One More Chance
Chapter 40: What is going to happen next?

-Suddenly it's so clear just what I am to you. Am I friend? Am I lover? Do we still need each other? When you touch me, when you touch me, baby I can tell. What do we mean to each other am I friend, am I lover, is it over now? If this is then why bother? Tell me where

do we take it from here. Do you love me still or do you just mean we'll?~~~

-Sérgio Mendes-

I set my alarm clock at exactly 6:00 last night, even though my body knows its getting up routine every morning.

I want to prepare breakfast for Luke. I want to cook something that will ease his hangover because I'm sure the alcohol he drank last night is now slagging through his veins.

Of course, I will also cook his favourite dish to bring into his office for lunch. He didn't have dinner last night and I'm sure he's hungry by now.

But...

I've already prepared the omelette with veggies, whole-wheat toast with almond butter topped with sliced banana and I was about to prepare coffee when Elaine and Rory entered the kitchen with both confusions written on their faces. "Sam, why did you get up so early?" Rory was the first one to ask me.

"Yeah, today is Saturday and little Cali have no school this morning," Elaine said nodding.

"I know, today is Saturday, but this is not for my baby." I shrugged, smiling at them.

But the two exchanged a look and asked me again.

"Okay, we got it, you want to make your breakfast, but why is it so early?" It's Rory who's now taking the apron from the drawer.

"Well... this is for my husband. He was drunk last night, so I decided to prepare breakfast for him that will help him with his hangover."

And that made them stop and exchanged glances again, but because I wasn't looking at them but at the coffee maker, I missed their last reaction. I only turned around when I noticed that they stopped their movement.

"Why? What's going with you guys?" I asked, my eyes were moving from Elaine to Rory and then back to Elaine.

"Uhm... Sam, your husband has already left early this morning." Rory replied.

"What? You're kidding." I just chuckled and then checked the time from the wall clock. It's only 6:30 in the morning and Luke usually going to work by 7:00.

"No, she's not kidding. He left just before you went down the stairs." And now it was Elaine.

My forehead creased as my mouth hung open. He left.

"B-But what time did he leave?"

"I think it was just 10 to 15 minutes before you went down from your room."

"I thought you knew it." My eyes turned to Rory and I shake my head.

"No, I didn't know about it," I said, couldn't help blowing a sigh. I walked to the nearest chair and placed the cup of coffee in front of me on the table. "I didn't know he left that early. We didn't get a chance to talk last night because he was drunk and he said he was tired and sleepy."

They took the chairs on both my sides.

"I noticed his bruised lips this morning. I was about to ask him about it but he got a call."

"Do you have any idea who the caller was?" I asked Elaine who's sitting on my left side.

"No, I don't even have a single clue, but I noticed the sudden change in his facial expression after taking the call..."

I don't know, but what she said suddenly brought weird feelings inside me and made me more curious about what she was about to say more.

"I can't explain it exactly, but he seemed... happy?"

"Hey, why did it sound like a question? He seemed happy? You seemed not sure of what you've seen." Rory was the one who complained for me. Because honestly, I also got confused about what Elaine said.

"Because I told you, I'm not sure--- I mean, I don't know how to describe his emotion earlier. He was frowning then suddenly he smiled and when he noticed that I was watching him, he masked his expression and turned into a poker face. Do you understand what I mean?" "But---"

"Yes, I got it, Elaine," I answered, interrupting Rory from speaking.

We're all turned into silence, but eventually, it was I who broke that silence.

"Just eat the food on the table guys. You can give the driver or even the security guards if you want, I'm going upstairs." I sighed and got up, taking the cup of black coffee with me.

"But how about you? Aren't you going to eat?"

"No, Rory, just take all of it. I'm not hungry." I answered not even throwing a glance on them.

I don't know what is happening to me, but I found it weird. Firstly, Luke came home drunk last night, secondly, he left this morning so early that he didn't even wait for me to wake up or he didn't even wake me up like he did in the past few months. I sighed.

-What's next? What is going to happen next?-'

"Argh!" I said shaking my head... also shaking the negative thoughts that creep inside.

Little did I know that when I left the kitchen, I also left the two who got confused about what's going on between me and Luke.

***

"Hey, are you sure of what you saw earlier about Luke?" Rory immediately turned to Elaine the moment Sam disappeared from their sight.

"You mean his expression when he received the call?"

"Yes, I think you shouldn't have told her about it."

"Huh? But it's her right to know what's going on with her husband."

"I know, but can't you see her reaction---"

"Rory, we both know what Sam has been through all these years. We have seen her sacrifices in their marriage and I'm happy that in the past few months, Luke seemed to show his feelings for her and that he's taking care of her..."

She paused and looked at Rory with sadness clearly shown in her eyes.

"... but there's one thing I didn't tell her."

"What do you mean?" Rory asked her, furrowing her eyebrows.

"I heard Luke mentioned the name of his caller this morning and it's Cherry."

"What---Cherry? Cherry as in the woman of his past?"

Elaine nodded.

"Yes, Cherry as in his ex-girlfriend."

"But that's impossible! There were a lot of women who were named Cherry, maybe it's just a coincidence. Besides, it's been four years when Sam told us that this 'Cherry' left Luke when she knew that Sam was pregnant with her boyfriend." Her voice was a bit loud, so Elaine had to glare at her and motioned her to lower her voice.

She sighed and took a spoon and fork as she listened to Elaine and dig into the delicious omelette on the table.

"Yeah, but I can't think of any woman named Cherry that can make Luke so happy. I swear, if you just saw him earlier, you would understand what I mean."

"Oh, my God! What will happen to them, I mean to Sam if Cherry really came back and take back Luke from her? And for our Cali---"

"What the hell are you talking about? That's not going to happen! Hello--- have you forgotten that Sam and Luke were married? They have been married for four years and they have a daughter, so whatever that 'Cherry' woman does, she can never have Luke again!" Rory sighed loudly.

"I know, they were married and Cherry can't do anything about it anymore, but..."

She sighed again, looking at Elaine who's now waiting at her next sentence.

"... the question is that what if it's Luke? What if he's the one who makes a move to be his ex-girlfriend? What if he lets her take him back and then leave Sam alone?"