Just Playing Along?
It was the most luxurious private room at the Maple Gold Crown Hotel.
Jack had reserved it for her once before.
Alison followed them to the door of the private room where the two women had gone in.
The door was tightly shut and extremely well soundproofed.
She frowned.
Was Jack inside?
She walked over to a waitress and said with a smile, "Excuse me, could I borrow your phone to make a call? My phone's dead."
The waitress glanced at Alison's designer clothes, hesitated for a moment, and then handed her the phone.
"Thank you," Alison said as she took the phone and immediately dialed Jack's number.
The phone rang only twice before someone picked up.
Jack's voice came through. "Hello, this is Jack. Who's this?"
From the other end came the sound of loud music and laughter.
Furious, Alison clutched the phone tightly.
"Hey, who are you, exactly?" Jack asked from the other line. "Yukon, what was the phone number of that person you just mentioned?"
He was double-checking the number to see if this was the call he'd been waiting for.
Click!
Alison hung up, turned around, and handed the phone to the waitress. "Thank you. I dialed the wrong number—I must have mixed up a friend's number. It's so frustrating."
The waitress smiled. "It's okay. Would you like to try calling again?"
Alison shook her head. "I really can't remember the right number."
What should I do?
Should I confront him about his deception tonight?
If he denied it, how should I respond?
A flood of questions rushed through her mind.
Shaking her head in resignation, Alison turned and walked briskly down the long corridor before pushing open the door to the private room.
Lyla was already awake, and Audrey was feeding her.
"Let me take her," Alison said, hurrying over.
"Don't worry, ma'am. It's just rice porridge," Audrey explained quickly.
Alison looked down at her daughter's face.
She was only two months old.
Thinking of Jack's behavior, Alison felt a mix of emotions.
No, that can't be.
Jack must have had his reasons.
She had to believe him.
But why did he keep it from her?
Was that really necessary?
"Mommy, where did you go just now? Daddy called to say he'll be here soon to take us home." Sophia walked over.
"Why can't Lyla eat the same food we do?" she asked, staring at Lyla in her arms.
"Because she's still so little," Alison explained.
"So when she gets a little bigger, she'll be able to eat the same food as us, right?" Sophia asked.
"Yes," Alison replied.
"And the same goes for little Tyler, right?" Sophia continued.
"Of course," Alison said, glancing at Tyler, who was fast asleep.
Aidan's face flashed through her mind.
Alison's mind was a jumble.
"Audrey, since Jack will be here soon, why don't you finish your meal and head home? I'm really sorry to always bother you by asking you to stay with us this late at night."
"Ma'am, it's fine. This is my line of work, and I'm used to it," Audrey said.
"How old are you, anyway? Have you been doing this for a long time?" Alison asked.
"Well, I've been doing this since I graduated from college," Audrey replied.
"Then why didn't you become a police officer?" Alison asked curiously.
Audrey paused for a moment, then smiled faintly, "My mother didn't approve, and I couldn't convince her, so I didn't pursue it. Still, I really enjoy teaching. Dealing with kids is much more enjoyable than dealing with criminals."
The two chatted for a while.
Lyla was fully awake.
She nuzzled playfully in Alison's arms, her big eyes darting around, curious about everything around her.
"Mommy, why isn't Daddy here yet?" Ethan rubbed his eyes, looking sleepy.
Alison glanced at her watch, her thoughts drifting to the man in the luxurious private box.
The image of Gwendolyn by his side made her stomach churn.
Her cell phone rang in her pocket.
She gently teased Lyla, then said to Sophia, "Help Mommy answer the phone and see if it's Daddy."
Sophia reached into Alison's pocket, pulled out the phone, and answered it without looking at it. "Daddy, when are you going to arrive at the Maple Gold Crown Hotel? We are waiting for you. Ms. Audrey is here, too—she won't leave until you get here."
Jack's voice came from the other end. "Tell Mom the car will pull up to the main entrance in ten minutes. Just come out to meet me. Daddy won't be coming inside."