at me. I've become fond of playing what-if games in my head, a way to brace myself, so I'm not caught off guard again."
She patted my arm in response, "I get it."
"When I first realized there was something wrong with my meds, I was in utter despair. It felt like my whole world, everything I believed in, had crumbled. For the life of me, I couldn't fathom how such a thing could happen," I said, offering Gevena a wry smile.
"I was stubborn, in denial, afraid to face it. But the one saving grace was that I could play possum, which gave me time to figure out what to do. And the only thing I could think of was that I needed to survive. Only by staying alive could I save myself."
"We've chewed the fat over this before. It's outrageous." Gevena blurted out with a hint of disgust, "How can you let that scoundrel Jaylan roam free after all that?"
"No rush on that. Just think, over the past decade, by handing over Medsafe Liyah Inc. to him, I had one simple reason I just wanted a quiet life. I thought he was my support, but he thought he was killing me. How could I let it go at that."
"True that," Gevena nodded, her mind heavy with thoughts.
"So I've concluded, being strong is the best comeback against him, against life itself."
Gevena gave my back a comforting pat, "You're right. Can't let him off the hook that easily."
I threw my arms wide and shouted skyward, "Bring on the storm, make it wilder."
And then we both laughed, our mirth echoing through the valley, lingering in the air.
On a whim, I tugged at her sleeve, "Gevena, if you can drop everything at home for a few days, how about we take a trip to Silverdale City to clear your head? There's a film premiere on Oldtown Avenue next Tuesday. Some big-name stars are going to be there. Fancy checking it out?"
Her eyes sparkled with excitement, "I'll see if I can arrange it. Actually, I just might."
"That would be amazing. It'll be a great surprise for Catherine." I said, bubbling with excitement.
I hoped a few days away with Gevena might provide her some respite.
Just then, Hannah called from the doorstep, "Ladies, dinner's ready."
I quickly ushered Gevena back inside, "I'm starving. How about a little drink?"
Gevena glanced over, "Are you up for it?"
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