"Have you DECIDED about you and Nick, Jess?" Claire asked one afternoon as she approached her on the swing.
"What am I going to do, Aunt Claire? I will beg him to marry me so that I don't lose my inheritance?" Jessica's sarcastic answer in a loud voice.
Claire did not say a word. She sat quietly on opposite to her. Jessica felt guilty. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't give you any problem. This is only both Nick and I.
"Your problem is my problem too. I love you both."
"Thank you, Aunt Claire ...." Suddenly there was a blockage in her throat.
"I know Nick loves you, Jess .... One of you should approach to talk about your situation ..."
"I don't know if I will believe what you are saying," she replied sadly, while looking at the sea.
"You want me to talk to Nick?" Claire suggested.
"No, this is both Nick and I problem. We will solve it," she firmly refused.
"There are only three weeks left in your Daddy's term, Jess," Claire reminded.
Jessica looked at Claire. Take a deep breath. "That is the irony of it. Daddy thought Nick would bring us closer again by what he did. Instead, it served as a wall."
Claire did not say a word. Jessica is right.
"I can't do anything without Nick doubting my motives. And after two years, I can't just say, hey! I'm back!"
And for a moment she glanced at the stepmother's sad face. "I'm not talking about pride here. If that's all. I could easily swallow mine, just don't let Nick disappear in my life!"
Claire stared at her stepdaughter. Worse may come to worst. Loss or not inherit. She will not allow the two to be separated!
Jessica walked along the beach on her horse. There is no direction to the destination. Thinking of what she and Claire had been talking about. She doesn’t think about the time frame his Daddy gave her. But how can she convince Nick that it is not because of the hacienda that she wants to get along with them.
She has come a long way and the rain is getting heavier! She pushed the horse into the trees. She was soaking wet when she noticed the familiar scene.
She is inside the hacienda del Mar! She followed the path to the villa. She was already in front of the stone house when she hesitated. But she was soaking wet and cold. She got off the horse and tied it to the tree. Then knock softly.
Aling Susana was even surprised to see her standing in front of the door and shivering in the cold.
"Oh, come in quickly! The old woman invites her inside.
"You're so wet!" "The rain hit me on the road ..."
"Oh,you go upstairs to your room first and change your clothes. You will get sick of that," said the old woman.
Jessica is reluctant to go upstairs, your room! Like the people in the big house nothing seems to have changed. She didn't seem to leave. Nick and I were the only two who changed.
She slowly opened the room she and his husband used to have. The familiar sight exposed her. Nothing different. She opened the cabinet. Her belongings are there! The clothes she left behind are still there.
She closed it again and quickly entered the bathroom.
Below, Aling Susana almost let go of the coffee cup when she entered, she found Nick undressing.
"You surprised me you kid!"
"Why is Jessica's horse here, Aling Susana? And where are you going to take that coffee?" And he hung the jacket on the horn of the deer that was erected on the wall.
"Your wife came here soaking wet and shivering in the cold. I let her climbed upstairs. Get dressed and she might get sick.
" Nick's eyebrows met. Took the cup of coffee to the old woman.
"I'll take that up!" The room door is open. Water from Jessica's body hit the floor. Nick closed the door.
"Manang Susana are you there? Please reach the towel for me ...." Jessica said from the bathroom.
Nick laid the coffee on the table. Take a towel and go into the open bathroom.
" Nick!" she exclaimed while grabbing the towel in Nick's hand and tried to cover his nakedness.
"Why are you covering up? I see all that many times?"
Jessica did not know the answer. Remained staring ahead. Nick looked at her.
The water on the face is very wet and dripping from the hair. Its eyes dropped. Nick handed the towel to her and dropped it on the floor. He looked at her again from head to toe.
Then she was suddenly converted and before Jessica could move, Nick's lips dropped to hers. And then its lips crawled to her face ... to her neck ... and down to herchest ...
"Nick .." And without hesitation her hands went to the man's buttons and gradually removed them.
When Nick lifted her out of the bathroom and laid her on the bed she was submissive. All she knew was how long she had dreamed of these moments.
"I need you, Jess ..." Nick whispered between kisses.
"Oh honey ... it's been a long time ..." his kisses were on fire ... in a hurry ... Jessica was screaming.
After a long time they do not have to be both of many preliminaries.
"Oh, please now, Nick ..."
How heavy the rain outside was also the strength of the passion of emotion between that room. The waves hit the rock hard but the rock remained strong ...
A few moments passed quickly ... the rain outside was fading. No one could hear but its faint drops on the veranda ledge. The burning emotions subsided.
Nick slipped out of Jessica's embrace. Stand up and get dressed.
"When do you want to get married, Jessica?" That question is very cold.
Jessica's could not ask. Nick's face was touched by the heat that had recently consumed her personality.
Nick turned to her, "Damn it! Speak up! Don't look at me like that. I make sure you don't lose the hacienda!"
She got up from lying down. Can't believe what I heard.
"That's what you mean by what happened?"
"What do you want me to mean that? After two years you are not here with me ... because you love me? Is that so?" "That's it ..."
"Let's not fool around, Jessica. Anyway, we'll serve each other in bed ... you still have the hacienda. You can tell Claire when she can find a way to reach your Daddy's time frame! Its sarcastic language.
Draw sadness and bitterness on Jessica's face. Nick's eyes hit it and it hurt more than he saw. It wants to retract what he was said.
Jessica stood up slowly. Get jeans and a blouse in the closet and get dressed. Not speaking. She wanted to cry but no tears fell. She lost after all ....
"G ... goodbye, Nick ...."
And without looking back. Nick wants to chase her ... hold back and lock her in his arms again. But it remained standing. It heard the distant footsteps of the horse.
"There goes your chance, boy ...." he whispered as he dropped his body on the bed.
THE next day Jessica decides to meet with the lawyer. She wanted to settle land titles before she left for America. I hope her heart can accept Nick's terms ...
"We'll serve each other in bed, anyway ...."
Nick even saw the Range Rover as he entered the garage pick-up.
Upon entering the house, Claire met him. He avoided looking.
He continued in the library, Claire followed.
"Your body is dropping a lot, Nick ..."
"Claire, please ... don't start ..." he replied.
"I want to see the statement of account made by the accountant, Where?"
"Why are you torturing each other, Nick? Why didn't you give in? Haven't you seen that she loves you?"
To be continue.......
