Chapter 123

Skylar, having eaten pancakes for breakfast and not having cooked at home, decided to buy a light lunch—chicken soup and bread—before visiting the hospital. Caleb was in bed, playing video games to pass the time. He assumed Skylar wouldn't have time to visit on her first day. Therefore, her arrival elicited a strong emotional response. "Skylar, I've been waiting for you!"

Skylar glanced at her watch before placing the lunch in front of him. "Are you hungry? Isn't your family here?"

"Uncle John's busy. Besides, it's minor surgery; he just needs to sign the papers. He hired a caretaker, too," Caleb replied, digging into his meal. Even though it was simple, the food tasted wonderful, knowing Skylar had brought it.

"How was your first day? Did anyone give you a hard time?" Caleb asked.

"Not at all. The team's great. I love the culture; I fit right in," Skylar replied.

Caleb nodded in relief. If Alexander ever gave her trouble, he would have to answer to Caleb upon his discharge.

Skylar stayed for about twenty minutes before leaving, eager to complete Alexander's assignment. On her way back to work, Joe called. "I'll pick you up around 5:00 p.m. Is that okay?"

"That's fine. See you later," Skylar replied. She had already checked Oliver about the team's hours. Alexander's team had a positive work culture, typically finishing around 4:30 p.m.; it wasn't a nine-to-five job. Occasionally, they worked overtime or weekends for on-site archaeological excavations.

After hanging up, Skylar received a voice note from Natalie:

"Skylar, guess what? Major scoop! Joe's married! A friend of mine works at the courthouse and saw him. He didn't take pictures because he didn't know who Joe was. We were chatting in the group, and he saw Joe's interview. Only then did he realize it was Joe. He said the bride was gorgeous but couldn't remember her name. It wasn't Annie, though. Can you believe it? Big news!"

Skylar heard the excitement in Natalie's voice. She felt guilty about being involved in the gossip.

"Annie attended John's engagement party with Joe, but he didn't bring his new wife. Could it be that Joe doesn't like his wife? Now that Annie's back in town, maybe he's divorcing her! I heard his wife is incredibly beautiful—the kind you don't see every day. If she knew about his complicated relationship with another woman, she'd be heartbroken. If I were her, I'd be devastated. Maybe they weren't that close, unlike Jeremy and me. We've known each other for years. He's treated me like a princess since childhood. If he betrayed me, I wouldn't know what to do. But I know he wouldn't do that to me."

Skylar was speechless after listening. She wanted to tell Natalie that Joe's wife already knew everything—all the things she should and shouldn't know. While not heartbroken herself, she felt bad about her involvement with Joe and Annie. Before resuming her journey, she replied to Natalie: "How many Natales and Jeremys are there in the world?"