His Wife (A Contract Marriage Story) by Heer Mangtani

Chapter 74

GABRIEL (continued…)

That night, I called Sophia for the first time since arriving home I went in for a quick shower, and called her while getting dressed for bed. She picked up, but seemed so distant… like there was something playing on her mind.

“Are you sure you’re okay, Freckles?” I asked for the fourth time in that one conversation. I am still seeing you tomorrow, right?”

“Hmm..” She buzzes a little sleepily, but mostly she was just distracted. “How’s your work emergency thing going?”

“Bad,” I reply, truthfully. Alister had colorectal cancer. I was planning on picking Sophia up tomorrow, but instead, I’d have to take a trip to his doctor. To tell her this was on the tip of my tongue, but only the promise I had hastily made to my grandfather before leaving- the one to not tell this to anyone until he tells it to my grandmother in person this weekend- stopped me. Besides, Sophia just lost her Grandpa to cancer. I doubted she wanted more cancer news, “Why do you soundl so busy?”

“I’m not. I was just almost asleep when you called.”

“Oh, sorry, Freckles.” I say with no remorse, a sihall smile making its way to my lips. I needed to hear her voice.

“That’s okay.” She stays quiet for a few seconds before adding, “Are you at home?”

Tam

“Are you going to sleep now?”

‘Soon, I tell her, yawning.

‘Hm. Okay. Goodnight, Gabriel.

“Goodnight, Freckles.”

I miss you, I wanted to add, but didn’t, partly because it was too cheesy, more than I’d ever been, and partly because she disconnected the call so quietly after I said goodnight, you’d think her hand was burning from holding the phone.

I conclude I was thinking too much into it.

my sanctuary all these years, which was why I never even asked Lily to move in

going to be able to sleep tonight, I

picked up my laptop and quietly left to my

hit me like a truck when Freckles told me she wasn’t coming back home, that she needed a few more days to bask in the memory of her grandfather before she could leave her hometown, unsure when she’d think she had the

understood, of course, but this nagging feeling that something was

many times before Freckles entered my life to worry about it now. I talked to her again in the morning, told her I was at work, and made sure she was

me.

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on wark either. There was something dooming playing in my

collecting my grandfather’s cancer

to Chicago, where one of the most famous oncologists in the country was based. He knew my grandfather because Alister called him for a

said, of it still being in the first stage, where it would be easy to control preferably without radiations that would

pick up. I waited minutes, but my heart was beating louder with every passing second. So, I called my grandmother, who told

asked me where she was, and I said work. The lie sat heavy on my chest

night.

informal setting, but insisted on it. Ten minutes down, here’s what I knew so far: One, he passed his hand

be okay. He had explained the treatment plan, and been honest about

I considered myself good with secrets, but all I

go to her tomorrow and bring her back with me whenever she was ready. I toy with that idea while playing with my phone when I heard a light

eyebrows furrowed. “What’re you doing

you down since you wouldn’t pick up my calls.” She replied

toneless.

“You called?” I blinked.

raised her shoulders, “But if I did, would you have

call from her phone and I did pick up the

silent.

across her face was quick,

here? How did you even know I was here?” I ask, and then it dawns.

followed him here when I overheard him talk

my