Rise: Populations Crumble, Book 2 by Gandy, A. (read book .txt) 📕

“It is. It is incredibly difficult. I—” She stops, unable to articulate her feelings.

“Would you like to talk about it? I won’t share whatever you tell me. It can stay between us,” I offer, but I sincerely doubt she’ll take me up on it. Although, if you’d asked me yesterday if I’d be having a personal chat with Odette at all, I’d have laughed at you.

She’s silent for a long moment. “No, no—I wouldn’t want to detract from your day. I am sure you and Patrick are off to enjoy your honeymoon.”

I snort. “Not quite. I’ve got time. Come on, let’s go grab that table in the corner.” I walk over, and plop the overflowing plate between us.

She follows, and perches daintily in the chair across from me.

“Don’t be shy—what’s your favorite?” I ask, gesturing to the plate between us.

Her eyebrows lift nearly to her hairline when she takes in the smorgasbord I’ve selected, but she selects a small custard tart dusted with powdered sugar without comment and sets it on her plate.

“So, tell me about you and Dominic. Are you two a good genetic match, at least? Are you friends, or trying to be?”

She tucks her head, and fiddles with the edge of the tart crust before answering, “Not terribly strong, no. Around sixty percent. And in the beginning, we tried to be friends. It isn’t easy for me to open up to people.” She glances up briefly at the admission before continuing to fiddle with the dessert.

“Well, that’s all right. It takes time to build up trust in a relationship. Especially with obstacles to overcome.” The last part is for me, as much as her.

Her mouth is set in a tight line, but she nods. “I thought we had a chance to at least get through this in a companionable way, if not as a true love match. But he’s still pining for Carla, and I am not going to compete for affections that I know I can’t win.”

I reach across and cover her hand with mine. “Hey, there are no guarantees in this life, Odette. You two can still build a friendship, over time. Maybe don’t focus on love first. Maybe you could try to speak openly with him about how you’re feeling, and how it hurts to see him pining for another woman. I can’t imagine him intentionally trying to hurt you. He is probably oblivious. He might not realize that it still hurts, even if you two aren’t in love right now.”

Patrick comes strolling into the dining room at that moment, clearly looking for me. I discreetly wave him off under the table, where Odette can’t see me. He looks surprised at my table companion, but walks back out without her noticing.

“I don’t know if I can, Sadie. He is a good man, but he wants nothing to do with me. How am I supposed to overlook that? How am I supposed to have a physical relationship with someone who I know wants someone else?”

The depth of her problem sinks in, and I feel awful for her. Patrick has his issues, sure. But at least I don’t have to try to make it through this program while watching him pine for someone else, and knowing he’s thinking of another woman. “I’m so sorry, Odette. What’s the alternative? Is there anything you can do? I heard—” I pause, embarrassed that the source of my information is gossip. I clear my throat, and forge ahead. “I heard that you two have already been on an intensive getaway. Is there nothing else the program can offer to help you two work through this? You aren’t the first ones to leave someone else behind.”

“Well, I have an appointment with Melissa to discuss some things. It’s not possible to separate before the three years are up, but, they might be willing to help remove the personal element from the process.” She breaks a single crumb off her pastry, and tastes it.

It takes me a minute to realize what she’s alluding to. “Oh, they’re going to do a fertility treatment for you? That’s pretty invasive, isn’t it?”

She shrugs one shoulder delicately. “Not as invasive as the alternative.”

I can’t contain my snort. “Sorry, I’m not laughing at you. You’re right, I’ve just never heard it put in quite those terms before.”

She looks up again and a smile is playing at the corner of her lips. My heart warms at her willingness to open up to me.

“Well, I really hope they’ll help you, if that is what you’d prefer. And I want you to know, you’re not the only couple here with problems. Patrick and I are working on things, too. It’s not all glitter and rainbows for us.”

The concern on her face is genuine, and I find myself questioning all of my original assumptions about her. “I am sorry to hear that. I hope you two are able to come together and work through it. Is there anything you would like to discuss? I will keep your confidence, as you’ll keep mine.”

I swallow, and suddenly I’m the one staring at my plate, the pastry I’d been enjoying before turning dry in my mouth. “I fell for him, hook line and sinker. And I picked him, out of my other options. Sent other really nice men home, because I was so sure he was it.” I pause, and force myself to meet her eyes. I have nothing to be ashamed of here. “But then, after the wedding, I found out he’d been dishonest with me. It shook me, and it shook my faith in him. My faith in my ability to choose a trustworthy person.”

She shakes her head, her expression grim. “That is hard to recover from. Has he been honest with you since then?”

“I think so. But, it’s hard to trust again. It’s hard to pick myself back up, trust myself to know who I can believe anymore.” A lump forms in my throat. “What if he lies again? What if there’s