Whispers Turn to Whimpers: Could He Ever Change?

Watching, Derek couldn’t help but glance at Gilbert.

“What are you looking at me for? Did I make things better for them?” Gilbert shot him a glare, pulled out a cigarette, lit it up, and took a deep drag.

See. He had always said she and Edgar were a mismatch. A divorced woman with no solid family backing her up—how could Edgar’s blue-blooded family ever agree to that? Only Sylvia had such whimsical ideas.

Derek looked away, then asked Yates, “So where’s Edgar now? How’s he holding up?”

“He’s got friends; he’s staying with one of them.” Yates shook his head. “But, from what he told me, Sherilyn has cut him off, even blocked him.”

“What?” Derek was startled. “So he ended up with nothing?” Content bel0ngs to Nôvel(D)r/a/ma.Org.

Yet he could understand. “Sherilyn’s not in the wrong here. Clinging to Edgar under these circumstances would just show a lack of maturity…”

“How is that showing a lack of maturity?” Gilbert, who had been silent until now, suddenly spoke up in disagreement.

He put out the half-smoked cigarette in the ashtray, crushing it fiercely, “Was it Sherilyn clinging to Edgar? Or was it Edgar who willingly got involved?”

He knew Sherilyn’s situation from the start. “If he initiated it, he needs to see it through!”

The room fell silent at his words. Derek and Yates exchanged glances, but neither of them said a word..

…

The next day.

At the Lightning Dance Troupe headquarters, Gilbert had been sitting in his sleek Bentley for ten minutes, eyes fixed on the entrance. He didn’t want to miss Sherilyn for the world.

Finally, his gaze shifted, spotting her.

“Sherilyn!” Gilbert got out of the car, hurrying over to her.

Sherilyn looked at him, puzzled about his presence. “Is… something wrong?”

“Yeah.” Gilbert nodded, gesturing towards his car, “Get in.”

“What’s it about?” Sherilyn clutched her backpack strap, hesitant to get in. “We can talk here.”

Did she see him as some kind of monster to be guarded against? Gilbert felt a pang in his heart; if it weren’t for the fact that he was the reason she was a divorcee, he wouldn’t bother with her!

Cough. Gilbert coughed awkwardly, starting, “Look… Edgar seems to be holding up okay. But love is a two-way street; it can’t just be him trying while you don’t put in any effort.”

“What?” Sherilyn was lost, not understanding his point.

“I’ve heard about it,” Gilbert, the meddlesome ‘ex-husband’, earnestly said, “You’ve blocked Edgar, aiming to cut ties completely?”

Sherilyn stiffened. How did he know? What was his purpose in finding her? Was it because she rejected Edgar, and now he was pressuring her again?

“Are you being silly?” She had her thoughts, and Gilbert knew none of them. Speaking in his typically harsh manner, “Edgar got kicked out of his house for you! He’s standing by you, and you just give up at the first sign of trouble! Don’t you love him? Is this how much you love him??”

Sherilyn was stunned.

“What are you waiting for? Get in the car!” Gilbert looked at her, thinking he must be the world's most generous ex-husband.

“Where are we going?”

“To see Edgar, of course!” Gilbert snapped. “Now’s the time for you to comfort him. Why don't you make him completely yours?”

Men understand men better. “A man never forgets the woman who’s there for him when he’s down. Trust me! Let’s go!”