Page 250 of Taeja

Her eyes fluttered open.The sunlight streaming through the window almost blinded her. Turning away from the window, Cassedi’s eyes widened at how messy the other side of the bed was.

She jolted up, and the duvet fell, exposing her naked chest while memories rushed to her. “Did I—” She yanked the duvet away, seeing the dried matter between her legs. She covered her eyes with her hands and began to recite theLord’s prayer.

The door opened, and she stopped mid-prayer to peek open an eye. Jerry entered the room holding a tray. He was happy and energetic, just like last night.

Cassedi held the duvet against her body. She couldn’t bear to watch as he approached her.

Not after what happened last night.

He stopped inches away from the bed. “Good morning, Cass.”

She avoided his gaze. “Last night was a mistake.”

He took a moment to reply, “It was not.”

Anger flared in her eyes as she looked at him. “It was.”

“What was a mistake?” Jerry placed the tray on the bedside table before sitting beside her. He laid a hand on her thigh as she tried scooting away. “Us having sex or you liking it?”

Heat rushed to her cheeks. She pried his hand off her body.

Jerry stood, and she forced herself to look at him. “I will be in the living room when you are ready to talk.” He leaned in and kissed her cheek before leaving.

Cassedi got out of bed and hurried to the bathroom, angrily rubbing at her skin and doing her best to wash away all traces of last night. She ran back into the room and grudgingly ate the breakfast he made — nutmeg tea, and a fried plantain with eggs sandwich.

Jerry still wasn’t a perfect cook, but it was the thought behind it.

She ate it all, not even surprised. She needed all the energy she could get after last night.

It’d been a long, long while…

And he still had stamina.

She didn’t even know that men could come that much in one go. Had it been a while for him, too?

As curious as she was, she didn’t want to cloud her mind with any other thoughts. He said he came to talk, so she would listen.

Cassedi took the tray to the kitchen after she finished eating. She placed it in the sink to wash later. She returned to the living room and sat on the sofa furthest from him.

Jerry rested his ankle atop his other foot’s knee. “I know you still have questions that I did not get to answer over the phone, so ask them. I will be completely honest.”

Cassedi recalled how much Jerry apologized and begged for her forgiveness. How he cried and made her laugh. How he pleaded to let her see him…

She cleared her throat, about to answer when her phone rang and the door knocked. “Give me a second,” she said, and Jerry nodded. Standing, she took her phone out of her pocket while approaching the door. Cassedi answered the video call. “Give me a second, Taeja,” she said, and Taeja hummed. She opened the door by a fraction, revealing Wayne with a sleeping ZsaZsa in his arms.

Wayne raised a brow. “Yu forget that yaa keep ZsaZsa, Aunty?”

Cassedi shook her head and opened the door wider. Wayne entered the house. Raising his brow at Jerry while muttering a greeting, Wayne walked toward the guest room. Cassedi followed them into the room and closed the door.

Wayne placed ZsaZsa on the bed while whispering, “Aunty, a which ugly man dat ina yu house?”

Cassedi glared. “Wayne, doh mek mi lose mi faith this morning,” she hissed, and Taeja laughed.

Wayne glanced at the phone. “A Taeja dat?”

“Alie to you,” Taeja joked.

Wayne snickered. “Yu good, mi cousin?”

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