"So…?" asked the man, smiling from ear to ear. "I had no idea you'd be asking me out for lunch first," he continued.
Sarah smiled shyly when she heard Arthur's words. As the man said, she's the one who asked him to lunch.
The twins have already entered elementary school, and they will come home a little later than when they were still going to kindergarten. So Sarah used her free time to meet up with Arthur this noon.
"I have something to tell you," Sarah said quietly and still trying to smile
"Oh!" Arthur's face changed to one of surprise. He didn't expect that at all.
"What's that?" Arthur asked curiously.
"I'll let you know when we're done eating," Sarah replied then licked her lips. She suddenly felt nervous.
What she was going to tell Arthur this time wasn't good news for him, so Sarah wanted him to at least have lunch first.
Arthur, who didn't know that it wasn't good news at all, couldn't help but smile when he heard that. He was really curious about what Sarah would say.
Not long after, their food was brought by the waiter, and Arthur began to ask Sarah various questions. Like what she does on the weekends, and how are her kids.
During the meal, Sarah had a hard time swallowing her food when she saw how happy Arthur's expression was now, and she was sure that expression would soon change because of what she was about to say. It makes Sarah feel uncomfortable.
'You've made your decision, Sarah! Strengthen your resolve!' Sarah thought as she faltered again.
Arthur was a good man, and she shouldn't have done this to him. However, Sarah had made her decision.
"So?" Arthur asked when they had finished their main course and were waiting for dessert to come.
He couldn't wait to hear what Sarah had to say.
Sarah didn't answer right away, she took her drink and took a sip, then looked at Arthur right before his eyes.
"I think… we should just be friends," Sarah said, sounding cold and her expression firm.
She knew she shouldn't look cold like this, and apologized to Arthur. However, Sarah thought this was the best for both of them.
"Oh!" That was all Arthur's lips could let out. His previously happy expression immediately turned to surprise when he heard that.
He had never expected Sarah to say this. He noticed the change in Sarah's behavior while eating, but he didn't think that it was because Sarah wanted to end their relationship.
Wait a minute. Could it even be called a relationship?
"Yeah," Sarah replied, nodding her head. "I'm really sorry about that, Arthur."
In the end, Sarah couldn't stop herself from apologizing when she saw the sad expression on Arthur's face. She wanted to end this in a cool way, but she couldn't seem to do it.
She really felt sorry for Arthur.
To be honest, she really wanted to give Arthur a chance, as the man had asked for, and from their dates, Arthur never made the chance go down, but rather increased because she had so much fun during her date with Arthur.
However, yesterday's incident changed everything. Michael's position, which had been at or below Arthur's level, had immediately increased drastically because of them cuddling on the bed.
Sarah admits that her feelings for Michael are still there, maybe not as much as nine years ago, but she wants to give their relationship a chance.
To be honest, Sarah could still give Arthur a chance, but that would only make her feel confused, and neither Arthur nor Michael deserved to be treated that way by her.
"No problem, don't apologize," said Arthur who had regained his senses from his shock.
"From the start, I knew that this would be a difficult case," he continued while trying to smile even though his heart was really sad right now.
"Eh?"
"Ah!" Arthur realized what he had just said. "I mean, I didn't mean to take you as a case. It's like an analogy," Arthur continued hastily before Sarah took offense.
"In my job, there are cases that are easy to win, there are also very difficult cases with little chance of winning. You're like the latter," Arthur explained with a faint smile.
"Why?" Sarah asked, suddenly curious. "Am I too cold?" she continued in confusion.
Unlike Arthur who actively asked when they were on a date, Sarah answered more often and asked only a few questions.
"It's not like that, I have absolutely no problem with cold women," Arthur replied with a chuckle.
"I mean that… you live with your ex-husband, and you see each other every day. That alone has made my position a bit behind. That's why you want us to be friends, right?" Arthur asked casually.
To be honest, Arthur felt sad that his feelings didn't reach Sarah, but Arthur was quite able to accept her decision.
Sarah's mouth opened in surprise at what Arthur had said. She didn't expect Arthur to think of her like that.
Sarah then nodded, answering Arthur's question.
"But we can still be friends, right?" Arthur asked, looking at Sarah. "After all, I am your old friend, and your lawyer. This won't make us awkward, right?"
Sarah's lips immediately formed a smile when she heard that question.
"Of course. Thank you. I'm sure you will meet a good woman," Sarah said sincerely and looked relieved.
She was actually a little worried that her relationship with Arthur would become awkward, or that Arthur would get angry upon hearing her decision.
However, Sarah was relieved that Arthur had accepted her well. After all, Arthur was a friend she had known since childhood, and Sarah didn't want to lose her childhood friend.
***
Sarah looked at her two kids who were now sitting in front of her, their face looked confused, because suddenly she called them to sit at the dining table.
"Is it time for dinner, Mommy?" asked Raphael in confusion.
"But uncle hasn't come back yet and the sun not set, yet" Gabriel replied, turning to his brother.
He then turned to Sarah. "Can I have the cookies, Mommy?" Gabriel asked then looked at the plate of cookies Sarah had just baked on the table.
"Of course, you can eat it," Sarah replied with a smile.
After hearing that, they immediately took the cookies and ate them.
"Raphael, Gabriel," Sarah called after a moment.
"There's something Mommy wants to talk to you about."
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