"Sonny, I'll get out of your hair now. Come back when you have time, but let me know in advance, so I can set you up on a date with the girl. Trust me. She's a nice girl."
"Got it, Mom. Just go and spend time with Dunc now. It's been a while since you've been on a date with him. It's time to experience what couples do."
"Perfect time to stroll downtown. The area comes alive after dark."
Back in Havenmill, Sonny and Laurence would ditch the suits if they got out of work early to check out the boardwalk. It had a bustling vibe.
"I think you're talking about the food trucks there. Alright. I'll check out the place with Duncan. I'm not eating anything though. No snacking after dark."
Duncan said, "What's wrong with snacking at night? You have not gained any weight since you moved to Jensburg. Enjoy the food and don't worry about your weight."
Her hectic workload put her under constant pressure.
In the beginning, Liberty often lost sleep.
Under that kind of stress, she was lucky not to be losing weight, let alone gaining any. Besides, she still kept to a strict workout routine.
Most people would keep their baby weight for a while after giving birth. However, Liberty could not seem to gain a pound no matter what she ate after having Jeanne.
Liberty raised Jeanne without relying on anyone but Duncan.
Duncan and Liberty personally looked after Jeanne for fear of anything happening to her.
They only started loosening their grip slightly when Jeanne started school by allowing a nanny to care for the little one.
"I might put on some weight once I retire. They say a carefree life puts a little extra weight on you. I work way too hard to be carefree, so I suppose that's why I stay in shape. Besides, I like my body just the way it is.
“You're going to have something to say if I'm back to my two-hundred-pound weight. When I first joined your company, you made me run five rounds around the garden in front of the office building."
Liberty brought up the past. "Only God knows how grueling it was just running one lap. The whole five laps nearly killed me."
Moving around was hard enough for heavy people.
Having been in that position before, Liberty did not want to go through it again, especially since Hank once divorced her over her weight.
Even though Duncan was not shallow like Hank, Liberty did not want to put that kind of stress on her body again.
Now that her diet and exercise were a success, she would like to keep things as they were.
The weight did not melt off her after she had Jeanne. It took regular exercise and eating right for her weight to recover.
Liberty did not take care of her health after she gave birth to Sonny. Since she had dated Hank for years before tying the knot, she thought their bond was strong. Liberty made sure she ate a ton to produce enough milk for Sonny, and since then, she completely let herself go.
That was when the weight really piled on. By the time she wanted to drop the pounds, the habit was hard to kick.
To be honest, if Hank had not cheated on her throughout the marriage, Liberty might not have stuck with her weight loss journey.
A lot of people talked about losing weight, but the moment they were faced with
good food, all their resolve would disappear. The diet would always start tomorrow.
The same went for working out. The determination would not last two days.
It took strong will and perseverance to trim the waist.
Duncan said with a smile, “I didn't mind your weight. I was only thinking about your health back then. I knew you were Zachary's sister-in-law and I would never hate you for that. I only wanted what was good for you.'
It was true that Duncan never turned her away.
Out of sympathy, he wanted to push her to become a better version of herself and make Hank eat his words.
"Mom, I've got to go."
Sonny felt like the biggest third wheel when Duncan and Liberty engaged in their little talk. He ended the call, so they could walk down memory lane together.
Before Liberty could say anything more, Sonny had already disconnected. She criticized Duncan, “See that? You scared Sonny into hanging up."
"No. Sonny is just considerate. He has always known how to read a room."
Duncan chuckled. “Come on. Let's go on our date. It has been a while. You've been busy with business, trips, and social engagements."