Substitute Mother

Chapters 157. Advice From Friends

Too late to regret his decision ‘back’, because when he heard the news of Aera's pain from Hannah, Judith's common sense was not able to think clearly. All he wanted was to be near the little guy as soon as possible. Regarding anything else, it was not at all different in his mind.

The other thing that is meant is. Jeanno Alexander.

It was not impossible that there would be a meeting with the man considering that his only daughter was ill. Jeanno couldn't possibly not look after Aera despite her trauma to the hospital. It was too late to run when the figure was currently facing him. Petrified, with a flat expression as usual. If Judith had been more thorough, she could have seen the deep fondness of her master's eyes twinkle.

Jeanno took a step forward, bringing the opposite reaction to Judith moving backwards, seeming to dodge. The man stopped, clenching his hands tightly. There was a spark of pain seeing his opponent look scared. Jeanno did not blame Judith, it was only natural that the woman was reluctant to be near her again.

“The heat has gone down. But he still doesn't want to eat”

The two adults began to rule out any sense of chest, now turning towards the bed where there is a tiny body Aera there.

“He keeps delirious of your name in his sleep. Sorry, I don't mean to bother you anymore, Judith. Aera does not want to eat even though I have persuaded many times. My only hope is. you”

Judith nodded slowly, understanding Jeanno's desperation that made her want Judith to be here, not longing in the heart. Trying to get back to reality, Judith must once again suppress the bitterness that she is no one in Jeanno's eyes other than her daughter's surrogate mother.

“Master does not interfere. I myself decided to come to Kari”

Jeanno did not respond to anything other than allowing Judith to sit in her original place, which was beside Aera's bed. No one meets, only silence envelops. Judith, whose breath was short of sight of the usually cheerful child, was now lying pale and thin. It had been counted for three days that he had not video call with Aera. The reason is because the store is crowded and he has difficulty stealing time. Let alone video calls, for lunch he had trouble if not for Owen delivering him food.

There was guilt there, because at first Judith thought that if it limited her communication with Aera, the little girl could slowly forget her existence. If Aera had forgotten about him, then it would probably have been easier for her to escape Jeanno Alexander's shadow. Sebersit selfish plan that even ‘probably’ a holy soul who only wants affection from a mother.

“How are you doing..?”

The movement of the fingers that were tidying up Aera's blanket stopped. Without looking back, just looking from the tail of the eye alone, Judith nodded stiffly. “Good, tuan”

“I heard from Mark that you've opened your store. Congratulations, Judith”

He gave a thin smile. “Thanks”

Just like that, the awkwardness that thickened into the atmosphere of the nursing room. Jeanno said she wanted to find coffee in the hospital cafeteria. Either just an excuse, or because he himself could not stand the increasing distance. Much different from their interactions, yes how else. Blame him himself, Jeanno himself created the flag of war. Even though they are now at peace, conditions will never return the same.

Jeanno rubbed his face rough. There are various feelings raging in him right now. It was nice to meet Judith, but it was painful to see how much she kept her distance. Even to look right at his eyes was reluctant. Judith had no idea how much Jeanno wanted to hold her. Smelling the scent of the body that he could only sip in a room that had been inhabited for months.

“Looks like I do need a lot of coffee” murmur full of frustration.

**

Jeanno returned early in the morning, when he had finished forcing his ego not to pull Judith into his arms. The nursery was quiet, he could see from the clear glass tucked in the door. His little daughter was still sleeping with her palms in the grasp of her adoptive mother. While Judith, putting her head on the edge of Aera's bed, appears to be asleep in a sleeping position.

Jeanno was about to turn the knob, along with Aera's whining in her sleep. His forehead creased and his lips murmured something that had been said in the few days he was sick.

Mama Judith's.

A whimper that reflexes makes Judith aware. The woman immediately rubbed Aera's head dearly, whispering something while kissing her forehead gently. Before long, Aera's deep frown disappeared, her stuffing subsided. The little girl was back in a dream.

Jeanno was there, lonely nights when Aera muttered her beloved name. The figure that was currently very far away from him. Ironically, when Jeanno first brought Judith to him. It offers the beauty of the whole family that Aera had not felt when the late Nayara was still alive. When unfortunately it has grown and doubled, Jeanno also dragged Judith away. Forcibly take away that warmth, leaving nothing but a piercing cold.

Judith did not go back to sleep. Don't know what to talk about, because Judith's position is against the door. But as Jeanno saw, the woman stood up. The fingers were still rubbing the back of Aera's hand while the other hand was stroking her mane gently.

That night, Jeanno decided to fall asleep on the waiting bench outside the nursery.

**

Jeanno only grimaced at Tyona's sneer. The beautiful woman rubbed her distended stomach, making her movements not as swift as before. “The prediction is when?”

“Two weeks again”

Alexander's man smiled wryly. So much upheaval that happened to make Jeanno forget this good friend. Even missed the happy news as well as sad news from a close friend. It was only after Aera became ill that Jeanno resumed communication with Tyona.

“You haven't answered my question” Forehead Jeanno wrinkled. “Which one?”

“What happened between you and Judith? You disappeared a few months, Jean. I thought you were happy with her and decided to forget your agreement” Tyona grimaced, the baby just kicked hard enough. He nodded when Jeanno asked ‘you're okay?’.

“Too long. Maybe I'll tell you when you've given birth. I'm afraid you'll be emotional and impact not good for your baby”

Tyona squinted her eyes. “If your story makes me emotional, there must be a mistake there. And I'll make sure you make a mistake. Right, right?”

Undeniably, Jeanno just shrugged his shoulders.

“So when I visited, Aera was sitting and brushed her hair by Judith while chatting. Your daughter looks cheerful and very vocal. All of his stories were well received by Judith. I have to say this, Jean. that Aera this morning was very different to Aera before Judith came. You really suck”

“When you decided to part with Jeffrey while your baby was about to be born, what made you finally make this heavy choice? What convinced you?”

Tyona chuckles. “Jeanno Alexander is kinked with how to switch chat topics, huh? Really coward”

“Come, Anna. I just want to hear your point of view. Although Judith wasn't her real mother, I felt guilty for being the reason my daughter couldn't be with Judith. I want to hear your story, because later your baby will grow up without a father figure who lives one roof with him. Our story is different but similar. You know what I mean, right?”

Still smiling, Tyona leaned on her back against the sofa. “Deciding to part is not easy, Jean. Especially when I've spent so many years with Jeff. But if you have to continue the marriage whose foundation is already fractured, it will be much more difficult”

“After spending the holidays together, I thought. Do I have to forgive my husband, and start all over with our son, as if the tempest had never happened? moreover Jeffrey was so considerate of me, treating me like a queen. But I remember, it wasn't just me she ever cried out to be. There are other women who are also pregnant with”

“If you speak rights, of course my position is much more profitable than his affair. I once thought, to take back what is rightfully mine. It's okay if the woman languishes behind Jeffrey, because from the beginning she snatched what wasn't hers. But on the other hand, if I make the decision to stay with Jeff, that means I don't respect myself. It wasn't me who marred our marriage. I am not the one who betrayed. If we stay together, it is not impossible that another ‘api’ will appear in the future. Fights for quarrels that are not well heard or seen by my son”

“So after a long and mature thought, I decided to let go of Jeffrey. I decided to be free, Jean”

Jeanno grabbed the back of Tyona's hand, rubbing it to provide support as a friend. “Your divorce process only takes place after you give birth. What if you change your mind?”

Tyona. “I can't guarantee I won't change my mind. But for now, the desire to return has not existed at all. As for my baby not having two parents under one roof, it was an expensive price that I had to pay for our freedom. It was better not to live together, but he knew his father as a loving and loving figure. Compared together and knowing the ulcers of his father”

“You made a big mistake that made Aera lose her mother figure again. But on the other hand you want Judith to stay when you're the one who's wrong here. While there is no clear bond. Jeanno, listen to me..”.

Jeanno. Looking straight at the woman he already considered to be his older sister.

“Judith is also a common woman. You guys stayed together for six months. Maybe for you it's short and doesn't mean anything, but for Judith, whose heart does anyone know? Your agreement says you can't fall in love. But a lot can happen in six months, Jean. Your little heart wants Judith to stay, for Aera's sake.?

“No woman wants to be hanged without clarity. Especially having to live in the shadow of another woman. If I were in Judith's position, I would probably do a much more extreme thing, which is to go as far as possible. Disconnect all forms of communication including with Aera. But instead of that, Judith still thinks of Aera as her own child. Even willing to come out of his escape to meet the little one who is sick”

“Judith must be confused, the position now is what in your eyes? Nayarakah's Substitute? If it is Nayara's replacement, it must be more specific. Nayara's replacement in Aera's eyes, or Nayara's replacement in your eyes? Jeanno, they may be blood but still Judith and Nayara.

“I think you should lower your ego, start to recognize your own feelings. What you feel for Judith. If you love her, show her, fight. But if you see it as a shadow of Nayara, then release”

“Regarding Aera, it's time you were honest that her late mother was dead. Talk slowly that Judith has a life of her own, which will not always be there for Aera”

**