SWNOVELS Chapter 214
Ursula's wedding was scheduled on the 18th of December, and now there were just two days left.
Jocelyn was pondering over how she should attend their wedding. Her parents were definitely going, but how could she manage to take Euston along? How would she explain her predicament? She was in a bit of a bind.
She had asked the nanny if she could help for a couple of days, but the poor woman had taken a fall while dusting and broke her leg. It would be a good hundred days before she could be up and about again. Finding a replacement was proved to be tough, especially with the holidays around the corner when everyone was eager to head home for family reunions.
After a fruitless search, Jocelyn decided to call Castiel to see if he could find someone reliable to look after little Euston for a few days. But she couldn't get through to him, no matter how hard she tried. She began to worry. The South Myst region was notoriously dangerous. Could something bad have happened to him?
"Knock on wood," Jocelyn muttered, shaking off the unnerving thought as she paced the living room with Euston in her arms. "Your daddy will definitely bring mommy back, right?"
Euston, with his big eyes and open mouth, looked intently at Jocelyn as if he understood every word, making cooing sounds in response.
"Euston, you're just too cute," Jocelyn said with a smile, wondering if her future kids would be just as adorable.
The doorbell suddenly rang.
Holding Euston, Jocelyn checked the peephole and was taken aback to see who was outside.
It was Yasmine, an unexpected guest.
"Aw, what a cute little munchkin," Yasmine cooed, her eyes lighting up at the sight of Euston. "Mind if I hold him for a while?"
Jocelyn wasn't worried about Yasmine running off with the child. She handed Euston over and fetched her a pair of slippers.
It was strange, but Yasmine seemed unfazed by Jocelyn's situation with Melvin, treating her like a bestie without a hint of awkwardness. "What's his name?" Yasmine asked, cradling Euston and radiating a maternal glow.
"Euston," Jocelyn replied, pouring a glass of coffee for Yasmine.
"Euston, such a lovely name," Yasmine commented with a smile.
"Why did you come over?" Jocelyn asked out of curiosity, although she wasn't surprised that Yasmine knew where to find her since Melvin had visited before.
The doorbell's chime was unexpected, and Jocelyn couldn't fathom the reason for Yasmine's visit. Surely she wasn't here to suggest a reconciliation with Melvin. After all, Jocelyn was now a married woman with a child, at least in the eyes of others.
"I heard from Melvin that you've been looking for someone to watch over the child these past few days. I figured, since I'm free, why not offer to help?" Yasmine said casually, as she played with Euston, responding naturally to Jocelyn's inquisitive gaze.
Jocelyn was surprised. How did Melvin know she was looking for a babysitter?
Was he tracking her movements or keeping her under surveillance?
"Oh, don't get the wrong idea. He saw you at the nanny training center the other day and then mentioned you were alone with the child when he visited you last time. Plus, your friend is getting married, right? You'll definitely need to attend the wedding. It's not convenient with a baby, so he guessed you'd be looking for a babysitter," Yasmine explained.
Jocelyn found the explanation quite reasonable.
"Yeah, that's right," she admitted.
"I'll watch him for you," Yasmine offered eagerly, "I really like kids, especially at this adorable stage. They're fun and just so cute."
Jocelyn was torn between accepting the offer and declining.
"Oh, why don't you let your parents watch him? They must be retired by now, right? They'd probably love to dote on their grandchild. It would be much easier for you," Yasmine suggested casually, knowing how much the elderly loved spending time with grandchildren.
Jocelyn forced a smile, "They've been quite busy lately."
She couldn't very well say the child wasn't hers and that she had no idea how to explain bringing him home.
Mostly, she feared the marriage talks that would inevitably follow in the neighborhood. If she brought a child home now, the neighbors would surely gossip, making explanations all the more difficult.
To avoid these hassles, she decided to look after Euston herself, planning to tell her parents only when she could no longer keep it a secret.
For the time being, she couldn't just take the child home.
"No worries, you take it easy these next few days. I'll look after him," Yasmine offered genuinely, her eyes soft and affectionate as she gazed at Euston. Jocelyn hesitated, "How could I impose?"
"It's no imposition. If I can't be your sister-in-law, at least I can be your friend. Unless you don't trust me with your son," Yasmine challenged, looking back at her. Jocelyn felt cornered by the remark.
Of course, she didn't think Yasmine was a bad person or that she would harm the child, but it still left her feeling uneasy.
"I'll spend today getting to know the little one here," Yasmine decided for herself, "By the way, could you let my brother know I won't be coming home tonight?" Jocelyn didn't quite grasp her meaning.
"Melvin, he drove me here. He's still waiting in the car," Yasmine said, peering out the window, "It's cold outside, so I won't take the baby out. Could you let him know for me?" Jocelyn was speechless. She hadn't expected Melvin to be there too.
What on earth were they up to?
Jocelyn knew she and Castiel had no real relationship, but to the Martinez siblings, she was already a wife and mother. And now the sister was creating opportunities for her to talk to the brother alone, which hardly seemed appropriate. Jocelyn looked at Yasmine, who had Euston laughing with delight. It was clear that Euston liked Yasmine very much. With no other options, Jocelyn wrapped herself in a shawl and stepped outside towards the car where Melvin was waiting.
He sat there, spotting Jocelyn in her cream-colored loungewear and bohemian shawl, looking both gentle and stunningly beautiful. Her current demeanor was very soft and serene, very much the image of a gracious mother.
She was very pretty.
Melvin rested one hand casually on the steering wheel, his gaze fixed on her as she approached.
He must've lost his mind to still be thinking about her.
Watching her clutching the baby and heading off to find a babysitter, those little sparks of hope in his heart flared back to life.
That's why he had asked Yasmine to reach out to her.
Ever since Zephyr dropped those bombshells, Melvin had been toying with the idea of just letting that guy and that woman be together, and then he'd swoop in and take Jocelyn back.
Even with a kid in tow, it didn't matter.
Jocelyn, of course, had no clue what was churning in Melvin's head. She feigned composure as she reached his car and tapped lightly on the window.
The window slid down, revealing that sharply chiseled face.
"Uh... your sister said she's not coming home tonight." Being alone with him, Jocelyn couldn't help but feel a bit uneasy.
Melvin's Adam's apple bobbed, "Okay."
Jocelyn pursed her lips and gave a small nod, unsure of what else she could possibly say.
"Well, I should get going then." She really had nothing left to say, and their encounters were just too awkward.
Melvin simply watched her wordlessly.
With a polite smile, Jocelyn turned to leave.
"Jocelyn." Melvin couldn't hold back.
Hearing him call out to her sent a strange relief through her, as if she had been subconsciously waiting for it.
She turned back.
Melvin pushed the car door open and stepped out, standing in front of her.
The sunlight was rather splendid, casting her in a soft and beautiful golden silhouette.
Their eyes locked, each reflecting the image of the other.