"I'll have to think about it for a while," Shaelyn finally conceded after a long pause, though Nixon could tell she still felt conflicted.
"Thank you," he said with relief washing over him.
As they stood in silence for a moment longer, Nixon knew that despite their current dispute, ultimately Shaelyn would choose to return home and help prepare for the birthday banquet,
This was because no matter how strong-willed she was or how adamant she wanted to be, her love for Grandpa Gray and his parents was only slightly weaker than their love for her.
The next morning dawned bright and clear, but Shaelyn felt a knot in her stomach as she prepared breakfast. Just as she was pouring herself a cup of milk, her phone rang. The caller ID made her heart race, it was Nixon's parents.
"Hello?" Shaelyn answered cautiously.
"Hi Shaelyn! It's Mum, how have you been my dear." came the cheerful voice on the other end.
"Oh! I'm doing great!" Shaelyn replied, with a forced smile even though she knew they couldn't see her.
"We just wanted to check in on our babies and see how you guys are doing," Mrs. Gray continued. "We're really concerned."
Shaelyn took a deep breath, knowing this was her moment to reassure them without revealing too much. "He's....We're doing well! Really well! We had a great talk last night."
"Oh good! That's such a relief to hear," Mr. Gray chimed in from the background.
"Yes! He mentioned wanting to focus on some business things but he seems happy," Shaelyn added quickly.
"That's wonderful news!" Mrs. Nixon exclaimed. "All we want is for you guys to be happy."
"Of course," Shaelyn said with conviction in her voice. "Everything is okay here; Mum I promise."
After exchanging pleasantries and assuring them once more that all was well, Shaelyn hung up feeling both relieved and guilty for lying.
Later that day, after gathering her thoughts and contemplating their conversation, Shaelyn decided it was time to start the preparations for the birthday banquet, as she needed to finish it on time,
Shaelyn decided to call Nixon, as she needed to know how far they had gone in their preparations, as they needed to work through whatever this situation was together.
"Nixon, can you come over?" Shaelyn asked, when he picked up.
"What? Really?" His voice was filled with surprise and joy.
"Yes! I reckon it'll be good for both of us, if we focused on the more important things for now." Shaelyn explained, as she opened her system to search up the documents where she had recorded her previous arrangements.
"I can't believe this! You're amazing!" Nixon exclaimed, relief evident in his tone.
"I just want us to work through this together," Shaelyn said firmly as she created a new document, while hanging up the phone.
Nixon left everything he was doing and headed straight for his car, driving down to her place at the fastest speed,
Once there, he embraced her tightly at the door before stepping inside together where they would begin preparations for an upcoming banquet, a chance for them to showcase their relationship publicly and clarify any doubts about them.
"We should start planning right away!" Nixon suggested enthusiastically as they settled into their routine again.
"Ok, so how far have you gone with the procurement of the wine for the VIP table?" Shaelyn questioned, immediately they sat down,
"The wine?" Nixon asked in surprise,
"Yeah...that's your job, remember?" Shaelyn said with raised brows,
Nixon averted his attention to her screen a bit embarrassed that such an important thing had slipped his mind,
'So that's what the notification was about?' Nixon thought,
"No, I haven't. It's late, but I'll get started on it right away." Nixon responded, a smile on his face as he glanced at the document titled 'Revised guest list' dating back to a week ago,
His Shay had not forgotten, neither had she planned to feign ignorance, it had just been the physical distance between the two that prevented him from discovering this,
And her emotional distress, made her keep it to herself, Nixon was glad he had not accused her of anything, as that would have been so unfair to her.
"Absolutely, Let's make this event unforgettable," Shaelyn said calmly, as this might very well be the last one she hosted, she began brainstorming ideas together for decorations and themes,
"You do know that you have to move back home, right?" Nixon interrupted, when it was time for him to leave, watching as Shaelyn paused,
"It is not plausible for you to plan the event away from home," Nixon continued, "as it would raise too many questions. "
"We already have enough doubts to clarify at the event, let's not add anymore Shay." Nixon ended,
"Well, I understand your point and...." Shaelyn began slowly sorting through her thoughts,
"And so you'll move back home before the end of the week, right?" Nixon stated in finality, as he walked out the door without waiting for her response.
Shaelyn just stared at his departing figure helplessly, her thoughts interrupted by her ringtone. She glanced at the phone and saw it was her lawyer, Mr. Vince.
"Hello?" Shaelyn said, trying to keep her voice steady.
"Good day, Miss Maher! This is Mr. Vince," he replied. "I wanted to discuss with you regarding your divorce proceedings. Have you had a chance to serve your husband with the papers yet?"
At his words, Shaelyn felt a knot tighten in her stomach. "Um, no, not yet," she admitted hesitantly. "I've been trying to figure out how to approach him about it."
Mr. Vince's tone shifted slightly, becoming more serious. "I understand this can be a difficult situation, but if we are to finalize everything by the end of the month, we need to take the first step."
"I am aware, Mr. Vince," Shaelyn said softly, staring out the window "It's just…when I finally confront him, I don't think I'll be able to handle his reaction."
"Have you thought involving a neutral party? Sometimes have someone else serve him might yield favourable results," he suggested.
Shaelyn sighed deeply. "I have indeed considered that option, but I'm worried it might escalate things between us."
"Understandable," Mr. Thompson replied empathetically. "But remember that this is about your future and well-being too. You deserve peace of mind."
Shaelyn nodded even though he couldn't see her. "You're right," she admitted.
"Would you prefer it if we set a timeline for when you can get those papers served?" Mr. Vince continued firmly but kindly.
"Okay," Shaelyn agreed, feeling a mix of determination and dread wash over her.