An hour later...
"You’re early," Mildred remarked as soon as she sat across from Haines at the sa table where they had their first date. "I thought I was already early. No, I am early, but you’re earlier."
Haines smiled at her. "It’s good to see you too, Mildred."
"Haha." A soft chuckle escaped her as she leaned back. At the sa ti, the server arrived with hot tea. "You already knew what I like. Did I ntion I like this particular tea?"
"You finished it very fast last ti."
"I didn’t want it to grow cold. It’s best to drink it hot."
"And I agree. That’s why I told them to serve it once you arrived. Thankfully, they did."
"What a gentleman." Mildred laughed again as she reached for her tea.
As they both took a sip, silence settled between them, as though they were waiting for the other to ask the questions lingering in their minds.
"I haven’t told anybody yet," Mildred remarked, placing her tea down — giving him an answer instead of a question. "I know that’s what’s on your mind. The answer is no, I haven’t co clean yet."
"Still couldn’t muster the courage to do it?"
"At so point, I thought of just blurting it out." She waved a hand dismissively. "But every ti I muster the courage to do so, I end up biting my tongue. The Old Madam is either too happy for to ruin it, or too lonely for to make it worse. I do not have the heart to do either."
"There was not a perfect ti."
"And if you’re waiting for one, there won’t be," Haines said casually. "But who am I to talk?"
Mildred chuckled. "I suppose I’m holding you back from seeing anyone else. After all, we did promise that I’d tell the Old Madam why I won’t date, while you’d open your heart and give yourself a chance."
"Don’t feel bad," Haines said with a lighthearted tone. "It’d be even more pressuring if you did, and I couldn’t—not yet."
"Still hung up on that first love?"
"Like I said, it’s not about her anymore. She was the reason I couldn’t at first, but now... I just don’t think it’s necessary."
"Why?" She tilted her head. "Because you’re old?"
Haines rocked his head side to side. "That too."
"Is there even an age limit to love?" Mildred mused with a small smile, making Haines briefly arch a brow. "Or an ’appropriate’ gender preference? If so, then in my case, I have two major reasons not to even think about it, don’t I? Too old... and too gay."
Was love only for the young? Only for those society deed normal?
Silence stretched between them as they held each other’s gaze. Haines was surprised—he hadn’t expected her to say that so suddenly. But then again, their conversations had always been easy, flowing freely without the need for formalities.
Still, he hadn’t expected this today.
"There isn’t," he finally said with a subtle smile. "Love is for everyone, I believe. But I don’t need it."
"I understand, Haines." Mildred nodded in understanding. "After all, that’s what I tell myself too."
They exchanged smiles and sipped their tea in silence. Neither of them had planned to dive into heavy topics so quickly, but sohow, they had.
"Did I make you uncomfortable?" she asked kindly. "If so, I apologize."
"Not at all. There’s no need to be."
"But you went quiet."
"That’s because..." Haines trailed off, struggling to phrase his thoughts without sounding rude. After her remarks, he couldn’t help but feel sorry for her—but she didn’t need to know that.
He knew why Mildred was here. The Old Madam’s pressure weighed on her, just as it did on him. They both knew it, even without saying it out loud.
With a shallow sigh, Haines decided to shift the conversation. "There’s this young woman who’s been bothering ."
"Oh?" Mildred raised a brow, intrigued. "A young woman. How young?"
"Half my age."
"She is young. Almost like the master of the Pierson family."
Haines nodded, knowing Grace was around the sa age as Atlas. "She’s as old as my eldest nephew."
"Do you find her interesting?"
"I find her troubleso," he answered without hesitation. "One reason being, I’ve known her since she was a teenager. I saw her once—maybe more—when she was eighteen. Charles and Penny helped her and her mother back then... a horrible case of dostic abuse."
"Oh."
"So, she’s more like family to the Bennets," Haines clarified coolly.
Mildred smiled before a teasing remark left her lips. "Then why not make her real family?"
Haines narrowed his eyes. "Mildred."
"I’m joking! You look like you’re about to freeze the whole world over." She chuckled while Haines sighed deeply again. "So, that’s what’s bothering you?"
"Mhm. Her sudden interest in is... unsettling. Not long ago, she told she’d catch up to my age soon. And today—" he exhaled sharply, shaking his head. "I received thirty birthday invitations from her."
Mildred blinked. "Thirty?"
"She’s planning to celebrate her birthdays for the next thirty years within a month. If that were possible, she’d be older than I am."
"Hahaha!" Mildred burst into laughter, while Haines scowled. "I’m sorry for laughing, but I really wasn’t expecting that story when I called you today."
Haines shook his head mildly, sighing for what felt like the hundredth ti. "What a ridiculous little girl."
"You should give the little girl a chance, Haines."
"No." His response was faster than lightning. "Aside from her involvent with the family, the fact that she’s the sa age as my eldest nephew, and that she’s a friend of my niece—I have no ti to waste on sothing temporary."
"How can you be so sure it won’t last?"
"I know because... soone like her—her age—sees this as a challenge. And once she gets what she wants, it’ll all fade like smoke in the air." He explained as if he had seen the future, carrying a tone of certainty.. "A waste of ti."
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