Circle 32

Chapter 32 

At 9:45 PM, the Seafood Diner was still open. As long as there were customers, Lucille would keep the place running. Plenty of people stopped by after their night shifts. 

Winifred was digging into her seafood boil. She was really hungry, still a little shaken from carlier, and the hot meal on this chilly autumn night helped calm her nerves. 

She’d asked for extra vinegar and spice, even though she couldn’t handle much heat. 

Right now, with a light sweat on her back, surrounded by the warm, familiar feel of the diner, her neighbors, Lucille’s cheerful smile, and the tall, distant figure sitting across from her, Winifred felt safe. 

She took a few more bites. She’d never liked the clam before, but tonight, it actually tasted really good. 

Humbert was poking at his food with a fork, frowning as he picked out the shrimp. 

“Dr. Pierce, thanks for tonight,” Winifred said softly. 

“No problem,” he muttered. He took a bite of his seafood boil, but when he saw another piece of shrimp, his frown deepened. 

His bowl was a real mix of everything, including shrimp, his least favorite thing, and it had this weird, plasticky texture and a cheap, fishy stench that hit him right in the nose. His face twisted in disgust. 

The cold, distant look on his face now was a far cry from the teasing tone he’d used earlier on the phone when he said, “Alright, I’ll wait for you at the entrance to the apartment building.” 

Winifred glanced at him and instinctively reminded him, “You should have two shrimp in your seafood boil. Pick them out if you don’t want to eat them.” 

She knew he wasn’t a fan of seafood. Back when she was Claire, she’d known it. Now, as Winifred, she still remembered. 

But she wasn’t about to cater to his tastes like she used to when she was that chubby girl, who was always too eager to please and too submissive. She’d worked hard to leave that behind and become who she was now. 

“Try not to go anywhere too far out of the town at night,” Humbert said, picking the shrimp. out of his seafood boil and putting them on a small plate. 

He glanced at Winifred, noticing how she’d just pulled her hair up quickly, a few strands falling around her long neck. Her lips were bright red, stained by the chili, standing out 

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Chapter 32 

55 Velichere 

against her glowing skin. 

Humbert felt his throat itch. He was almost tempted to step outside for a smoke, but as he stared at Winifred’s red lips, the itch seemed to move from his throat down into his chest. 

He swallowed hard and then took a sip of soup to calm himself. 

Winifred didn’t notice anything off. She just kept her head down, cating quietly. 

***** 

By 10 PM, the Seafood Diner was still busy, with plenty of tables filled. Lucille moved through the crowd with trays in hand, slipping Winifred two extra omelets on her way by. 

Winifred went up to pay first. She was treating Humbert tonight to thank him for his help. 

Lucille didn’t charge her for the omelets, which made Winifred feel a little awkward. Lucille was a neighbor from the same building, close to Ruby, and she always looked out for Winifred. 

Winifred often brought Rosalind here for dinner, and Lucille would always toss in an extra omelet or a side dish. 

The Seafood Diner had been around for over ten years, with a lot of regulars, and Lucille was the kind of warm, welcoming hostess everyone loved. She even packed up a box of raw seafood boil for Winifred to take home and cook for Rosalind. 

Winifred took the box and thanked her. 

Lucille grabbed her arm with a wink and whispered, “That guy is pretty handsome. So, when did you two start seeing each other?” 

Winifred’s face turned red. “Well, we’re just friends.” 

“Just friends? Friends don’t come here for dinner three times together,” Lucille said, but when she saw Winifred blushing, she dropped it. 

Lucille was close to Ruby and knew Winifred had married Andrew, so Toby, who was seriously ill at the time, could see his daughter–in–law and pass away peacefully. 

She also knew how hard it had been for Winifred to raise Rosalind alone as a single mom, especially since Rosalind had a heart condition. 

When Winifred returned to her seat, Humbert was gone. She sat down at the window table. 

The old aluminum window still had streaks from the rain a few days ago in Sonisburg, the glass covered in sun–baked dust from the outside. 

7:36 Thu, Sep 11 

Chapter 32 

Winifred looked out the window to see Humbert standing and smoking. 

He was tall and broad–shouldered, wearing a dark gray sweater that fit him just right. His body looked lean and strong. 

The late autumn wind scattered the smoke as soon as it left his lips, ruffling his short hair across his forehead. Eyes narrowed against the wind, he finished two cigarettes, one after the other. 

Winifred thought about how much they had both changed over the past seven years. Humbert used to smoke less. Back then, he wouldn’t have needed to step outside for a cigarette just to get through dinner. 

Seven years had passed, and it felt like time hadn’t touched him. If anything, he’d become even more handsome and more mature. 

Winifred caught a glimpse of her own thin reflection in the window, and for a second, she wondered how much she’d changed, too. 

She thought she could just be a regular friend to him in the name of Winifred, and that seemed perfectly fine. 

They lived in the same city. Sometimes, they might bump into each other or maybe share a meal, just like any other regular friends. 

She watched him through the dusty window as he talked on the phone, his fingers loosely holding the cigarette. Every so often, he’d tap the ash off with a flick, the tip flaring red in the dim light. 

When he wasn’t smiling or speaking, his face looked distant and cold, like a chill that came from deep inside him. 

***** 

In Sonisburg, November nights were starting to get chilly. 

Humbert held his cigarette between his fingers and spoke on his phone. “I just sent you a license plate number on WhatsApp. 

“Look into it. That driver is a repeat offender. He’s been using ride–shares to grope women. Make sure he gets what’s coming to him.” 

“Got it, Humbert. Oh, and Mason’s wedding is next Saturday. He wants you to be his best man. Just passing along the message,” Harris Holt said. 

Humbert had grown up with Mason, Gavin, and Harris. Their families did business together, and Humbert had always been the one in charge. 

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Chapter 32 

With the cigarette hanging from his lips, he said, “Just give Mason a big cash gift from me. I’ll pass on being his best man.” 

Harris hesitated. “I’ve told Mason you’ll totally steal the show if you’re the best man, but his fiancée and Sylvia are really close, and she wants Sylvia to be her bridesmaid. Honestly, they’re just trying to pair you two-” 

Then Harris blurted out, “Mason, why did you snatch my phone?” 

“Hey, Humbert, it’s Mason. Laura asked me to see if you’d be my best man. You know how tight Laura and Sylvia are. She’s asking me for a favor,” Masoff said. 

“Since it’s your big day and you’re asking, I’ll go along with it,” Humbert said, finally giving in. 

“Thanks, Humbert!” Mason exclaimed. 

Later, Humbert stood outside long enough to let the smell fade. When he came back in, he sat back down across from Winifred. 

Winifred had already finished her seafood boil. 

It was 10:10 PM. Humbert stood up to pay, but Lucille just smiled and told him Winifred had already taken care of it. 

They got outside, and the wind tossed Winifred’s hair around. She brushed it back with her hand as she walked with Humbert to his black car. “Thanks again for today,” she said softly. 

Humbert nodded, glancing at her. “Your husband has been overseas all the time?” 

“What?” Winifred froze for a moment, realizing Humbert meant Andrew. It made sense, though. Everyone at the hospital just assumed she was Ruby’s daughter–in–law. So, she mumbled, “Well, yeah.” 

“Any hard feelings between you two?” Humbert pressed. 

“No, not at all,” Winifred replied quickly. “We’re fine.”