Chapter 4
During the one-month waiting period, Jayden hardly came home.
On the rare occasions he did, he only dropped by to shower and change before heading out again.
One night, I woke up to the sound of movement in the living room.
Jayden was on the couch, talking on the phone.
His voice was low, but in the quiet of the night, every word came through loud and clear.
"How long are you going to keep this up?
"I'm getting divorced. What else do you want from me?
"Alright, whatever you say. I'll take you to meet my mom next week," he said.
I stood barefoot in the doorway of the bedroom.
The floor was cold beneath my feet.
Jayden hung up, fumbled for a cigarette on the coffee table in the dark, and lit it.
As the lighter flickered, he spotted me.
"Why are you awake?" he asked.
"Just thirsty," I said quietly.
I slipped past him into the kitchen for a glass of water.
His hand shot out, catching my wrist.
"Anna," he called, a hint of uncertainty in his voice. "You don't take my words about divorce seriously, do you?"
I looked at him.
In the darkness, his silhouette was still as striking as ever.
He looked just like the boy who had taken me away from home when I was sixteen.
But he wasn't the same person anymore.
"Nah," I said.
He let go of my wrist and let out a soft laugh. "Good."
I went back to the bedroom, closed the door, and slid down to sit against it.
My phone buzzed with a goodnight message from Gavin, along with a link to the official website of a perfume studio in Miranland.
[The owner once used a fragrance that was almost identical to the osmanthus one you made last fall. You should check it out when you're there.]
He never urged me to get a divorce, never spoke ill of Jayden, and never pressured me into making any decisions.
He was always there, quiet, steady, reminding me in his way that life could be different.
The next day, I opened the email from Essence & Co. and replied: [I'm free.]
*****
Linda scheduled a video call with me.
I told her ahead of time that I might have trouble talking to strangers.
She said it was totally fine. I could type instead if that was easier for me.
On the day of the meeting, I sat in front of my computer, taking deep breaths for a long time.
I kept my camera off.
Linda sounded professional, but she wasn't intimidating at all.
"Branche," she said, "we've been following your work for over a year.
"After your Snow Falls in Silence was recommended by several bloggers last year, our R&D team broke it down and analyzed it in detail.
"The conclusion is that we cannot recreate it.
"Your formula has a truly distinctive sense of balance. Our director described it as listening to a melody without words."
I typed: [Thank you.]
Linda continued, "What we're offering is for you to be the lead perfumer for our new line.
"This isn't some behind-the-scenes gig; we want your name front and center. It's a real partnership.
"The brand will carry your name: Branche."
My fingers froze. [You mean an independent product line?]
"Yeah," Linda replied. "We'll handle everything from R&D to production and distribution. All you have to do is what you do best: create the fragrances.
"Of course, we can take our time with the contract details. This is just the first step.
"There's one more thing."
Her tone turned a bit more cautious. "Next month, we're holding our annual new product launch in Miranland.
"Dozens of international buyers and media representatives will be there.
"If it's convenient for you, we'd really love for you to attend in person.
"No need for a speech, just show up."
Miranland? The same place as Gavin's ticket.
I typed: [I'll think about it.]
"Of course, no rush," Linda replied.
After the meeting, I sat in the storage room, zoning out.
Suddenly, I heard the sound of keys turning in the lock outside.
Jayden was back.
It was rare for him to be home during the day.
He pushed open the door to the junk room, scrunching up his nose. "What's that smell?"
"I was mixing—"
"Alright, alright," he waved me off. "My mom's coming over tomorrow. Tidy this room up, don't let her see all this mess."
His eyes swept over my fragrance rack, like it was garbage.
"And wear something normal tomorrow. Not that gray thing," he added.
"Okay."
"Oh, right." He leaned against the doorframe, like he just remembered. "Sophie's been causing a lot of drama. I might have her over for dinner next week."
I looked up. "What?"
"It's just dinner. I'll say she's my friend's sister."
"In our home?"
"It's not going to be our place next month anyway," Jayden said casually. "Play along."
He turned and walked off.
I watched him disappear at the end of the hallway.
The scent strip in my hand was crumpled from my grip.
I pulled out my phone and sent a message to Gavin. [Can you change the date on that Miranland ticket for me?]
Gavin: [What date do you want?]
[As soon as possible.]
After a few seconds, Gavin replied: [There's a flight in three days.]
[Okay.]
[Anna.]
[Yeah?]
[What happened?]
[I want to get out of here.]
Gavin didn't press further. [I'll wait for you.]