Crises in Love (Zora and Jaylan)

Hearing Geneva's words, my heart plummeted to rock bottom.

But I feared diving into the topic right away, and we might get cut off before we even reached the meat of the conversation. So, I deftly changed the subject, chatting about this and that in a casual, desultory way.

The doctor she had booked was quite elderly, silver-haired, and had an air of authority about him.

He told her she'd been overwrought with worry, which was messing with her system, hence the sleepless nights and general fatigue.

I felt a bit of relief knowing that Geneva had her anxieties.

The old doctor prescribed her some mild herbal remedies, advising her to take them for a while to balance things out before coming back for a follow-up.

Geneva had him take a look at me too, and he trotted out the same old lines about fatigue and deficiency. I mentioned I was already on some meds, so he didn't prescribe anything for me.

We left the holistic health center and got into the car together. I turned to Geneva and said, "Geneva, I'm gonna take you to a place you'll adore, beautiful views, great food, and drinks."

Her curiosity piqued by my enthusiasm, she pressed, "A place like that exists? I can't miss out on that."

"You'll see when we get there."

I told Hannah, "Let's head back to Hilltop Heights."

Hannah looked at me, surprised, "You mean, we can cook there?"

"Oh, just you watch. Let's roll out."

With that, Hannah's excitement kicked in, and she started the car, driving us swiftly and smoothly straight to Hilltop Retreats.

Walking into my yard, Geneva's eyes sparkled with envy. She prodded me, "Aaliyah, is this a new piece of property you've snagged?"

I replied with a sigh, "Well, I needed a place to land. I sold the old house, too many bad memories, and Jaylan wouldn't stop haunting the place. After a decade there, I was fed up. So I sold it without a second thought. This place caught my eye with its lovely environment."

I gave her the grand tour. It had just rained, so the air was especially fresh, filled with bird songs and the scent of flowers. The leaves were so green they seemed to almost sparkle with life.

"It's like a natural oxygen bar," Geneva exclaimed, "The environment is incredible here. I'd be content with a place like this."

I laughed, "That's easy, just move in with me. Leave Noah at home, come stay here a few days whenever you like, and it'll be like a vacation."

I looked at her seriously, "I'm not often in Goldenvale Town, so when I'm away, consider it your personal retreat. When I'm here, we can both enjoy a little leisure time."

"I don't think so. What about Noah and the kid?" Geneva gave me a side-eye, half-joking, "I wish I had your life, no worries about feeding a family, someone to watch the kid, and a solid financial backing to boot."

"Don't be so pessimistic," I teased her, "Are you really struggling? Noah's got the finances on lock, he wouldn't let you suffer."

Geneva's expression clouded for a moment, her gaze lingering on the scenery beyond.

I probed playfully, "What's the matter, not recognizing your good fortune? So many people envy you, and you're still not satisfied?" She gave me a resigned smile.

I led her to a gazebo by the terrace and sent Hannah to fetch some food from the new cook.

"We'll sit here and cool off a bit," I told Geneva, "Then, I'll show you around some more. If you don't feel like going home, just call Noah and tell him you're staying at my place tonight."

"What about the kid?" she asked with a smile, "Right now, out of all of us, you really have the easiest life."

"Yeah, my mom's my rock," I nodded, "How about you? How are your parents doing?"

"My mom passed away a while back," she sighed, "Just my dad left in Marblecliff. He's remarried, so I don't have to worry much. With my mom no longer around, it feels like I've lost my support system" "Right, do you visit Marblecliff often?" I inquired.

"Not much," she admitted, "He's got his companion. They're living it up, traveling north to south, and I think they're on a mission to see the whole country. The older generation knows how to enjoy life." Our conversation drifted from topic to topic until Hannah arrived with a spread of snacks, cautioning us not to fill up as the cook was preparing a feast.