Unexpected Encounter: A Second Chance at Love

"Firstly, you need to stop being so hard on yourself. Andrew is your husband, he is yours. And there is nothing wrong in feeling a little possessive over something that is yours," Emma stated.

"Exactly," Tina exclaimed. "And what did you even expect to feel? Nothing? Well, it would be weird if you did not feel anything after seeing a woman who was trying to flash your husband in his office."

"Do you remember that guy I dated for a week?"

"The guy who ate paper or the one who had a very weird accent?" Rachael asked.

"The paper one—" Emma answered. "Anyway, the very next day after our date, I saw him with another woman in a cafe and I felt very weird and jealous. I was so mad at him."

"Wasn't that woman his sister or something?"

Emma nodded. "Yes but that is not the point. I felt that way even though I barely knew that guy."

Rachael kept quiet for a while. She was trying to process everything that had happened. "Do you think Andrew thought I was being unreasonable?"

"Are you kidding me? Men love it when their women get jealous or show signs of jealousy. It's something that boosts their non-existing man ego."

"And what makes you think Andrew wouldn't mind if something similar happens to you?" Tina scoffed. "Given your man's physique and body, he would definitely smack the shit out of the guy who tries to hit on you. He is definitely the kind who doesn't like it when someone even looks at his woman."

"Rach—" Emma placed her hand on hers. "Why are you feeling so hesitant? For one time, can't you just go with the flow?"

"Emma is right, it's been over a year now. Whatever happened in the past doesn't matter anymore."

Both of them were aware that relationships were not easy for Rachael. She had built up a wall around her and was being extra cautious with how and what she was feeling.

"It's time that you let Andrew crack through the wall if he wants to," Emma remarked.

"He really cares for you, I can see it in his eyes," Tina added.

Rachael smiled and nodded. "I know."

Just then Andrew came down. He had already taken a shower and changed into his comfortable home clothes.

He briefly smiled at Emma and Tina before looking at Rachael. "If you need me or anything, I'll be in the garden."

"Okay."

After he left, Emma remarked, "I wonder how big the garden here is."

"It's huge."

"I wanna see it," Tina remarked.

"Oh me too."

…..

[Garden]

Throwing her hand in her mouth, Emma gasped, "Oh my God, this is amazing."

"It's huge—Rach, I am sure you can't wait to make it look more beautiful."

"Not really, I think we are going to leave it this way."

"Why?" Emma frowned.

Hesitating for a while, Rachael answered, "I don't have time—"

"But you love gardening—" Tina stopped midway when Rachael gestured her.

Rachael then glanced at Andrew who was talking over the phone not too far away from them. She was hoping he didn't overhear their conversation.

She then grabbed Emma and Tina's hand and dragged them inside. "Let's go inside and talk."

…..

[Living room]

When Andrew came inside after his brief phone call, only Emma and Tina were sitting on the couch and Rachael was nowhere to be seen

Contemplating for a while, he approached them "Where is Rachael?"

"She went upstairs to change."

"Oh okay."

When he kept standing there, Emma asked, "Do you want something from us?"

"Well—"

"Oh come on, you don't have to feel so awkward around us." Tina remarked. "We are your wifes best friends, you should have a strong bond with us as well."

"Haven't you heard of that phrase?"

"What phrase?" Andrew inquired before occupying the empty couch right opposite to them.

"Keep your wife close and her best friends closer," Emma stated.

Helplessly shaking his head, he chuckled, "You just made that up."

"That's not the point, tell us what you want."

"So Rachael likes gardening—"

"Of course she does, she freaking loves it," Tina exclaimed.

"Trust me when I tell you that woman is a garden freak. She goes crazy over little things remotely related to plants," Emma added.

"One time she made us fly all the way to Paris for some flower exhibition," Tina sighed. "It was crazy."

"Haven't you seen the garden back in her place?" When he nodded, she added, "Well, that's all Rachael's doing."

Andrew raised his brows. "She did that?" When Emma and Tina nodded, he remarked, "That's impressive."

When he saw the garden back in Rachael's parents place, he was very impressed. The garden had all types of flowers arranged like a rainbow. There were different sections for different kinds of roses. The shrubs and plants were neatly trimmed.

Andrew thought the Watson family had some very good and dedicated gardeners but who would have thought it was all Rachael's work.

"I am telling you, the empty garden here must be killing her," Tina sighed.

"Okay forget about the garden—" Emma sat up straight, all ready to have a serious conversation with her best friend's husband. "We didn't get a chance to have a serious conversation with you earlier because you know, things happened very quickly and without our knowledge."

"Exactly, there are a few things we need to tell you."

"O-Okay." The sudden change in tone and posture of the two women who were now giving him danger vibes, kinda made him feel nervous.

"I don't have a better way to say this but—" Pausing for a while, Emma stated, "If you ever hurt Rachael, we both will hunt you down and kick your a*ss."

"Yes and we will make sure that your family line ends with you," Tina added to the threat.

Andrew was speechless. This was the first time someone had openly threatened him like that. He didn't know what to say or how to react.

…..