She finally looked up, and surprisingly, she said, "Well, I've still got some time to spare."
I stared at her, anticipation building up inside me.
"How about we sit somewhere elseto discuss?" she asked.
44
________
CASSIE
Seven years ago
The woman and I ended up in a coffee shop down the street. I stared at her as she scanned the menu. She was so beautiful and elegant.
Her hair fell perfectly, honey brown, such a beautiful color. Her skin was flawless. Her expensive clothes hugged her curves perfectly.
She looked like a supermodel.
I stared down at my sweaty hands lying on my big belly. I must have looked ugly next to her. My lips and skin felt dry due to dehydration after a long flight, and my feet were swollen because I was already eight months pregnant.
I must have looked like a disaster too due to lack of sleep—I'd been so excited to meet Luke that I hadn't had enough sleep.
"Are you not ordering something?" she asked after telling the waiter her order.
I just stared at her dumbly. I hadn't even thought about ordering a drink—it wasn't on my mind. Besides...
"Don't worry. I'll pay for it," she offered.
I felt embarrassed because I indeed had no money left after buying the plane ticket and paying the cab fares.
I was crazy. Luke was my only hope, and now that he wasn't even here, I didn't know what I would do.
In the end, I ordered a cup of tea.
"I'm Josephine," she started the conversation, studying me. "Who are you? How do you know Luke?"
I was silent for a while before I could find my voice. "I'm Cassandra. I..."
I didn't know how to tell her my story with Luke. I didn't think that I would tell her, because it was too personal. "I'm Luke's friend. We met at the beginning of the year."
Right. That was better. Telling her that I was Luke's friend and not a lover was a better way to open this discussion.
I sipped my tea to calm myself down and took a deep breath, and that was when Josephine's gaze fell on the ring on my finger again.
I wondered if she'd seen the same ring on Luke's finger and if that was why she couldn't stop staring at it. If she figured it out, I had to tell her the truth.
"How did you get that ring?" she asked.
"Someone important gave it to me," I said, gauging her reaction.
To my surprise, she scoffed.
"I'm sorry." She shook her head in disbelief. "It's funny that I found the same ring inside the trash can in Luke's bedroom."
I felt like I was being struck with thunder in the middle of bright daylight. Everything around me seemed to stop.
"What?" I stuttered.
