Days and weeks passed quickly; in just three more days, she would be back to her usual life as a teacher to her students. Today, she was meeting Veron, along with Veron's boyfriend, Andrew.
Oh great, I'm going to be the third wheel again, she thought, letting out a sigh.
Nadia and her older brother had moved out earlier than expected, but her brother Nathan would still visit from time to time—especially when her brother had to work overtime—so Nadia wouldn't be alone in their new home.
For now, her brother and sister-in-law were staying here.
"Ely, do you have somewhere to go today?" Nadia called out to her.
"Yes, Veron invited me to hang out today," she replied. "Do you need me to buy anything, Nadia?" she asked.
Nadia chuckled and shook her head. "Nope, just be careful on your way."
"Thanks, Nadia." Mariely noticed how much Nadia's belly had grown—it was almost time for her to give birth.
She gave her a tight hug. "Nadia, if you need anything—especially if you're craving food—just text me. Anything you want, I'll buy it right away," she said warmly.
Nadia let out a soft laugh. "Alright, I'll call you if I need to." She nodded.
"I'll just get changed."
"Okay."
Wow, Nadia looks even more beautiful now. I'm sure when she and my older brother have another baby, that child will inherit her beauty, Mariely thought happily. She was thrilled at the idea of becoming an aunt soon.
She put on a simple outfit since Veron said they'd pick her up. She braided her hair and wore an oversized jacket.
When she heard a car horn outside, she quickly looked out and saw the two waving at her.
"Nadia, Mom, I'm heading out!" she called out.
Nadia was chatting happily with her mother and simply waved back.
"Take care!" her mother said.
Mariely nodded and hurried to the front seat of the car.
"Hey, crazy girl, it's nice to see you!" Veron greeted her, pulling her into a hug.
"You make it sound like we haven't seen each other in ages," Mariely laughed.
Andrew, in the driver's seat, simply smiled quietly at her.
"How are Nadia and your brother? Have they fully moved out?" Veron asked.
"Yeah, they have. But when Nadia is alone at home, she sometimes stays at our place—my brother doesn't want her being alone."
"She's close to her due date, right?"
"Yeah, and even though Nadia tries not to show it, she's nervous. Mom talks to her often to give her strength," Mariely explained.
"Pregnant women really have delicate emotions, you know? They need a lot of understanding," Veron said.
"Looks like it. Well, you know my family—we're all-out when it comes to support," Mariely chuckled.
"So, where are we going today?" Mariely asked.
"To the mall. I want to take this guy out again before he leaves," Veron said, pointing to Andrew, who stayed quiet while driving.
Mariely smiled. Over time, she had grown comfortable around Andrew.
****
He noticed someone was staring at her—at Mariely—so Andrew subtly turned his head to see who it was.
He quickly spotted the man, clearly interested in talking to her.
"Hon, do you know the guy looking at Faith?" Andrew whispered to Veron.
Veron discreetly glanced at the man, frowning.
"No," she shook her head. "Faith once bumped into him at another store when we were out, but she doesn't know him either," she whispered back.
"He's creepy," Andrew muttered. Sure, the guy was decent-looking, but Andrew didn't like his vibe—especially with the way he kept following Mariely with his eyes.
"Let's just go eat," Andrew suggested.
Veron nodded. "Faith, let's grab something to eat?"
"It's still too early," Mariely said.
"Come on, just snacks," Veron insisted.
She scratched her head. "I'll just follow later."
"No, you're coming," Veron said, pulling her along, leaving Mariely confused but compliant.
Andrew put his arm around Veron and let Mariely walk ahead so the two women could walk side by side. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed the man was no longer following them.
What does he want from Faith? he wondered.
Sometimes Frank would also ask about Mariely, and Andrew suspected Frank's feelings for her weren't exactly platonic. Whether or not Frank admitted it, Andrew could tell there was something there.
Maybe I should protect this woman from men I feel might have bad intentions, he thought.
He led them to a snack bar nearby.
"Hey, you don't have to treat me—I brought money," Mariely said.
Andrew chuckled.
"Sorry, but it's my treat again. Just relax," he said.
She frowned, glancing at Veron before looking back at him. "Let me chip in this time—I'm not broke, you know."
"No, it's fine. This is just a once-in-a-while thing. Save your money for something else—I'm not letting you spend today," Andrew insisted.
"Ugh, see? This is why I didn't want to come—it's embarrassing," she muttered.
"Hon, what do you want?" Andrew asked Veron.
"They have a value snack meal. I want a hamburger," she replied.
He nodded. "And you?" he asked Mariely.
"Anything cheap," Mariely said.
Andrew laughed.
"Hey, we need to be practical," she added.
"Got it, got it," he teased, ruffling her hair before heading to the cashier. Since there weren't many customers, he was served quickly and came back with a tray full of food.
Mariely's eyes widened. "There's only three of us—why'd you buy so much?"
"Just eat," he said, amused.
She sighed but started eating. Andrew also ordered drinks so no one would choke.
"So, where are you headed next, Andrew?" Mariely asked.
"The States," he replied.
Mariely nodded while sipping her juice.
"Anyone you want me to check on there? Just tell me," Andrew offered.
She frowned in surprise.
"Faith, he knows where your love of your life is," Veron teased.
Mariely blushed deeply. Clearly, she still had feelings for Frank.
"I don't think I should check on him. He probably has a girlfriend now," she said sadly.
"Are you still waiting for him to come back!?" Veron asked, lightly smacking her arm.
"Idiot! Watch your mouth," she said. "I'm not waiting for him. What would I get out of that? He left me a long time ago."
"What if he came back home… just for you?" Andrew asked.
"Hon, don't raise her hopes—she'll only get hurt," Veron warned.
"That probably won't happen," Mariely smiled faintly. "And if he's healthy and happy where he is, I'm happy for him too. I don't want to be bitter. If he does come back, maybe we can spend time as good friends."
"Faith, I don't know where you get that kindness from," Veron said, shaking her head while eating fries.
"Say, I'll take a video of you and send it to him—game?" Veron teased.
"H-Huh? N-No, I'm too shy," Mariely stammered.
"Maybe I'll just make a video with you in it," Andrew joked.
"Hon, if she ends up drunk because of you, I'm blaming you," Veron said.
Andrew laughed quietly. He secretly took a photo of Mariely to send to Frank later.
They ended up spending the rest of the evening at the mall, and eventually, it was time to go home.
As usual, they ended up hanging out and staying over at Mariely's place. Andrew also saw her family—and it was clear he was happy that Nathan was building his own little family now.