The question behind the question

While joking and laughing Maria and Laila made their way over the bridge and into town. The first thing that Laila noticed once they were walking in the busy streets, was the mansion on top of the hill behind the town. The mansion where she used to live with Jake, the mansion where she had stood on the balcony overlooking the ocean many times and where her married life with Jake had reached its end. When she saw her former house, Laila immediately began to wonder if Jake was living there in this life as well. If so, was he living there on his own? Or did he perhaps have another special someone in this life as well. Just like she did. As she was lost in her own thoughts, Laila became quiet.

When Laila fell silent because of her staring, Maria looked around to find out why her friend was not responding to her jokes. This was when she saw where Laila's attention had been drawn to and she answered the question that she figured was on Laila's mind. "He doesn't live there. His parents do." Laila was startled by Maria's sudden response and turned around to face her friend. Now that she finally had Laila's attention again, Maria asked, "Is that where you and Jake used to live in the other timeline?"

Laila nodded with a slightly saddened smile on her face. "Was I that obvious?" She asked with a snort, before she answered, "But yes, shortly after we got married, we moved to that mansion. We lived there right up to my shift to this timeline. So, it is a bit weird seeing it again." Being the curious person that she was, Laila used this moment to ask a bit more about what Maria had said. "I didn't expect Jake to not live in that mansion. I figured that he would have built a new life in there in this life. Does he still live in town or is this timeline completely different in that aspect as well?"

Though Maria was unware at first, getting ready to answer Laila's question, it didn't take long for her to realize what Laila was getting at. "Well, I am sure he will inherit the property at some point. I mean he is their sole heir and he has started getting more involved with the family business. I am sure that once he moves up the ranks, that they will give the house to him and move to the countryside permanently."

Halfway through her response, she heard the question behind Laila's question. When she realized this Maria wasn't very happy that her friend seemingly still cared about Jake but she had to accept that this Laila had been in a different relationship with Jake than her Laila. So, without revealing that she knew what Laila was up to, she answered the questions she thought Laila might be interested in without even being asked. Incorporating it in her other answers as if she was completely and innocently unware.

"As a matter of fact, I think I heard something about the conditions surrounding that mansion through the grapevines. I have a few friends who know some of his friends and they told me that the plan was for Jake to move in there with his future wife. But when he didn't get married by a certain age, they decided to move in there themselves instead of leaving the house empty. So, now they live there half of the year and they spend the remainder of the year at their own home, allowing them to have the best of both worlds. With an ocean-view house near the city and a large country house, there isn't much more that they could want." With a chuckle Maria added, "Jake has a nice penthouse apartment in town. So, he can't complain either."

This information gave Laila the opportunity to ask out a few other details but since she didn't know Maria was on to her, she tried to inquire in a 'subtle' way. "Oh, so he isn't married yet. I figured he would have found someone by now." This was her indirect way of asking if he was single or if he had a special someone in his life. She had hoped her question about him still living in town would have brought that information forward, but this would do the trick as well. Though more than wanting to find out if Jake had someone, she wondered why she even cared. Not too long ago running into him had been the worst thing to happen to him and the thought of catching up with him sounded like a nightmare, but now she was inquiring about him all on her own??! No wonder they say that curiosity killed the cat, her curiosity was currently killing her sense of pride and self-respect.

"Well he does actually. He doesn't live at that penthouse apartment alone. He is staying there with someone we both know and hate. So, it shouldn't be long before his parents will hand over the keys and deed to the ocean-view mansion." Hearing this, both Laila's eyes and curiosity grew. In a voice that revealed all her thoughts Laila asked, "Someone we know?!" Maria nodded and said, "Remember that floozy Suzy?" Laila nodded fervently. "Well, after Jake couldn't get you back, he pointed his arrows back towards her after a short period of self-pity that is. Apparently horrible people are most suited to be with other horrible people, because here we are now, many years later and they are still together. So, either Suzy clasped on tightly to this free-meal-ticket or they found something to make this work but either way, I am happy it is her and not you..."