Chapter 127: Chapter 127

(Jeff’s Thoughts)

The three of us are patiently waiting for Avery to regain consciousness while a nurse tends to my wounds and I listen to Kendra’s nagging at the same time.

I look at Nikolai to help me out but he won’t help me, he’s far afraid to go against her when she’s like that. Well, Avery warns me about her, she’s feisty, loud anf fearless, a complete opposite personality Avery has.

“Goodness, Jeff! We are at a hospital! And you two are full grown ups!” she continues her bickering.

“Brawling is for kids, boys, immature kids you know. And you chose the best place to fight, great job, Jeff,” she mocks me by clapping her hands.

“I brought you here so we can take Avery back, not get back at Dmitri! I thought you could fix it like two civilized normal functioning citizens, but I guess you two both hit your head in the past. Now the people are talking, and what, Avery would be put in yet another scandal, huh?”

And that’s when it hits me. She definitely has a point, so to stop her firing mouth, I say what’s necessary, “I’m sorry, Kendra.”

“Sorry for what?” she says. I am taken a back by her question so the only word I can say is,

“What?”

Then she glares at me, “What do you mean what? Goodness, why do men apologize without even realizing what they did wrong! Goodness! All of you are the same! The three of you!”

Nikolai violently reacts, “Uh, what did I do wrong? I didn’t hurt, Avery!”

“Not you,” she scowls, “Seid, Dmitri and Jeff! I am talking about them,” she fights at him for no reason, so Nikolai just remains silent.

While K continues with her bickering, we hear Avery finally groans, “Ugh, god! K, you are always loud, you know that, don’t you?” she even jokes around.

“Don’t you dare start on me, woman!” but she’s so fired up today and even a sick person is receiving the other end of her anger.

I go beside Aveyr and help her sit, “Hey, how are you feeling?” You look–”

“–Awful?” then she smiles at me.

I shake my head, “I was about to say, still beautiful,” then I smile at her warmly.

“When did you arrive, babe? You didn’t tell me you were coming,” she asks. And I gulp when she says that.

And the awkward tension in the room rises. Kendra and Nikolai are quick enough to catch up, so they voluntarily exit so Avery and I could talk.

“Hey, we need to catch a movie, so we’ll leave you two alone, and I think we are no longer needed here,” Kendra says and they go out of the room.

When they are gone, my full attention is now back at Avery, “Would you like to eat anything?”

But she shakes her head, “J-jeff, I n-need to talk to you, first.”

Her hands are still trembling when she reaches to me. So I decided to listen, “Can’t it wait? You are still not well, babe.” But she insisted she has to do it now.

“I’m listening, Avery.”

She removes the engagement ring I gave her, and it almost breaks my heart seeing her do this.

“I-I calling off the engagement, Jeff,” her voice sound firmer, and her eyes are just focused on me.

I close my eyes for a while trying to hold back the tears, “Give me a reason, or at least an explanation, babe. I mean, Ava.”

She takes a deep breath, “Because I cheated on you. I was disloyal to you, and I can’t even tell whether I want to be married to you or not. And you don’t deserve that kind of love Jeff. You don’t deserve that kind of marriage.”

I scoff, “Yes, I don’t deserve it, Ava. So, why? Why did you cheat on me?” my voice starts to raise, yet I try to hold it in.

“Because I love him Jeff. For some reason, I love Dmitri,” and now she finally confesses. It’s what I want right? Honesty is what I want.

“And me? Did you ever love me, too?”

“You know I do, Jeff. And I do love you, until now, and because I love you, I can’t get married to you half-heartedly,” the queue that I’ve been waiting for.

I thought I could be able to rebut immediately but instead I keep quiet, I don’t even know how to react to her statement.

I just look down and scoff, “Half-heartedly, huh? Will the time ever come that you’ll be mine? Will you ever be mine, Avery?”

Her tears starts to fall, “I honestly don’t know. But I know I shouldn’t be treating you badly Jeff, should I?”

“Are you breaking up with me, Avery?” I ask her.

“No!” she answers sternly. She holds my hand while crying. She pulls my hands on her lips and kisses it, “I am asking for a second chance, Jeff. I can’t marry you yet, but I want to earn your trust and your love from the start.”

This is what I want right? Like I said, it’s all or nothing, and she said all the things I wnat to hear. So does it mean I should take another chance on our love?

Bewildered by her words, I couldn’t answer back, so she repeats the question, “Is there still a chance for me in your heart? Can we still start over, Jeff? Can you still forgive me?”

I don’t want to pretend anymore, so I kneel at the edge of the hospital bed, grab her hand and pulls her towards me. And I embrace her tightly and kiss her forehead, “Let’s start over, babe.”

And she wraps her hands around my waist continues to pour her heart out while feeling my embrace.

“Thank you Jeff, and I am sorry once again. I won’t throw this chance away,” these are the last words said in that hospital room and with the new beginnings.

I hold her chin and lift it up, and I seal our promise of a new beginning with a long warm kiss.