11 YES, I DO LOVE HER

Jason and Olivia entered the room to find Evelyn smiling and laughing while having a conversation with Henry.

"Good evening, Mrs. Smith. How do you feel now?" Jason asked, walking closer to the edge of the bed.

"I'm perfectly fine." She replied with a genuine smile on her face.

"Can you two please leave us alone for a while?" Evelyn said to Olivia and Henry.

"Sure, Mom." Olivia gave her a light kiss on the forehead and then excused herself.

"Let's go, Dad." She said as she walked towards the door.

"Okay, but don't take too long. Remember what the doctor said." Henry reminded her before planting a soft kiss on her head then he left.

"Come, have a seat here," Evelyn said as she tapped a spot on the bed continuously.

Jason took a silent, deep breath before approaching the spot. He sat down near her legs that were covered with a sheet and tried to maintain a good distance between them.

"I want to apologize for the way I treated you earlier, it's bad of me to treat you that way and I am deeply sorry." Evelyn had no problem apologizing to him especially when she was aware that she treated him unfairly.

"You don't have to apologize to me, you have every right to react that way." Jason took his time to understand the whole situation and he realized she was not wrong to react that way.

"I insist, accept my apology." Evelyn insisted.

"If you insist, then it's fine, I accept your apology." Jason said with all honesty.

"Thank you." Her small lips formed a little smile.

"Hmm…" He made a short sound as he folded his hands together on his lap.

"You know, ever since we had Olivia, I have always prepared for that special day when she will get married. But when she grew up to that age, she had no interest in it." A long sigh escaped her lips.

"She was always worried that men were only after our wealth and that was the only reason they would want to marry her. We promised to get her a good man but she still refused." Evelyn continued as she thought about all the times, she tried to convince Olivia.

"What if she is right?" Jason asked with a less cold expression on his face.

"Well, I don't think so. Do you think she is right?" Evelyn questioned him.

"She is not right but she is also not wrong to think that way." Jason gave his best suitable answer.

"That's a fair answer." Evelyn chuckled softly.

"But what surprises me is the sudden change in her perspective. I never expected her to show up one day, saying she is in love with someone. Did you perhaps change her way of seeing men?" Evelyn asked thoughtfully.

"Maybe," Jason answered shortly, unsure what else to say.

"But, do you love my daughter?" Evelyn's question put a hold on Jason's whole body.

He wished he didn't have to lie to her, but he had to. This was just a contract between him and her daughter, nothing more.

"Yes, I do love her." He answered with a straight face.

"And that's why you two went ahead to get married because you thought I would be against the relationship," Evelyn said with obvious sadness in her tone.

"Yes." Jason wasn't enjoying the whole lying of a thing but he had to endure it, since there was great benefit from it.

"The things you young people do these days." She said after a long sigh.

*Knock* Knock* {A light knock interrupted their conversation.}

"Mom, the doctor said we can take you home now, that's if you are ready to go. You seem to be enjoying your talk with Jason." Olivia said, acting all jealous.

"This is what happens when you do things without me." Evelyn folded her hands against her chest and gave Olivia a 'you still have a lot of explaining to do' look.

"Okay, enough with chit-chatting. I don't want to stay here any longer." Olivia said as she helped her mom out of the bed.

"Ahmm . . . please, excuse me." Jason excused himself and then left the room.

"He is a shy one, isn't he?" Evelyn said, smiling in amusement.

"Hehehe . . . I don't think so." Olivia laughed out loudly as she and Evelyn walked out the door.

They got out of the room to find Jason and Henry talking. Olivia was really curious to know what they were talking about; she could imagine the kind of questions her mother could have asked Jason but not her father. She was starting to get worried but all she could wish for was for Jason to be smart when answering his questions.

"When did you two meet each other?" Henry asked, with his hands crossed behind his back.

"About four months ago," Jason answered with a straight face.

"Don't you think that's too short of a time for you two to already be in a relationship?" Henry threw him a questioning look.

"Maybe for you but not for us." Jason replied as he prepared himself for more questions.

"And when did you two get married as Olivia claimed?" Henry knew something was wrong somewhere, so he decided to ask as many questions as he could until he got the answer he was looking for.

"Three weeks ago." He came up with another answer.

"What were your plans after getting married?" Henry asked again.

"Olivia felt it was necessary to let you and your wife know about me before making plans for the future." He answered, hoping it was the last but it was not.

"But did you feel it was necessary?" Henry asked, still not satisfied.

"Yes, you have the right to know." He answered as he let out a deep breath he never knew he was holding.

"Dad, can we go now, remember mom needs to rest." Olivia interrupted when she saw the tense look in Jason's eyes.

"Of course, let's go home." He walked away from Jason's presence and went to meet his wife.

A great burden was lifted off Jason's chest when Olivia interrupted, he was thankful that she came just in time because he was out of answers and ideas.