Chapter 4: New Names, Old Wounds

When I woke up, the sun was already high, and Alex was gone.

Emily, the new maid, came in to help me with my hair. Through the open window, I could hear sneezing—once, twice, three times in a row.

The housekeeper’s voice floated in from the hall: “Captain, why didn’t you ask for hot water last night? Even if it’s summer, the nights can be chilly. Look at you, catching a cold from a cold shower. I’ll fix you some ginger tea.”

I glanced at Emily, curiosity getting the better of me. “Does the Captain always take cold showers?”

Emily shook her head, “No idea, ma’am.”

I asked her to leave and locked the door behind her.

I started wrapping the bandages around my chest again and again, pulling them tight. Most women these days starved themselves for that model-thin look, but I’d always been too curvy for my own good.

If Captain Mason found that off-putting, maybe it was just the way things were.

Later, I went downstairs to greet Grandma Carol. Alex was already sitting beside her, sipping black coffee from a mug that said ‘World’s Best Son.’

When Grandma Carol saw me, her smile crinkled the corners of her eyes, but it faded quickly when Alex started coughing.

“Alex, I need to have a private word with Jenny. Go get some rest, honey.”

Alex nodded, got up quietly, and disappeared into the hall.

Grandma Carol motioned for me to sit by her on the floral couch. She reached for my hand, her grip warm but trembling, her eyes glassy with tears.

“Jenny, my dear, Alex is lucky to have you. I know this isn’t an easy marriage—not for you.”

Her voice was thick with sadness. “The doctors say his health is failing. We don’t know how much time he has left. The family’s suggested adoption, to carry on the name, but I can’t ask you to tie your life to a dying man just for our sake.”

She squeezed my hand tighter. “If Alex… if it comes to that, I’ll make sure he gives you a proper divorce and sets you up with land and property. You’ll never want for anything.”

I blinked hard, fighting tears. “Thank you, Grandma.”

For so long, I’d felt like a glorified housekeeper. I never expected anyone to think about my future.

For a moment, I hesitated, my mouth dry. It had been years since I’d called anyone 'Mom.' The word felt foreign, heavy with everything I'd lost. I wondered if saying it out loud would make this real—if I could belong to someone again, even just for a while.

Grandma Carol dabbed her eyes and managed a smile. “I’m sorry, honey. Don’t call me Grandma—call me Mom, like Alex does.”

“Mom.”

The word caught in my throat, soft and trembling. She pulled me into a gentle hug. “Good girl. I have one small request. Rachel says you know how to cook healthy meals. From now on, would you be willing to take care of Alex’s meals? It’s a selfish wish—I just want him to have a little more time.”

I nodded, heart swelling with something like hope.

“Thank you, Jenny. Really.”