Chapter 75
After Kelly finished speaking, she grew anxious about Leon’s response. She worried Leon might think she was being ungrateful. To her surprise, Leon said, “So that’s how you feel. I’m sorry, I’ll do better from now on.”
Kelly stared at him, stunned by how smoothly everything was going. Leon had a small smile tugging at his lips. “See? This is why it’s good to speak up. Now I know what you’re thinking, and you don’t have to keep it bottled up.”
Kelly felt touched. She was also a little shocked at how much she had changed. If this had been the old Kelly, she would’ve just gone along with everything without a word. That was because no one had ever cared what she thought. There was never a place for her to speak up. But with Leon, it was different. He not only encouraged her to express herself, he even apologized when he realized he’d overstepped. She never would have imagined this would happen.
Leon stood up and began clearing the dishes. Seeing Kelly still dazed, he looked at her with a smooth smile. “Would I be lucky enough to have you join me to wash?” He somehow managed to make washing dishes sound like an invitation to dance.
Kelly’s eyes lit up. “Sure!”
Soon, the sound of running water echoed from the kitchen. They stood side by side at the sink. Leon washed the dishes with soap and passed them to Kelly to rinse. Water splashed here and there, but they worked in sync, cleaning and putting the dishes aside, creating a heartwarming scene.
Leon left for his trip not long after. His flight coincided with Kelly’s class, so she couldn’t see him off. When she came home that evening, the house felt big and empty with her alone. Then she noticed a memo stuck on the fridge. Leon must’ve bought it recently. She hadn’t seen it before.
She read the note to herself: “Number one, remember to take your pills. We’ll go for the follow-up when I’m back. Number two, there are groceries in the fridge. Eat healthily even if you’re alone. Number three, I made sandwiches for breakfast. It should be enough to last you for two days. Number four, remember to drink a warm glass of milk every night. Signed by Leon.”
In the end, he couldn’t resist helping her plan everything. Kelly felt a quiet warmth spread through her. She had to admit, it was nice to have someone care for her. She snapped a picture of the memo and posted it to her Instagram, visible only to Leon. She posted it with the caption, “Got it!”
About half an hour later, Leon texted her, “I’ve landed.” A few minutes after that, Leon liked her post. Kelly couldn’t help but smile when she saw it.
Later that night, when Kelly was about to drink the milk he’d reminded her about, she posted a photo of it with a caption that read, “Goodnight.” Not long after, Leon commented, “Goodnight.” That made Kelly giggle; she lay in bed for some time and eventually drifted off to sleep.
The next morning, Kelly decided to take a cab to school, thinking of her condition. During her break, she slumped heavily over her desk. Her early pregnancy symptoms had gotten stronger, and she felt sleepy all the time. That morning, she barely touched the sandwich Leon had prepared. “What’s wrong with you?” Melissa asked. “Professor Butler’s only been gone a day, and you’re already like this. You’d be devastated if he was gone for two weeks,” she added.
A few days later, Leon’s schedule had become a hot topic. Most students at school already knew he’d be away for a while. Melissa couldn’t stop herself from teasing Kelly when she saw how glum she looked.