Jay sat alone in his apartment, deep in thought. He hadn't been able to stop thinking about Riele and the bet he'd made. His heart still ached at the thought of losing her, but he was determined to do the right thing for his friend.
With a sigh, he pushed these thoughts aside and focused on the more pressing matter at hand: finding a female model for the competition. He knew that Kim's success in the competition depended on this.
Jay decided to hit the bars in search of potential models.
As he sipped his drink, his eyes scanned the bar for anyone who might fit the bill. Suddenly, he spotted a woman sitting alone at the bar. She had a striking look with her dark hair and piercing eyes.
He decided to approach her. "Hey, I couldn't help but notice you over here. I'm actually looking for someone for a modeling gig, and I think you'd be perfect."
The woman raised an eyebrow and studied him for a moment. "A modeling gig, huh? What kind of gig are we talking about?"
"A fashion competition.
As the conversation continued, Jay's attention was suddenly drawn to a woman who had just walked into the bar. She had a confident air about her, and he couldn't shake the feeling that he knew her from somewhere.
"Jay, is that you?" A familiar voice called out.
He looked up, and his jaw dropped. It was Jane, Kim's ex-girlfriend. She made her way over to him and gave him a friendly hug.
"Jane, what are you doing here?" Jay asked.
"I live in the area," she replied. "What about you?
"I'm still living in the same place and still working in the same fashion industry," Jay said with a smile.
"Well, isn't that nice?" Jane said.
"What have you been up to?"
"Oh, you know, this and that," Jane replied with a shrug. "I've been working in marketing, but I'm not sure it's really my thing. And my love life has been a bit of a disaster lately. I keep going on dates, but none of them seem to stick." She sighed.
"And then there's my parents. They're both retired now, and they've been driving me crazy. They're constantly trying to set me up with their friends' sons."
"Sounds like you've got a lot on your plate," Jay said sympathetically.
"Yeah, you could say that," Jane replied. "But enough about me. What about you and Kim? I heard you two are business partners now. How's that going?"
"It's going well," Jay said carefully. "We've had our ups and downs, but overall, we make a good team."
Jane gave him a knowing look. "You two have always been close. I'm surprised you never ended up together."
Jay shifted uncomfortably in his seat.
Jane noticed his nervousness.
"That was never really on the cards for us," Jay said, deflecting the question. "We've always just been friends."
She smiled and nodded, not entirely convinced by Jay's response. "Well, I'm glad to see that you two are still close. I know how important Kim is to you."
Jay couldn't help but feel a twinge of guilt. He knew he was keeping something from her, but he wasn't sure how to bring up the subject of Riele.
"About Kim, he's actually the reason I'm here."
"Oh?" Jane raised an eyebrow. "Why's that?"
Jay explained the situation to Jane, leaving out the part about Riele. "We're looking for a female model for the competition, and I thought you'd be perfect. You've got the look and the confidence."
Jane smiled. "Well, I'm flattered. But I'm not sure I'm really interested in getting back into modeling."
Jay could see that she was wavering, and he knew he had to push just a little bit harder. "Think about it, Jane. This could be a great opportunity for you. And it would be a chance for you to reconnect with Kim. He's doing really well for himself, and I'm sure he'd be thrilled to see you again."
Jane bit her lip, considering. "Alright, you've convinced me. But you have to promise me that you won't tell Kim about this. I want it to be a surprise."
"Your secret is safe with me," Jay assured her. "Would you like to join me for a drink?" He offered her a glass.
Jane accepted it and said, "Who am I to say no when you are asking so nicely?"
Jay smiled. He offered her a seat next to him, and they drank.
***
As Riele and Harry walked home from Charlotte's place, the heavy weight of their conversation with her still lingered in the air. Harry broke the silence with a question that had been on his mind since his sister went to the hospital.
"What did the doctor say about mom?" Harry asked. The suspense was killing him.
"The diagnosis is locked-in syndrome," Riele told him.
"What is locked-in syndrome?" he asked, a worried look on his face.
"Locked-in syndrome is a rare neurological disorder where a person becomes unable to move or communicate due to paralysis but remains conscious," Riele explained, her voice filled with sadness. "The brain stem is damaged, which affects the parts of the brain that control movement."
"So, is there a chance that mom will recover from this?" Harry asked, his heart sinking at the thought of losing his mother.
"It's hard to say," Riele replied. "Every case is different. Sometimes people can partially recover from locked-in syndrome, but it's rare and usually takes a long time. Mom could be in this state for the rest of her life."
They walked in silence for a while, both lost in thought about their mother.
"I would love to visit her," Harry said, breaking the silence.
Riele stopped, pulled his brother in, and hugged him. "I know how hard it has been on you; thanks for holding up." She pulled away and pecked his forehead. "We will visit mom soon, okay?"
Harry nodded and hugged his sister.