Chapter 4

Lander and Rachel were both astonished when they found Miranda had abandoned her husband and daughter for an unknown reason. Miranda, they believed, was not the type of person who would give up her family for selfish reasons. She began to appear stressed and apprehensive as the days passed before she left them. They always suspected that something was bothering her and tried to talk to her, but she persuaded them that everything was fine.

Lander and Rachel exchanged knowing glances and went to greet her. They were still convinced that their daughter-in-law had made such a significant decision for a good reason. They attempted to contact her after she left, but they were unable to do so.

"Hello, Miranda. It's been a very long time." Rachel was the first to speak.

Miranda was taken aback when she noticed her in-laws standing in front of her. First, it was Eric, and now it’s them. It appeared that the entire world was conspiring against her.

"What a surprise, Lander, Rachael." She got out of her seat to greet them.

"Do you mind if we sit with you?" With a smile, Lander asked.

"No, not at all. Please join me." She was still not ready to face the fact that Lander and Rachel wanted to meet her, let alone sit and talk with her, after what she had done. "How are you both doing?" She asked after they had all settled down.

"We should ask you about that." Rachel said, making her look down in shame.

"We are not here to taunt you, Miranda. Unlike my son, we believe that you did things for a reason. All we want to know is why." Lander clarified everything to her truthfully. Now was not the time to assign blame.

"I don't think that's a good idea. Eric won't like you both talking to me. I don't want to enrage him any further than I already had." Sadly, she stated.

"You already met him? It's no surprise he has been acting strangely for the past few days." Her mother-in-law asked her, dumbfounded.

"I ran into him and Lizzy. She did grow up pretty fast and beautifully." She said this with a smile on her face. "I have always known Eric would make an excellent father. I remember him almost passing out when he found out he was going to be a dad. He was so tensed and worried." She chuckled.

Miranda's affection for his son was evident to the elderly couple. However, Miranda's decision to leave Eric for a serious reason has gradually confirmed their worst fears. They just need to figure out why.

"I knew I'd run into you here." However, Miranda's train of thought was abruptly interrupted when she recognized the voice and groaned in annoyance.

"How did you find me here?" She sighed. Benji always finds her for some strange reason. He is far too intelligent for his own good.

"It was not that difficult to find you. In fact, it was quite easy, given how frequently I see you with coffee with the name of this very restaurant written on it when I go for my morning run." Miranda looked at Benji as if he had gone insane, as Benji explained.

"I am very busy, Benji. I will call you tomorrow." She said as she waved him off.

"I don't understand why you are so preoccupied. This place has nothing interesting to do besides drowning yourself in sorrow, and you are just talking to this old couple who I don't think would mind if you helped me out right now. Right, would you mind?" He directed his last words to Lander and Rachel.

"No, no. Carry on." They told him.

"Don't they seem nice, Miranda?" He smiled excitedly at her.

"I am really sorry, Lander and Rachael. He is a bit overbearing. Anyway, that's Benji, my neighbor." She explained to them.

"What do you want to talk to me about, Benji?" She asked him, frustrated.

"I think I should have some coffee. People who are stressed always drink coffee." Bijin explained.

"But you never drink coffee." She looked at him, bewildered.

"Even so, I am under stress. Everyone who comes here at this time of night is stressed, and I am as well. So, I will drink coffee. Allow me to go order one." He then left to go get one.

"I know what you two are thinking. He is one of a kind. He is special." Miranda explained to her in-laws.

"We can both see it." With a chuckle, Rachael said.

"You should tell your best friend not to hang out with strange guys," Benji said as soon as he returned with his coffee and sat in his seat.

"Wait, what? How come?" She cocked her brow.

"Because socializing with strangers is dangerous." He stated it clumsily.

"Melissa went out with an old friend, not with a stranger. And she is not a child. Are you jealous, Benjamin?" She gave a sly grin.

"No. Why would I be? You know, I think all this stuff is a waste of time." He stated, as a matter of fact.

"Then why are you so stressed and bothered about it?" She asked him.

"Because she no longer spends time with me anymore. Or watch movies with me." He told her glumly and with a frown.

"Did you really expect her to when you rejected her so brutally? She understood that you would never like her, so she is trying to move on. And it is not a waste of time." Miranda explained.

"How so?"

"Love is a beautiful thing. It compels you to do things you would never do under normal circumstances. It gives you the ability to protect them in the same way that superhero movies do. It inspires you to be a better person. You would go to any length to protect them and make them happy, even if it meant sacrificing your own happiness and life. When your loved ones are happy, you are happy."

"You are confusing me." He wore a scowl on his face.

"There is nothing to be confused about. It is not something that can be studied. It's a feeling." She explained to him.

"Just as you have for your husband and daughter." He stated.

"I am not sure what you are talking about." When she realized where the conversation was going, she decided she didn't want to be a part of it, at least not in front of Lander and Rachel.

"Yes, you do know. You still adore your husband and daughter for unknown reasons." He pointed out.

"Let's walk home, Benji. We will talk on the way." She glared at him.

"Why not right now? This is a perfect place for a conversation."

"Benji, if you don't leave with me right now, I will make a mess of my hallway again." This caused his eyes to widen, and he left, but not before saying. "I will stand outside."

Miranda said to the couple in front of her, "Don't mind him. He becomes delusory when he consumes coffee. In fact, he is always insane and delusional. It's a pleasure to meet you both. I have to leave right now. Goodbye and good night." She dashed out of there.

Lander and Rachel exchanged knowing glances, confirming their thoughts.