Unexpected Encounter: A Second Chance at Love

"Well—" He shrugged. "I have never denied it's not my fault."

Pausing for a while, he added, "Elsa was the perfect girlfriend and I know I can never do better."

"Then why?" Rachael questioned him. "If you are so sure that she is perfect, why are you trying to run away?"

"It's complicated." Everything in Justin's life was complicated, he didn't want her to be a part of it.

Rachael sighed and helplessly shook her head. She didn't know what the whole thing was but she was sure it wasn't just a normal breakup.

…..

[Watson Mansion]

When Rachael and Justin arrived, Edward was sitting on Reeta's lap while Michael was feeding him something. The three of them had big smiles on their faces. They seemed to be enjoying each other's company.

"I told you they will love him," Rachael whispered to Justin.

"I guess you were right." Though Edward was a very easy going child, he didn't like sticking around with people, especially strangers, for a really long time. This is why all the babysitters had a very tough time handling him.

When he made up his mind to leave him with Rachael's parents for a couple of days, he was worried he would give them a hard time but seeing how comfortable he looked with them, he felt very relieved.

"Mom, Dad—" Rachael approached them.

"Oh you are already here?"

"Dada—" Edward wiggled out of Reeta's embrace and ran towards him. When he hugged his legs, Justin smiled and picked him up.

"Did you trouble anyone while I was gone?"

"Not at all," Reeta exclaimed.

"She is right," Michael added. "In fact, we were the ones who troubled him."

"Dad, he is Justin, Andrew's friend," Rachael introduced them.

Justin smiled and greeted them. "It's a pleasure to meet you Mr. and Mrs. Watson and thank you so much for taking care of Edward. I am really very grateful."

"You don't have to thank us," Reeta smiled. "You helped George to solve his problem a few days back, we should be the one thanking you."

"Andrew is like my brother and now Rachael is family too," Justin stated. "And moreover it was just a minor thing, I didn't cause me any trouble."

Just then Edward started fidgeting in his embrace.

"Dada, down—"

As soon as he let him down, the little one ran towards Reeta and sat on her lap again. He then stretched his hands towards Michael. "Grandpa, feed—"

"Yes, grandpa will feed you more," Michael sat beside them and started carefully feeding him with a spoon while Reeta wiped Edwards mouth occasionally.

Looking at the heartwarming scene, Rachael couldn't help but smile.

"I bought gifts for them, I'll go get them."

"Okay, I need to take some things from my room. I'll be back soon."

After Justin left, Rachael went upstairs.

…..

[Rachael's room]

When she entered the room, she noticed someone sleeping on her bed.

"What are you doing here?"

"I should be the one asking you that now."

"What are you doing in my room?" Rachael grabbed a pillow and threw it on him. "Go to your room."

Before the pillow could hit him, George grabbed it. "Since you're gone and I am the only kid in his house, everything is mine now including this room."

"You wish—" she rolled her eyes at him. "Wait until I tell dad you are trying to invade my room."

"Chill my little sister, I was just taking a nap." He crawled towards her and gave her a hug. "How are you?"

"I am good."

Kissing the top of her head, George sighed, "Whenever I miss you, I come and nap here."

"I miss you too."

"Don't lie—"

Rachael: " "

"You don't even reply to my messages and now you are saying you miss me?" He scoffed.

"When did you message me?"

"A couple of days back." He took out his phone and showed her the couple of consecutive messages he had sent her.

"I was out of town for the last few days." When they were in Yumen, she didn't check her messages or emails because the network connection wasn't that good and also because she was busy snuggling in her husband's warm embrace.

"Where did you go?" he inquired.

"We went to Yumen. Andrew had relatives there, so we went to see them."

"Rach—" George grabbed her hand. "Are you happy with him? Is he treating you well?" Though he knew Andrew was someone he could blindly trust his sister with, he still wanted an assurance from her.

"He treats me very well," she smiled. "I am very happy with him but—" She placed his head on his shoulders and sighed, "I am scared too."

"Scared? About what?" When she did not say anything, George added, "You can share everything with me."

Keeping quiet for a while, she said, "When we got married, I thought it would take us a lot of time to connect and get to know each other. I thought we have to work very hard to make this marriage work. But—"

Hesitating for a while, she added, "But things turned out to be much more easy and simple than I had thought. We have been married for a week but I already feel this strong and emotional connection with him. It's like, we didn't even try so hard, we just clicked."

"That's what happens when you are with the right person," George stated. "You see Rach, before meeting the right one, we end up with different people who become an important part of our life but unfortunately, they are not the right one for. So no matter how hard you try, things don't work out the way you want it to."

"But as soon as you meet the right one, things start falling into the right place without you making any kind effort," he added. "It just feels very right and there is a different kind of satisfaction to it."

When she did not say anything, he gently patted her arm. "What are you scared of? What is bothering you?"

...