Our Accidental Forever
Chapter 68: What Just Happened

Chapter 68: What Just Happened

Ella’s POV:

Kate’s laughter echoed through the hospital room, her eyes dancing with mischievous delight as she mimicked Joanne’s overly sweet tone. "Oh, anything for Arec’s close ones," she cooed, putting on a mockingly sophisticated voice that had me practically in tears.

"Stop," I said, covering my mouth to stifle the laughter. "You’re going to get me kicked out of here."

"Oh, come on, don’t tell me you didn’t feel the ice daggers coming from her smile," she teased, twirling an imaginary curl like Joanne had done earlier. "The girl has a PhD in fake niceties."

I shook my head, grinning. "Okay, okay, maybe she does. But let’s give her the benefit of the doubt."

Kate raised an eyebrow, smirking. "Fine, you can be the nice one. But, Ella," she paused, her tone shifting, growing serious. "I don’t trust her. There’s something about her that rubs me the wrong way."

The lightness in my chest faded slightly as I nodded. "You’re not the only one who feels that way. I’ve been trying to tell myself I’m just imagining things, but..."

"She’s got bad vibes. Trust your gut on this one," Kate insisted, reaching for my hand. "Arec might see her one way, but that doesn’t mean you have to. Just be careful."

I gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. "I will. Promise."

The heaviness lifted as Kate smiled again, tilting her head playfully. "Enough about her. Tell me about the wedding plans! How’s everything coming along? Do I need to start designing my angelic bridesmaid dress?"

I chuckled, glancing down at my stomach. "Well, Arec’s grandmother has taken over the planning, so... I guess that means everything will be done to perfection, right? She’s already picking out flowers, menus, colors, you name it. She’s practically running a wedding empire."

Kate rolled her eyes in mock horror. "Oh, Lord, and here I was thinking it would be a cozy little affair. Should I expect swans and ice sculptures?"

"Wouldn’t surprise me," I laughed. "But hey, I’m just happy you’re going to be out of here in time for it. You’re still okay with being my maid of honor, right?"

Kate threw a hand dramatically over her chest. "Okay? I’d have risen from the dead if I had to! The chance to walk down the aisle with all eyes on me? There’s no way I’d miss it."

We both burst out laughing, and for a moment, everything felt so blissfully normal. It was hard to believe that just days ago, everything had been in chaos. My heart felt lighter as we chatted, her jokes and exaggerated expressions making me forget every bit of tension.

But then a soft chime echoed through the hospital speakers, signaling the end of visiting hours. My heart sank, but I managed to hold my smile as I stood to leave. "Alright, I’ll let you rest. But I’m coming back tomorrow, and we’ll continue planning your fabulous bridesmaid debut."

Kate pulled me into a tight hug, her smile softening. "Don’t you forget it. And tell Arec to give me a big smooch on my behalf, okay?"

I laughed, giving her a playful nudge. "Sure thing. And the baby says ’bye-bye’ to Aunt Kate." I placed a hand on my stomach, which earned a delighted squeal from her.

With a wave and one last shared grin, I left the room, feeling lighter than I had in days. But as I stepped out of the hospital, my lighthearted mood evaporated in an instant. Joanne was standing by my car, her figure outlined by the dim parking lot lights. She looked up as I approached, her smile somehow warmer than it had been inside, but the sight of her waiting there sent a shiver down my spine.

"Joanne?" I stopped a few feet away, trying to mask my surprise. "I thought you’d left already."

"Oh, I wanted to, but..." She trailed off, glancing down for a moment before meeting my gaze again, her expression softening. "I wanted to talk to you, actually. I felt like... maybe we started off on the wrong foot."

I blinked, taken aback. This was... unexpected. "Um, okay..."

She shifted, fidgeting with the strap of her purse, her voice turning almost apologetic. "I know I haven’t exactly been warm or friendly. I suppose I just... I thought you didn’t like me."

I stared at her, struggling to process this sudden change. "I... didn’t realize you felt that way," I said slowly, still unsure where she was going with this.

Joanne gave a small, self-deprecating laugh, looking down at the pavement. "I can be a little overprotective of Arec. We’ve been friends for so long, you know? And I guess... I thought you were just using him for his status or something. But I’ve seen how much you two care about each other, and I... well, I’d like to be friends, if you’d give me a chance."

Her words left me speechless. I had spent so much time feeling wary of her, and now here she was, extending an olive branch. Part of me wanted to be suspicious, to question her intentions, but another part of me was just... tired. Tired of constantly feeling like I was on guard.

And yet, even as I considered her words, a part of me wondered what Joanne would think if she knew the truth, that Arec and I weren’t truly in love, that our relationship was built on a contract, nothing more. Would she still be so eager to "make peace" if she knew?

"Joanne," I began, searching for the right words, "I... I didn’t know you felt that way. I guess I misread things, too."

She nodded, relief flashing in her eyes. "I really hope we can start over. I’d love the chance to show you who I really am. I don’t want there to be any hard feelings between us, especially since..." She paused, glancing down at my stomach. "Well, you’re going to be family soon."

She might have noticed my bump inside the hospital room, or maybe Arec told her, but none of that matters because we weren’t hiding it in the first place. I forced a smile, even though the idea of "family" felt a little surreal in this context. "Sure. I’d... I’d like that."

Her face lit up, and before I knew it, she’d stepped forward, wrapping her arms around me in a quick, cheerful hug. "Thank you, Ella," she murmured, pulling back with a bright smile. "I know it must seem sudden, but I really am sorry for how I’ve acted. And... I’m sorry about your friend, too. I hope she gets better soon."

She waved one last time before slipping into her car, her cheerful goodbye lingering in the air as she drove off. I stood there for a long moment, watching her taillights disappear into the night, a strange, hollow feeling settling in my chest.

"What just happened?" I whispered to myself, the silence of the parking lot answering with a heavy stillness.