Each day passed in gentle tranquility, as if nothing had truly changed.
Naosa’s grief over losing Maggie slowly began to heal—nurtured by Alex’s steady presence and the warmth of those around her.
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One peaceful weekend at Naosa’s home, Alex woke late and wandered into the living room.
There, he found her chatting comfortably with a weathered man in work clothes.
When she spotted him, Naosa smiled brightly.
“This is Jake,” she said. “He’s been taking care of our garden for years. He helps with all sorts of things—he’s basically our go-to handyman.”
Alex greeted him with polite warmth.
When Naosa stepped outside to fetch something from the garden, Jake turned to Alex with unexpected bluntness.
“I’ve seen you at Murphy’s Bar a few times,” he said, eyes sharp. “She’s not the kind of girl you mess around with, son. Find someone else.”
Alex’s expression shifted slightly.
He’d noticed Jake there before.
Looking him straight in the eye, Alex said quietly but firmly, “She’s incredibly special to me. I would never hurt her.”
Jake still looked doubtful, but his tone softened a bit.
“Just don’t mess this up. She’s a good girl.”
“I know exactly what she means to me,” Alex replied with steady conviction. “I won’t let her down.”
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Later that afternoon, they went grocery shopping.
At the store, they unexpectedly ran into Sam—an old friend from Alex’s med school days—along with his wife, Alice, and their three energetic kids.
“Alex? No way!” Sam grinned and reached out to hug him. “It’s been forever!”
Alice stood beside him, visibly tired and not exactly thrilled about the reunion. She remembered Alex’s past—how he’d once broken the heart of one of her closest friends.
As Sam and Alex caught up, Alice kept her arms folded. She didn’t say much.
Just then, Naosa returned from another aisle, holding up a package with childlike excitement.
“Alex! Look—I finally found it!” she called, hurrying over with sparkling eyes.
Alex’s expression softened instantly. “I’m so glad,” he said, smiling at her.
Alice’s eyebrows rose slowly—then furrowed into something unreadable.
“Alex?” Sam asked, glancing between the two of them.
Alex stepped forward. “This is Nao—my girlfriend.”
Naosa blushed slightly and offered her hand with radiant sincerity.
“It’s lovely to meet you,” she said with gentle charm.
Sam, grinning, invited them to join for lunch nearby.
Alex looked at Naosa questioningly. She nodded right away.
Alice shot her husband a subtle, warning glance but said nothing.
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They ended up at a casual family restaurant.
The kids were wild. The baby started fussing. Alice looked like she was on the verge of a meltdown.
Sam and Alex fell into easy, animated conversation—laughing like they were twenty again.
But just as Alice opened her mouth to scold the boys, Naosa stepped in.
With just a few soft-spoken words, she had them sitting properly, listening intently. The baby stopped fussing.
Alice set the stroller beside her chair, then blinked in surprise.
When the food arrived and the boys started to get rowdy again, Naosa calmed them just as easily.
Alice stared in disbelief.
“It’s… like magic,” she murmured.
Naosa gave a modest smile. “I volunteer in a pediatric ward, and I’ve helped raise my nephew since he was a baby. These boys remind me so much of him.”
Alice visibly relaxed. The mood around the table shifted.
Warmth returned. Conversation flowed more easily.
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As they were saying their goodbyes, Alice deliberately lingered.
While Naosa crouched to hug the boys, Alice pulled Alex aside.
Quietly but pointedly, she asked, “What exactly are you planning to do with a girl like that?”
Alex blinked. “What do you mean?”
“You’re not a kid anymore, Alex,” she said. “You need to get serious. That girl deserves better than your usual track record.”
Then Sam added, “A lot of us are settling down now—families, children… You should think about your future too.”
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On the drive home, Alex was quiet.
Their words echoed in his head.
Deb. Jake. Alice. Sam.
One by one, everyone seemed to be questioning whether he was good enough for her.
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That night, in the quiet darkness of Naosa’s room, he hesitated—then asked softly,
“The term’s almost over now. Have you thought about what you want to do after this?”
Naosa turned toward him. “I thought… I’d come back to your team. Is that not okay anymore?”
He swallowed. “I just… I’m not sure it’s what’s best for your career. Maybe it’d be better if you joined Deb’s team.”
She tilted her head. “Why do you think that?”
He struggled to answer. “I want you with me more than anything. But I’m afraid I’ll hold you back.”
Naosa was quiet for a long moment. Then she said calmly,
“I see. Then I’ll apply to a research institute elsewhere. If it’s far, I’ll move. Maybe Wexley has something.”
Alex’s heart dropped. “Wexley?” he blurted. “No. Please—don’t do that.”
She looked at him directly. “Because I’m your girlfriend, I can’t stay? That’s what this means, right? I can’t be with you and stay on your team?”
He winced. “That’s not what I meant.”
“It doesn’t have to be Deb’s team,” she said. “But if I can’t be in the lab with you, maybe I should just go.”
She sat up straighter. “Do you honestly think it would be better if we broke up?”
Her voice was calm. Her gaze unwavering.
Alex’s panic surged. “Absolutely not.”
Without another word, she turned her back to him and pulled the blanket tightly around herself.
“Good night,” she said quietly. “Don’t touch me tonight.”
Alex lay there in silence, holding her from behind even as she turned away, his heart pounding.
Completely lost.
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