The Heart Left Behind

Chapter 36 I knew Hayden meant well , but his words left me feeling uncomfortable .

Hayden , thank you for your concern , but Im not sure about my feelings right now .

Plus , I have Jonas to think about- Hayden cut me off , Jonas needs a stable family environment too .

You cant keep using your child as an excuse to avoid dealing with your own emotions .

His words stung , but I knew he had a point .

I looked at him and said , Hayden , I know you mean well .

Just give me some time , okay ? Ill think it through seriously .

Hayden patted my shoulder with a satisfied smile , Good , take your time to think about it .

Just remember , happiness wont come looking for you ; you have to pursue it yourself .

After Hayden left , I sat in my office , lost in thought .

While I knew he meant well , matters of the heart were never simple .

Shaking off the thoughts , I decided to focus on work for the rest of the day .

As I was leaving the office that evening , I spotted Lorraine waiting for a ride outside the building .

She waved when she saw me , smiling brightly .

Done for the day ? I walked over and nodded .

Yeah .

How about you ? Just finished up ? She chuckled .

Yeah .

I had to stay late today .

I checked my watch and noticed that it was almost 7:00 pm .

I asked , Have you eaten yet ? She shook her head .

Not yet .

I was just going to throw something together at home .

I thought it over and suggested , Do you want to grab dinner together ? Theres a nice spot nearby .

Lorraines face brightened .

Id love to ! I wasnt looking forward to cooking anyway .

We strolled to a small , cozy restaurant nearby and ordered a few classic dishes .

While waiting for the food , we started chatting about work My company just landed a new project , Lorraine said .

It might mean some overtime for a while .

I nodded understandingly .

The first few days after a new project kicks off are often the busiest .

Just make sure you take care of yourself .

She smiled .

I will .

By the way , hows Jonas doing ? At the mention of my son , I could not help but soften .

Hes doing great .

Hes really into drawing lately and spends every afternoon after school sketching away .

Thats wonderful , Lorraine replied .

Art is great for developing creativity .

I could teach him Chapter to some techniques if youd like .

I looked at her in surprise .

Youre into arts too ? ラップ Lorraine smiled and nodded .

I studied it in college .

Im not an expert , but I could definitely teach a child the basics .

That would be amazing , I said sincerely .

We should arrange that sometime .

After dinner , we decided to take a walk to let the meal settle .

As the night deepened , the streetlights came on , bathing the city in a warm , golden glow .

Have you thought about taking Jonas on vacation when hes a bit older ? Lorraine asked suddenly .

Her question caught me off guard , and I laughed awkwardly .

Honestly , I havent .

Between work and everything else , I never feel like I have the time .

She stopped and looked at me , her expression gentle but firm .

Work is important , but so is spending time with family .

For kids , those experiences become some of their most cherished memories ..

I was quiet for a moment before nodding .

Youre right .

Maybe I should start planning something for us .