FORBIDDEN AFFECTIONS: ADDICTED TO MY STEPMOM

Just as Jonah had predicted, Jack and I returned to normal a few days after that incident. Jack has become less irritable these days too, which makes it much easier for us to have normal conversations. We carried on with our lives as if nothing had happened, just my son and I.

As a matter of fact, things improved dramatically after that. It was because of this that I began to consider the possibility that Jonah was correct, and that Jack merely required a moment to let off some steam. Thankfully, that incident never happened again.

I am relieved that things have returned to normal for us. It was as if we had never stopped being mother and son; in fact, our communication brought us closer together. We didn’t talk about the incident again after that either. It felt as if it happened a long time ago, and it should be treated as such.

As what people say, one can only think of it as a memory from the past; it is something that neither one of us needs to think about or remember.

But then something happened.

While I was working, I experienced a sudden shift in my mood, which was followed by an awful feeling in both my head and stomach. The feeling continued for the rest of the day. I started to throw up, and after a while, my vision started to blur. I felt like I was going to pass out.

“Mars, could it be you’re pregnant?” Jonah jokingly said when we met at a coffee shop near my workplace.

When I heard it, I almost spit out the coffee that I was drinking at the time. “What are you saying? I’m not pregnant, Jonah. It’s-It’s just your average dizziness and nausea, nothing to worry about, really.”

My friend simply smiled and nodded, “Okay, okay. That’s great because I’d like to introduce you to someone. I have a strong feeling that you and he would be a good match!”

“Oh, you’re up to this again, aren’t you? Do you ever get tired of playing cupid? Anyway, who is it?” I replied while cocking my head to the side. In fact, Jonah had a strange interest in pairing people together at random. She termed herself a matchmaker or something like that. She was always so optimistic, and that made her a great friend.

Anyway, she was the only person who knew me, my personal life, and everything that had happened to me since I was in high school. She was also the only person who knew about my personal affairs. Naturally, she also knew how badly I wanted to have a proper love life ever since I was in high school. As a result, ever since my failed attempt at marriage, she has been trying to set me up with different men. A few times per year, being the case.

“He’s a civil engineer from the next town over. He is divorced, but he does not have any children. It was only the previous year when he arrived back in the country. He lived in Japan for a few years,” said Jonah. And even before I had a chance to respond, she went on. “I have already scheduled a date for you. Tomorrow, at the G Hotel. Make sure you arrive on time!”

“Jonah!” I could only utter a sigh as an exclamation at that point. What else can I do? Our meeting has been arranged. I shook my head and sipped my own tea as I stared at my best friend, who had a bag of news and stories in hand and was sharing them as she always does.

After my meeting with Jonah, I decided to go home. It was almost time for dinner, so I needed to start preparing things as soon as possible. Jack would be there soon as well.

I started by going to the supermarket that was closest to me and purchasing some ingredients for a meal. When I was out shopping, all of a sudden, I recalled what Jonah had said to me about being pregnant. There’s no way… That couldn’t possibly be true, could it? There’s no way that could happen.

Finally, after a few more seconds of contemplation, I took a pregnancy test kit and put it in the shopping cart. I wasn’t even able to take one step closer to the cashier before I heard a voice calling out to me from behind.

“Marianne?”

When I turned around, I was surprised to see a man in front of me. He was dressed for work in an office suit and looked at me with a touch of concern visible on his face.

“Benjie?” I called.

The last time we met was at the resort. Even though I gave him my number, I didn’t receive any calls after that day, which I was secretly thankful for.

The truth was that Jay, Jack’s father and my ex-husband, was in desperate need of help and support. Benjie claims that he got himself into financial trouble by gambling while he was working overseas. Now, he had a child with his lover, who was technically his third wife at this point, and unfortunately, the child was suffering from a serious illness. Surgery was required for the child’s treatment, which was quite expensive.

When I mentioned the situation to Jonah, she expressed her displeasure and commented how Jay’s face was quite thick-or probably the thickest one yet she knew of. He had no shame and asked for assistance from me, his second wife, whom he had cheated on and then deserted like trash before. When I first heard it, even I had a hard time believing it. However, the child was the main focus of this situation.

Despite the fact that I detested Jay and was well aware of the many wrongs he had committed against me and Jack, the fact remained that his child was ill and required medical assistance. It was for this reason that, despite my hesitations, I gave Benjie my phone number.

“I tried to call you a few times, but I think your phone is always off,” Benjie said.

Benjie was actually a good man. There was a time when he and Jack were very close, but all of a sudden, he stopped going to see Jack. He left our lives suddenly and without explanation, with not even a word. One could only imagine how disheartened and lonely Jack must have felt at that time. Though I never truly knew since he refused to talk about it.

I was aware that Jack did not have any interest in communicating with any of his relatives on his father’s side, and to tell the truth, I couldn’t blame him for thinking and feeling that way.

Benjie hadn’t bothered to call me once, and I was beginning to wonder why that was… “I’m sorry, I don’t think your calls went through, maybe. How are you doing these days?”

I feel that something is not quite right, but I will try to see what went wrong later.

“I’m good, but Marianne, Jay’s child’s condition… It’s getting worse,” Benjie said with a mournful look on his face. “I-I don’t know how to say this, but if you have the time, could we meet and talk about this?”

I looked over at Benjie when I saw the clock on the side of the door. “Okay. Just call me later, and we’ll set up a time to meet. I’m sorry, but I have to go home now.”

It won’t be long before Jack returns home. It is possible that he was already there at the very moment that we were having this conversation.

“Okay, got it. Take care of yourself, Marianne. I hope that Aki is doing well too. Send him my regards.”

I simply nodded and turned to leave. I didn’t notice Benjie looking through my basket and spotting my pregnancy test kit.