, Although Susie's surgery went off without a hitch, her road to recovery was paved with potential setbacks. She couldn't be left alone. Ernest managed to find a caregiver for the daytime hours, but come evening, he made it a point to be by Susie's side., This arrangement meant I saw a lot less of Ernest. After all, our day jobs kept us busy.,

"I'm available,

" Ernest surprisingly agreed.,

"And Susie...?

" I began, but Ernest cut me off before I could finish.,

"I've got it covered,

" he reassured me, his commitment shining through.,

"It's been a while since we've had quality time together,

" he admitted, his forehead pressed against mine. My heart couldn't help but ache a little., And why wouldn't it? If he was spending every waking moment caring for Susie, there was no time left for me., I knew I couldn't be jealous, but that didn't mean I didn't feel a bit hurt., The championship Jefferson was competing in was miles away in Fenton. Ernest and I caught a flight to get there. Stepping off the plane, we were surprised to find someone holding up a sign for us, courtesy of Jefferson., I hadn't expected Jefferson to be so thoughtful., I was glad I made the trip; it would have been a shame to miss out on his considerate gesture., Plus, sharing the flight with a bunch of his fans was an eye-opener. I hadn't realized just how popular Jefferson was., Even before we reached the venue, the sheer enthusiasm of the fans was infectious.,

"I can't believe how popular Jefferson is,

" I mused.

"All these years, I just thought of him as the guy running the pool hall.

", Ernest remained quiet, his typical stoic self, but I didn't mind., Especially since he wasn't all that familiar with Jefferson, I took the opportunity to paint a picture of Jefferson's pool prowess, not forgetting to mention a few of my own victories against him., When the car finally stopped, I eagerly asked the driver,

"Is Jefferson staying at this hotel too?

",

"Seems like it,

" the driver's response thrilled me.,

"I'll introduce you to him tonight,

" I said, slapping Ernest on the back., He didn't respond, his expression sour., I could tell something was up. Except for the early days of our, acquaintance, Ernest had neveel, I like this before.,

"Ernest, what's wrong?

" I confronted him., He remained silent, which only served to irritate me.

"Ernest, talk to me.

",

"Do you like Jefferson?

" he suddenly burst out, his voice heavy with emotion.,

"What?

" I couldn't help but laugh.,

"All you've done is talk about him the whole trip,

" Ernest's voice was laced with hurt., It dawned on me then-he was jealous., never gone, Seeing this side of him was rare. He, got this way with Conrad, but Jefferson had somehow managed, to stir his jealousy. , So, I teased him by nodding, “Yeah, I do like him. Wouldn't have talked about him so much otherwise.

", Pet, Ernest's mood visibly darkened. I expected him to say more, but he simply stated,

"Let's go,

" and started pulling his suitcase., I didn't follow., He stopped and looked back at me.

"Aren't you coming?

",

"I'm upset you're being so petty,

" I admitted, a bit more petulant than usual., With Conrad, I was always composed and gracious—a perfect lady., But with Ernest, I found myself acting more like a whimsical girl., Ernest sighed, stepping back to face me.

"It bothers me, hearing you praise another man nonstop.

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