4. Early retirement

"What is going on?" Rosie asked, her eyes darting curiously between Aaron and me.

Obviously she could sense that something was wrong judging from our expressions, which fo the record were both stunned not to mention shocked...and of course worried.

Tech

"Nothing much," I replied, trying to ease her worries but Aaron obviously had other ideas.

"Something much obviously if that old man has suddenly decided to retire. I thought he was going to work himself to the ground.

"Oh my God," Rosie exclaimed "Your dad is retiring?" 

"Apparently." I replied, still trying to process "I mean it can't be anything that bad, right?" 

"Except for the fact that he's asking both of us to come over to the house right today, he just got back from France. Wait do you think he is dying?"

Without hesitation,  I drew my hand back and smacked him on the back of his head, hard.

"Ouch!" He screamed, massaging the spot I had just assaulted. "What was that for? I was just speculating. I mean even you've got to admit that it is very strange."

"Well, I'm sure he is fine, and I'd really appreciate it if you didn't imply otherwise. "

I couldn't stand Aaron but that didn't mean I didn't love his dad. In fact, he had become one of the best things that had ever happened to me and mum and I would not allow anyone,  not even his own son to predict his doom.

"Fine, whatever. " Aaron grumbled before proceeding to mutter some incomprehensible words to which I was definitely going to have some answers, but before I had time to dwell on it, Rosie spoke up

"Wait, you said he wants to see you guys?"

"Yeah, tomorrow,  but i think I'm going to head there right away, see if everything is okay.

"Yeah me too." Aaron replied and I glared at him. 

"What? Were you hoping to arrive all by yourself and play the role of the caring and loving daughter effectively panning me out to be the bad guy? Well sorry to burst your bubble Angel but I'm a thousand steps ahead of you."

"Do. Not. Call. Me. That." I seethed.

With the number of times I had given him that very warning you would think he would have learned by now but Aaron was such a blockhead.

"Do not call me that." He repeated in a mocking voice and I had to take several deep breaths to keep myself from lashing out. 

"So you both are planning to just dump me here and leave right?" Rosie spoke up again and we both turned to face her. "That's not even fair. We only just got here" She added with an adorable pout.

"I know and i'm sorry." I replied, pulling her in for a warm mama bear hug. "I'll make it up to you I promise. "

"I doubt she'd be able to do that." Aaron replied, earning the most murderous glare from me "But don't worry darling, you're a big girl I'm sure you'll be fine. At a place like eclipse, I trust you to have the best time. You would have had an even better time if I were here but don't worry I'll make it up to you, and best believe that I would. " he finished with a wink that had Rosie blushing the shade of Crimson and I had to fight the urge not to puke."

"Well, in that case, I think I'll try to have fun all by myself."

"Yeah you do that. Oh, and for starters, I see that handsome man at the bar has been checking you out ever since we got here. You might want to go say hello. "

"Oh really?" She asked, tucking an imaginary strand of hair behind her ear.

"Yes really." Aaron encouraged. "You've got this. If we were leaving Jasmine here by herself, then I would be worried."

I decided to ignore him and be the bigger person like I've had to for the past decade or so and decided instead to say goodbye to my friend and head home.