With a sigh that seemed too weary for his young age, he added, “Mom won’t open the door. Maybe it’s best if you leave.”
Then, he vanished from Holden’s sight, and the window was closed with a click.
Holden felt a surge of concern. He quickly dialed Shawn’s number.
“Did Ariana go to Mercy Hospital today?” he asked.
After a slight pause, Shawn answered truthfully, “Yes, Ms. Edwards and Adele went there today. They ran into Ms. Pierre.”
Holden’s heart sank. “What happened, Shawn?”
As Shawn recounted the distressing events about Sadie’s cruel taunts and the hurtful social media post, Holden’s anger grew.
From behind the curtains on the third floor, Ariana secretly watched Holden below as he stood all by himself on the driveway. Her feelings churned deep within, brewing like a storm on the horizon.
Seeing him there, so hesitant to walk away, brought tears to her eyes involuntarily.
She was torn, unsure whether she wished for Holden to stick around or to leave. Her refusal to let him in wasn’t out of anger; it was from a place of fear. She was afraid that she might not keep her emotions in check if she came face to face with him.
Just then, her phone buzzed with a message from Holden.
“I’m not interested in her. I want to see you.”
Ariana’s eyes blurred as she fought back tears. A storm of pain and yearning raged inside her. She wanted to run to him, to pour out all her anguish into his embrace.
Yet, the thought of Sadie created an immense gap between her and Holden, a gap she felt was impossible to cross. Given how emotionally vulnerable she was now, crossing that gap might lead her to act without thinking. She didn’t trust herself to make a decision in such a state.
With a heavy heart, she responded, “You need to leave. I don’t want to see you now.”
The moment she sent the message, a tear dropped onto her phone’s screen.
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Trying to hold back a flood of emotions, Ariana watched as Holden looked up at the house one last time before he walked away, his figure marked by defeat.
It was only when he disappeared from view that Ariana allowed herself to truly break down, sobbing against the window frame.
Holden was the man she had longed for for five years, the man she refused to believe was gone. But now, they were reduced to watching each other from afar.
When she heard a noise at the door, Ariana quickly turned, drying her eyes.
Melon was there, his face etched with worry. Without a word, he crawled into Ariana’s embrace, wiping her tears away with his Little hands.
“Mommy, why are you crying?” he inquired. “Did someone hurt you?”
Ariana took a deep breath and managed a shaky smile. “It’s okay, baby. I’m not really crying. My eyes are just a bit sore.”
“Here, let me blow them for you.” Melon narrowed his mouth, blowing gently on Ariana’s eyes.