Jaxen choked on his saliva, coughing from the shock. He looked at Alfy incredulously.
“Really?”
He and Alfy had been away only a few days, yet the dynamic between Katelyn and Vincent had apparently evolved so swiftly. Although Jaxen had been making efforts to bring them together, he knew that Vincent was already engaged, and that was the greatest barrier between Vincent and Katelyn. Yet now, they seemed to be on an actual date. This news was unexpectedly pleasant.
Alfy slumped back in her chair, a sense of helplessness washing over her.
“Fake news.”
Jaxen was dumbfounded. Since when had the straightforward Alfy learned to play tricks on him?
He playfully pinched Alfy’s nose, saying, “You little trickster, let’s go in and see for ourselves.”
Alfy paused to think. Sufficient time had passed, and Katelyn likely had completed whatever she needed to. She stood up, nodding in agreement.
“Okay.”
Together, they entered the ward. Inside, Jaxen found Vincent and Katelyn seated properly, engaged in casual conversation. He immediately felt let down, exhaling deeply.
“I was hoping to stumble upon something more exciting. How can you just sit around wasting time?” He casually flopped down on the sofa.
Katelyn, clearly annoyed, rolled her eyes at him.
“Is there nothing else on your mind?” She was genuinely concerned that Jaxen might be a bad influence on Alfy. However, observing Alfy’s astute expression, it appeared she was handling things well. From the opposite side of Katelyn’s hospital bed, Alfy chuckled.
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“Have you finished up everything?”
Katelyn’s face brightened with a smile.
“Yes. What have you been up to lately? Did you enjoy yourself?”
Alfy’s face lit up at the mention of enjoyment, and she nodded vigorously.
“It was amazing! I experienced so many new things!” She excitedly shared the details of her adventures with Katelyn, her energy infectious.
Katelyn was pleasantly surprised to learn that Jaxen had taken Alfy sightseeing, rather than frequenting bars as she had feared. This was a comforting revelation.
Their conversation continued for about thirty minutes. Katelyn, tired from a day filled with surgeries, was worn out, and both Alfy and Jaxen, just back from their journey, were similarly drained. Eventually, Jaxen escorted Alfy home.
Vincent gave Katelyn a meaningful look but chose to leave without saying a word.
In the days that followed, once it was confirmed that Carol’s health issue was completely resolved, Katelyn returned home to focus on her designs. With the jewelry design competition nearing, she had plenty to perfect.
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