Nerissa had been distant from Drake these past few days, though she couldn't bring herself to confront him. He was, after all, the only person who had stood by her when the world turned its back. That truth alone kept her silent, even when her heart was restless.
That morning, she decided to leave the house without a word. The walls felt too heavy, the air too thick. She needed to breathe—needed to think. Cradling Alexander in her arms, she walked aimlessly until her feet brought her to the park.
The sunlight spilled through the trees, casting dappled shadows on the grass. She settled on a quiet bench, holding Alexander close. He stirred in her embrace, his tiny fingers curling around the fabric of her blouse. She kissed his forehead, closing her eyes for a moment, wishing that this small bubble of peace could last forever.
And yet, beneath the calm, her thoughts swirled—questions she dared not ask Drake, fears she dared not voice. She didn't want to lose the only person who had been her shelter. But she couldn't ignore the distance growing between them, a silent wall she didn't know how to tear down.
For now, she simply sat there, rocking Alexander gently, as if the rhythm could steady her own heart.
Nerissa's gaze wandered across the park. She saw couples strolling hand in hand, fathers lifting their babies high into the air, mothers leaning on their partners' shoulders as they laughed together. It was a gentle, beautiful sight—yet for her, it was a reminder of everything she didn't have.
She lowered her eyes to Alexander, asleep in her arms, his small chest rising and falling in perfect rhythm. A lump formed in her throat. She wanted this little boy to grow up knowing the warmth of a complete family… not just the protection of a mother who was trying her best to fill every role.
Almost without thinking, her fingers reached into her bag and pulled out her phone. She hesitated, staring at the screen for a long moment. Then, with a deep breath, she scrolled through her contacts until she found his name.
George.
Her thumb hovered over the call button. Her heart began to pound, torn between fear and longing. Finally, she pressed it.
The phone rang once. Twice. Three times. Each unanswered ring tightened the ache in her chest. She stared at the couples around her again, the quiet laughter mixing with the sound of children playing.
"Please, George," she whispered, her voice trembling. "Answer… please."
She held the phone to her ear, her heart clinging to the hope that on the other end, he would finally pick up.
On the fourth ring, the call connected.
"Nerissa?" George's voice came through, almost breathless, his tone laced with panic and relief all at once. "Oh my God… it's you."
She froze for a moment, the sound of his voice breaking through all the walls she had built around her heart.
"George…" Her voice trembled.
"I've been looking for you," he said quickly, his words spilling over each other. "You have no idea what it's been like… I thought—" His voice caught, and he took a deep breath, steadying himself. "I'm so happy to hear you, love. You don't know how much I've prayed for this moment."
Nerissa closed her eyes, feeling tears threaten to spill. She didn't trust herself to speak.
"Listen to me," George continued, gentler now, as if afraid she might vanish again. "You need to be brave… and strong. Not just for you, but for us. For our family. I don't care what's happened… I just want you to hold on until we can find our way back to each other."
Her grip on the phone tightened. She glanced down at Alexander, his tiny face so peaceful against her chest.
"You… you still think of us as a family?" she whispered.
"I never stopped," George said without hesitation. "Not for a second."
Her breath hitched, and for the first time in a long while, she felt a flicker of hope.
George's voice grew steadier, though she could hear the weight behind every word.
"Nerissa… I need you to wait for me. I'm doing everything I can to get out of this mess, but I have to do it the right way. Running away from the problem—it doesn't make it right. It won't solve anything."
She swallowed hard, clutching the phone as if it were the only thing anchoring her. "But George… what if it's too late?"
"It's not," he said firmly. "I know it feels impossible right now, but I'm fighting for us. For you. For Alexander. Please don't give up on me… not yet."
Her eyes blurred as she watched a young father lift his giggling daughter high into the air. "I just… I don't know how much longer I can keep doing this alone."
"You're not alone," George said softly but with conviction. "Every day I wake up thinking about you. Every night I go to sleep imagining you're beside me. And I promise you—when I come for you, I'll make things right. Just… trust me a little longer."
A tear slid down her cheek. She wanted to believe him. She needed to. "George… I've missed you so much."
"I've missed you too, love," he whispered. "More than you'll ever know. Be strong for me. Hold on for me. And when the time comes… we'll be together again."
Nerissa closed her eyes, holding Alexander tighter. In the quiet space between them, even through the distance, she felt the echo of a promise that maybe—just maybe—could still be kept.
Nerissa took a shaky breath. "George… there's something I need to tell you. Something I feel I should be telling you from the start."
There was a pause on the other end, as if he was weighing his words carefully. "No," he finally said, his voice firm but gentle. "Not yet, Nerissa. You need to stay still for now, stay in London for now."
She frowned, her grip on the phone tightening. "Why are you letting me hide ..."
"It's not hiding," George replied. "It's protecting yourself… protecting our son. There are things I need to take care of here before you can come back. If you return now, it will only make things harder—for you, for Alexander, for all of us."
Her heart twisted. "I just hate this feeling like I'm so far away from you.."
"I know," George said softly. "Every part of me wants to tell you to come home right now… but I can't. I have to fix what's broken here first. Please… trust me to do this."
She closed her eyes, listening to the steady rise and fall of Alexander's tiny breaths against her chest. "And if… if I stay?"
"Then we'll have a future," George assured her. "A real one. Not built on running… but on finally standing together when the time is right."
The line crackled for a moment, their silence heavy with unspoken feelings. Then George's voice came through again, softer now, almost breaking.
"Nerissa… listen to me. I never stopped loving you. Not for a second."
Her lips trembled, her throat tightening.
"And I don't need explanations for anything," he continued. "Whatever happened… whatever choices you made… none of it changes how I feel about you."
A tear slipped down her cheek as she pressed the phone closer to her ear, desperate to hold onto every word.
"I love you, love," George whispered, his voice deep and steady despite the emotion beneath it. "Always."
The call cut abruptly after that, leaving her frozen on the park bench, the faint sound of his last words still echoing in her mind. She sat there, clutching Alexander close, her heart both aching and clinging to the fragile hope his voice had rekindled.