âWhatâs on your mind?â
Not waiting for an answer, Judie sat down next to her. As Fannie got to know her, she found Judie to be straightforward and spirited. It might have been her newness to the scene, or perhaps Bobbyâs shielding, but Fannie found it hard to hold any resentment toward her. However, the connection to Bobby made interactions with Judie invariably uncomfortable.
âHey, Fannie, youâre not eating much, are you?â
Direct as always, Fannie cut to the chase. âJust say what you want to say. Small talk isnât your strong suit.â
Judie leaned forward, smiling. âDo you genuinely like your boyfriend?â
Fannie had already gone over several scenarios in her head before Judie voiced the question. She had expected her to ask about Bobby, but to her surprise, Judie asked about Jett.
âWhy would you want to know?â
âJust curious.â Judie shrugged. âBobby is such a catch. Why did you give him up for Jett? I heard youâre friends with Jettâs sister. Isnât it awkward to be dating your friendâs brother?â
Fannie might come across as timid and impressionable, but she always stood firm by her opinions and virtues. She wasnât about to let Judieâs words get to her, so she put her fork down and looked at her sternly.
âDidnât you say you wanted to prove yourself in the industry? That youâre more than just a pretty face gaining privileges from your boyfriend? But youâre here, asking me about my dating life. You said you sacrificed a lot and went to great lengths to change agencies, but for what reason? To come to me and ask these silly questions, sounding all jealous?â
âProving myself and asking about you arenât mutually exclusive, are they?â Judie pouted, listlessly tracing circles on the table with her manicured fingers. But she didnât give up prying.
âStill, I want you to tell me what it is about Jett that you find so appealing. I need to know the reason to feel at ease, you know.â
Fannie took a deep breath, keeping a tight rein on her temper. Yet, somehow, she found herself pondering Judieâs question. What did she like about Jett?
Jett was reliable. He had always taken better care of her than Dulce, his sister, and her friend since childhood. Her first reaction when she found out about Jettâs feelings wasnât aversion, but gratitude. It felt like an honor to be liked by someone so outstanding.
Her family liked Jett too. When her grandmother passed away, he was there to handle things. Not many men would go to such lengths.
Truthfully, Fannie had lost count of the favors she owed Jett. She always said she would repay him one day, but she knew she never could.
Picking up her fork again, Fannie finally indulged Judieâs curiosity and said, âYouâre still young. I donât know what your view on relationships is, but for me, Jett is much better than Bobby.â
âOh, I get it,â Judie exclaimed guilelessly. âBeauty is in the eye of the beholder!â
Fannie returned to her food, not responding. But Judie pressed on, asking again, âSo what makes him better? Is he nicer to you than Bobby?â
Fannie found the question amusing. âJett has been incredibly good to me. Bobby, on the other hand, is living a hedonistic lifestyle, flitting around women like a butterfly. You might accept that, but I canât.â
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Message from Noah: Hello, dear readers! Wishing you a wonderful day filled with joy. Weâll be back with new chapters soon. God loves you, and Noah wishes you the best! (>â¿=)â
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