Birmingham, 1919
Temptations

All of Scott's family members are ready to go home. While Grace is still doing her job and Thomas hasn't been out of his room yet. Grace is no longer living with Adda. After he worked and earned a wage, he rented a small apartment around the city of Birmingham.

"Let's go home!" said Aunt Poly.

"I'm going to finish this, a little bit more" replied Grace who was still finishing her report.

"Auntie, are we going to Thomas' house first? We look at Anne, is she really pregnant?" ask Adda to Aunt Poly.

"Well then we go there first" Aunt Poly agreed.

They left, as did the other employees. Grace was still waiting for Thomas to come out of her room while finishing her work. After her work is done, Grace still hasn't found Thomas out of her room. Slowly he stepped into Thomas's room. He opened the door without knocking. Thomas was reading something in his left hand, and his right hand was holding a lit cigarette.

"What's wrong?" thomas asked without taking his eyes off the paper.

Grace came in and closed the door.

"Everyone's gone home" Grace said.

"Then why haven't you come home?" ask Thomas.

"I just finished my job."

"Good, go home."

Grace walked around Thomas's study while staring at a photo of Thomas and Anne on one of the bookshelves. Photo at the wedding.

"You're not coming home? Isn't your wife sick?" Grace asked.

Thomas took a deep cigarette and blew his smoke into the air. Thomas kept the paper, then rested his body on the chair.

"How did you meet Anne?" ask Grace, again.

Thomas begins to guess at Grace's question.

"Do you really love her?"

Grace turned to look at Thomas. "Did he take my place in your heart?"

Thomas was still speechless and looked at Grace blankly. Slowly Grace approached her, stood behind Thomas and began to put her hands on Thomas's shoulders and gently massaged them. Thomas closed his eyes while enjoying a cigarette and a massage from Grace. All of the questions Grace asked revolved around her head. The answer is, he doesn't know. But she wants her marriage to go on.

"Thomas, I still love you, were it not for the Lee Brothers' threats, I would never have betrayed you" Grace whispered.

Thomas opened his eyes, then got up. Cigarettes are turned off over the ashtray. "I'll take you home,"

Grace smiled.

***

"Anne" said Adda then kissed Anne's left and right cheeks with a worried look. "Thomas said you're sick?"

Anne smiled. "I just wasn't feeling well and dizzy, I was resting all day and I was better" Anne replied, lying.

Aunt Poly approached and kissed Anne's left and right cheeks, then placed her palms over Anne's stomach, then looked at Anne with a deep gaze.

"Why?" ask Anne.

"He was wondering if you were pregnant or not" Adda replied.

Anne was surprised, and Aunt Poly let go of her grip.

"Not yet" replied Aunt Poly.

"Of course, I can't possibly get pregnant" Anne said in her heart.

"You have to eat a lot of nuts. That's good for fertility" Aunt Poly advises.

Anne doesn't like that. They both sat in the living room, enjoying the evening wine. Spending the night chatting with other women while drinking wine was Anne's favorite after becoming a member of the Scott family. The night chat is getting more and more erratic on the topic.

Until Adda and Aunt Poly recount Thomas' childhood until Thomas's love journey, which after being drawn Grace was the most unfolding love in Thomas's life. I don't know why there was a feeling of tightness in Anne's heart. He's not comfortable hearing that. At the moment, Thomas is his, though not entirely. Although he doesn't know if he loves Thomas, especially after George's return.

"Haha..." Adda laughed crisply after hearing the joke from Aunt Poly.  "Ah.. well, looks like we've been here too long."

"Oh yeah, I forgot about time!" reply Aunt Poly.

Adda and Aunt Poly stood up.

"Are you not coming with Thomas?" ask Anne.

"No, we go home first. It seems Thomas is still busy" Adda replied.

Aunt Poly realized something. The last remaining base is Grace and Thomas. An uneasy feeling arose, but she did not want to make Anne worry.

"There may still be work. Come home later, you don't have to wait for him!" aunt Poly said, saying goodbye to Anne.

After the departure of Adda and Aunt Poly, Anne poured wine into her glass and stood in the burning fireplace. He stared at his wall clock which showed the time at 11:00 almost midnight, and Thomas was still not home. Not as usual. Thomas's home is no later than 10:00 p.m.

After finishing the wine, and it was past midnight, Anne went to her room and slept. Just this time he felt sorry waiting for someone. Plus the person who was waiting for it did not come.

***