Ellen stepped out of the taxi, adjusted her yoga mat on her shoulder, and made her way toward the entrance. Even with all the mess in her life these days, she was looking forward to this session. It was one of the few constants she had, and she knew she’d likely see Clara here—a very good thing for her.
As she walked inside, her gaze immediately spotted Clara at the reception, chatting with the receptionist, all smiles as usual. Clara turned her head slightly, her eyes lighting up as soon as she saw Ellen.
"Ellen!" she called out, a bright smile spreading across her face. She waved her over enthusiastically. Ellen couldn’t help but smile in return, her own worries momentarily fading in the presence of Clara’s warmth.
"Hey, Clara," Ellen greeted as she her. Clara quickly wrapped an arm around her shoulders in a friendly half-hug.
"How are you doing?" Clara asked, her eyes scanning Ellen’s face as if searching for any signs of distress. She was probably still feeling anxious about how his son treated her the other day.
"I’m alright," Ellen replied, nodding slightly. It wasn’t entirely true, but it’s not like she can tell Clara what happened to her. "Just looking forward to some yoga today."
"Come on, let’s get to it then."
The yoga session was as calming as ever. Ellen really tried to focus on her breathing and push her problems aside for a bit.
After the session ended, they rolled up their mats, and Clara nudged Ellen with her elbow. "Come on, let’s grab something to eat," she said, her eyes sparkling. "I need some good food after that."
Ellen smiled. "Sure, let’s go."
As they ate at a small café nearby, their conversation flowed easily, just like before. They talked about anything and everything—trivial things like a new show Clara had started watching or how Ellen was planning to build a home library. It was comfortable, no one mentioned about what happened the other day. They acted like nothing had ever happened.
After they finished eating, Clara looked at Ellen. "You know," she began, leaning closer across the table, "I was thinking, why don’t you come over to my place for a bit?."
"I don’t know, Clara," she said. "I don’t want Gerald to get mad like the other day..."
Of course she wanted to. She didn’t care about Gerald one bit.
Clara waved her hand dismissively, rolling her eyes dramatically. "Oh, please," she said. "That was a one-time thing. Gerald’s not going to act like that again. Trust me. I’ll make sure of it."
Ellen looked at her, her eyes searching Clara’s face for any sign of hesitation, but all she found was confidence. Clara really believed that she could keep Gerald in check. Finally, Ellen nodded, a small smile tugging at her lips. "Alright," she said, "I’ll come over."
"Great!" Clara exclaimed, her smile widening. She reached over and patted Ellen’s hand. "You won’t regret it, I promise."
When they arrived at Clara’s house, the familiar sight of the grand entrance greeted Ellen. Clara led her inside, and they settled in the living room. Clara poured them both a glass of juice, handing one to Ellen before sitting down next to her.
After a few moments of comfortable silence, Clara looked up at Ellen, her expression suddenly more serious. "So, tell me," she said, her eyes narrowing slightly, "did Gerald apologize to you yet?"
Ellen sighed, shaking her head. "No, he hasn’t," she admitted.
Clara’s face darkened, her eyes flashing with irritation. "That spoiled brat..." she muttered under her breath, setting her glass down with a little too much force. "I told him to go to you and apologize! He won’t budge? Oh, we’ll see what I do to him later."
Ellen reached out, placing a hand on Clara’s arm. "It’s okay, Clara."
"No, it’s not okay," Clara shot back, her voice getting a bit louder with frustration. "What could you have possibly done to make Gerald dislike you like that? It makes no sense!"
Ellen hesitated, biting her lip as she looked at her. This was it—the moment she hadn’t had the chance to bring up before. She took a deep breath, gathering her thoughts.
"Well, Clara," Ellen started. "There’s actually something I need to tell you. I didn’t get the chance to say it the other day, but now..." She cleared her throat and shifted a bit before continuing. "I kinda need your help."
Clara’s brows furrowed in confusion, her eyes fixed on Ellen. "What is it?" she asked. "What do you need help with? Just say it, and I’ll help you."
Ellen swallowed, her eyes meeting Clara’s. "Would you... would you help me if Gerald tried to ruin my marriage?"
Clara’s eyes widened in shock, her mouth parting slightly as she stared at Ellen. "Ruin... your marriage?"
Ellen nodded, her gaze dropping to her hands, which were fidgeting with the hem of her shirt. "Yes. I know it might come as a shock, but... it’s true. Gerald wants to ruin my marriage."
Clara was silent for a moment, her eyes still wide as she processed Ellen’s words. Then she shook her head, her brows knitting together in anger. "Gerald... my son wants to ruin your marriage?" she repeated, clearly taken aback.
Ellen nodded again, a small sigh escaping her lips. "Yeah," she said. "I know it’s hard to believe, but... it’s true. And I need your help, Clara. I need you to talk to him. To make him understand that it’s not okay. To make him stop."
Clara’s face was a mixture of shock and anger, her eyes squinting as she thought about what her son had done. "I can’t believe him," she muttered, shaking her head. "What is he thinking? Why would he do something like that?"
Ellen gave a small, sad smile, her eyes meeting Clara’s. "I don’t know," she said. "But he’s determined. And I just... I don’t know what else to do. Please, Clara. I believe you’re the only one who can talk to him about this."