Gerald’s car was parked in front of Aubrey’s apartment building, the dim streetlights casting a soft glow over them. The night was quiet, the only sounds being the distant hum of traffic and the occasional rustle of leaves. As they sat in the car, an uneasy silence settled between them. Aubrey turned to Gerald, a weary smile playing on her lips.
"Thanks for taking me home," she said softly.
"Of course," Gerald replied, his voice gentle. "I couldn’t let you go home alone like this."
Aubrey chuckled bitterly, her eyes reflecting the sadness that had been present since the party. "Is it that obvious?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Gerald shifted in his seat, turning to face her fully. His eyes searched hers, filled with concern. "What happened, Aubrey?" he asked seriously. "Why do you look so upset?"
Instead of answering directly, Aubrey sighed deeply and leaned back against the seat. "Gerald, do you think I should just give up on Mason?" she asked, her voice trembling slightly.
Gerald’s heart ached at the sight of her sadness. He reached out, gently taking her hand in his. "Why would you say that?" he asked, his voice soft and steady.
Aubrey’s eyes filled with tears as she looked down at their joined hands. "I talked to Ellen," she began, her voice thick with emotion. "She said that Mason has changed. That includes his feelings for me."
Gerald’s grip tightened slightly on her hand. "Aubrey, you can’t just take Ellen’s word for it. What exactly did she say?"
Aubrey’s tears spilled over, and she quickly wiped them away. "She said that Mason doesn’t love me anymore. That if he did, he wouldn’t have married another woman, and he wouldn’t be ignoring me. She said I should give up, just like everyone else has been telling me."
Gerald was silent for a moment, his mind racing. He didn’t want to see her hurting like this. "Is that what you really want to do?" he asked quietly.
Aubrey shook her head, her tears flowing freely now. "I don’t know," she admitted, her voice breaking.
Gerald sighed, feeling his own heart break at her words. He pulled her into a gentle hug, holding her close. "Bree, I’ll always be by your side, no matter what you decide to do," he said softly, "But let me ask you something. Can you really give up on him? Can you let him go?"
Aubrey sobbed against his shoulder, her body trembling. "I love him so much," she cried. "I don’t know what to do."
Gerald held her tighter, his own emotions threatening to overwhelm him. He gently stroked her hair, his heart aching for her. After a few moments, he pulled back slightly, placing his hands on her shoulders. He looked into her tear-streaked face, his expression serious but tender.
"Aubrey," he said softly, his voice steady, "you need to be strong. You’re smart, brave, and tough. You’ve got this."
He reached up, wiping away her tears with his thumb. His touch was gentle, his eyes filled with concern. Aubrey sniffled, her sobs subsiding as she looked up at him. His words seemed to reach her, and she nodded slowly, a small, hesitant smile forming on her lips.
"Thank you, G," she whispered, her voice shaky but sincere. "Thank you for giving me strength."
She leaned in and hugged him again, not seeing the sad smile that crossed his face.
***
The drive home was quiet, so different from the crazy party they left behind. Ellen stared out of the window, watching the city lights blur into streaks of color as they sped by. She felt drained, her conversation with Aubrey playing on a loop in her mind. Aubrey really didn’t know how to let go. All this for a man who didn’t even want to have anything to do with her anymore.
Ellen glanced at Mason, who was focused on the road. Or did he still care?
Mason was such a mystery to her. She never knew what was on his mind, what he felt or thought about everything. Even in the novel, she didn’t get that much information. It didn’t detail anything about what he thought or felt. It only said that he was in love with Aubrey. Okay, fine. But was that even real?
One thing Ellen was sure of was that Mason didn’t fall in love with Aubrey again like he was supposed to because she had already prevented that. But, of course, it’s not going to end just like that. Not if Aubrey was still that persistent. There would be another try from Aubrey, and who knows if Ellen would be there to prevent that.
Gosh, her future in this world was still unclear.
She sighed, feeling a wave of uncertainty wash over her. Or did she need to add another strategy? She would still prevent Aubrey from trying to get back with Mason, but what if—this is just a what if—she made Mason fall for her?
She felt a blush creep up her cheeks and quickly touched both of them, feeling the warmth beneath her fingers.
What was she thinking about? She quickly shook her head, trying to dispel the thought. Mason glanced over at her, noticing her red face. "You shouldn’t drink much if you can’t handle it."
Ellen looked at him, flustered. "I didn’t drink much."
Mason raised an eyebrow. "But your face is so red."
Ellen’s blush deepened. "It’s not because of the drink," she mumbled, looking down at her hands in her lap.
As they continued to drive, Ellen’s mind wandered back to her earlier thoughts. Could she really make Mason fall for her? It seemed like an impossible task, but the idea had planted itself in her mind and refused to go away. She glanced at him again, taking in his strong profile, the way his hands gripped the steering wheel with a confidence that seemed unshakeable.
She quickly averted her gaze, feeling her blush intensify. This is crazy, she thought. She pressed her palms to her cheeks again, trying to cool the heat that had settled there.
Could she really do it?