Married At First Glance: I Am Not Ugly

“Hello?” he said, trying to keep his voice calm and neutral.

“Hi, Alexander.” Jessie’s voice came through the phone, trying to sound cheerful and upbeat.

“How are you doing?”

“I’m doing well.” he said, trying to match her upbeat tone.

He knew she wasn’t happy but was pretending to be.

“.… Can we meet up and talk today?” she asked

“I need to discuss something with you.”

Alexander felt a sudden tension in the air, a nervousness that was palpable even through the phone. He knew that Jessie must have something important to say, and he steeled himself for whatever was coming.

“Sure, I’d love to meet up.” he said, trying to keep his voice steady. “When and where?”

“How about we meet up at the coffee shop near your house?” she suggested. “I know it’s your favorite place to go. Would you be free around 2pm?”

“Yeah, I can make that work,” he said. “I’ll see you then.”

There was a brief silence on the other end of the line, and then Jessie spoke again.

“Alexander, I want to apologize for what happened the other day.” she said, her voice sounding earnest and sincere. “I know I was out of line, and I’m really sorry for what I said and did.”

Alexander was surprised by her apology. He hadn’t expected her to be so contrite, and he wasn’t sure how to respond.

“Thank you for apologizing.” he said, choosing his words carefully. “I appreciate it.”

“Okay…. I guess I’ll see you there.” she said and ended the call.

Marissa, who was still making breakfast, asked him who called.

“Who called?” she asked.

“It was Jessie,” he revealed.

“She asked me that we should meet up at a cafe close to my apartment by 2pm.”

Marissa was quiet, she knew that Jessie asking to meet up with Alexander might not end well.

“Are you gonna go?” she asked.

“Yeah, I should go and see her and set things straight. I’m sure she’s angry at my decision and is wondering why I did what I did, but I’m gonna reveal to her why I did that.” he said.

Marissa brow furrowed as she wondered what he meant by that. She wanted to ask, but decided not to know that he must have a reason.

“Alright. Do you also want to find out if she was the one who had sent the necklace?” she asked.

Alexander considered the question for a moment. He hadn’t even thought about the possibility that Jessie could have sent the necklace. But now that Marissa had mentioned it, he couldn’t get the idea out of his head.

“I’m not sure.” he said, his voice uncertain. “I don’t want to accuse her of something she didn’t do, but I also want to know if she was the one who sent it.”

“Do you think it’s possible that she could have done it?” Marissa asked, genuinely curious.

“I don’t know,” he said, sounding frustrated. “I don’t want to jump to conclusions, but at the same time, it’s hard not to wonder. I guess the only way to know for sure is to ask her.”

“But what if she denies it?” Marissa asked. “Even if she did send the necklace, she’s not going to admit it, right?”

“I know,” he said, sounding resigned. “But I still want to talk to her, to try to explain why I made the choice I did. Maybe if I can make her understand, she’ll let it go and we can all move on.”

Marissa bit her lip, not sure what to say. On the one hand, she understood where Alexander was coming from. He wanted to make things right, to clear the air between himself and Jessie.

But on the other hand, she was worried that Jessie wouldn’t be willing to listen, that she would only get more angry and hurtful.

“I just want you to be careful.” she said softly. “You’re a good person, Alexander, and you don’t deserve to be treated badly.”

Alexander was touched by her words. He knew that Marissa only wanted the best for him, and he appreciated her concern

“I will. You don’t need to worry about me hmm.” he said, trying to reassure Marissa.

She smiled and hugged him tightly .

After he pulled away from her hug, he looked at the table where Marissa had prepared breakfast.

“Now, let’s enjoy our breakfast. Are you going anywhere today?” he asked her, as he walked towards the dinning to sit to eat.

“Yeah, I want to go check up on my brother at the hospital and know how he’s doing.” she informed him.

“I do like to meet your brother soon, Marissa.” he told her.

Marissa’s face lit up at the thought of introducing Alexander to her brother. She had been hoping that the two of them would hit it off, and she was glad that Alexander seemed interested in meeting him.

“I think you two will get along great.” she said, her voice full of excitement. “He’s a really great guy, and he’s been through a lot. I know he’ll appreciate having someone like you in his life.”

“I appreciate that.” he said, his face softening.

When it was time, Alexander got ready and went over to the cafe.

The cafe was a small, cozy place with big windows that let in plenty of natural light.

The smell of freshly brewed coffee filled the air, and the sound of soft jazz music played in the background. Alexander took a seat at one of the tables, and a waiter came over to take his order.

He ordered a cappuccino and a croissant, and he waited patiently for his food to arrive.

As he waited, he thought about what Marissa had said about her brother. He was curious to meet him, and he hoped that they would get along well. He wondered what kind of person Marissa’s brother was, and what he was like. He hoped that he would be able to make a good impression and that they would be able to connect on some level.

After a few minutes, the waiter returned with his order. Alexander took a sip of his cappuccino and took a bite of his croissant, savoring the taste. It was a perfect way to start the day, he thought. As he ate, he thought about what he would say to Marissa’s brother when he met him. He wanted to be friendly and approachable, but also respectful and understanding.

Just then, his phone rings.