Chapter Two.

Honestly?

The only thing stopping me from literally smashing the bottle of hot sauce right on this Jerk's head was the fact that both our parents were present at the table with us and seemed to be having a very good time which I wasn't going to ruin by letting myself get any more annoyed by Ralph who couldn't seem to stop touching me with his feet from beneath the table where our nice meal specially prepared by Mom laid out on the table top.

I did think of sinking the tip of my heel into his feet but decided against it.

Besides, I didn't wanna attract any form of attention to myself.

I planned to just be present, speak only when spoken to or whenever necessary and then get the hell back to my room once all of this crappy dinner is over.

"So Jordan, you must be excited for the wedding right?" The other woman whom I suppose should be Fred's sister threw her question at me just when I was beginning to enjoy my plate of roast duck.

"No! I am not excited for the wedding and no, I do not in any way wish to have a conversation with you or your annoying nephew ma'am" I replied in my head and smiled at how sassy and satisfying a response it proved to me to be but I couldn't say that out loud now could I?

The light jab I felt on my arm from Mom who was seated beside me reminded me that I was yet to give a response and the mid aged woman's beady eyes were still looking at me from through her glasses where she sat beside her asswipe nephew.

"Yes of course, I am very much excited" I replied with a plastic smile I had plastered on my face since I had stepped down the stairs then quickly stuffed my mouth full with another piece of meat so I wouldn't have to answer any further questions from her but it turned out she was just as patient as she appeared to be because she Waited till I was done chewing so intentionally slow.

"My nephew requested a tour around the neighborhood. since you all are going to live here together real soon, I figured you both could perhaps go out on a drive out sometime this week?" She inquired and much to everyone's surprise, I literally choked on my glass of wine.

Drive out?? with him?? I'll rather go swim with ducks!

"Ah, I would love to, really. But you see, I have this big presentation at the office this week, so I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to squeeze out time for such" I replied politely when I was able to speak again.

"Nonsense. She will surely make out time for you. Right Sweetie?" Mom chipped in and turned to face me with a bright glint in her eyes that silently dared me to refuse.

"S-Sur-Sure." I managed to reply with a firm smile and a firm grip on my fork.

"Tuesday okay with you?" He opened his big mouth and questioned from where he sat just opposite me and I only widened my plastic smile at him and nodded.

"Very well then, Tuesday it is" he added.

"It brings so much joy to my heart to see you kids bonding well so quickly." Fred commented tenderly from where he sat and squeezed mom's hand lightly in his.

If only he knew how much I wanted to scratch my finger nails across his son's face. Tsk.

One look back at Ralph and I became really uneasy. Especially with the way I noticed him watch me closely till I got reminded of our kiss and I swallowed hard then turned away quickly to focus on my barely touched meal but I couldn't bring myself to actually eat as I was beginning to feel really tensed with everyone and everything.

The reason behind this dinner suddenly struck me again and looking at everyone's faces,

Mom's marriage only began to feel real to me.

"Honey, are you alright?" Fred questioned and I quickly lifted my head to find everyone else looking right at me.

I mostly felt touched by the concern laced in his voice but I couldn't trust myself to speak because I feared I could burst out crying again.

Tears that I've held back and avoided for years.

I knew leaving the table was against my promise for a good behavior but I couldn't help it anymore.

"I should step out for some air" I replied and softly heard mom whisper my name but no. Not this time. I couldn't last in here a minute longer.

And with that, I pushed back my chair and sprang up to my feet. Without a single word to anyone else, I departed from them and left the house entirely to sit by the front porch and just silently stared blankly at the street I grew up in while trying to forcefully suppress my tears that were threatening to fall.

The same street I would go out on late night walks hand in hand with my dad as a little girl up until one day he just wasn't there anymore and I never got to know why.

Dad never reached out to me and whenever I asked mom about him or even hinted at the topic, she would cry so much that I just had to let it go and have lived with that mystery my entire life.

"A Penny for your thoughts?" A voice called out behind me and although I really wanted to be left alone, I turned to see who it was even though I was already certain it was Fred.

And yes, there he was leaning against the wall behind me. I must have been so lost in my thoughts because I didn't hear him come out.

"Is it okay if I sit beside you?" He questioned and I shrugged in response. He probably took that as a yes because he took small steps forward till he reached me and brought himself to sit right beside me.

He sat silent for a long while and I took that as my chance to study him very closely.

He seems to be around the same age with my Dad but he looks a lot older. That could be because I haven't seen my father in the course of twelve years, he too must have grown a bit old right?

Fred has short brown hair unlike my father who's...........

There.

There it was.

Realization suddenly struck me.

I was always comparing Fred with my Father at every slightest chance I got and given that they're very much so different in every way possible, I refused to give him a chance because I couldn't see my Father in him.

I suddenly began to feel really awful for that.

"I know you miss your Father." He stated suddenly and I don't know why, but it felt as though a lump had magically appeared in my throat all of a sudden and it took all in me to swallow past it.

"My son Ralph lost his Mother at a very young age and trust me, I know how it feels to be separated from a parent. I watched my son go through that pain everyday and there was hardly anything I could do asides being there for him however way I could." He explained further and I found myself paying rapt attention with keen interest.

"When I met your mother, I feared he would never agree to us being together but when they eventually met, I was totally wrong because I've never seen Ralph adore anyone as he does your mother since after his mother." He continued and I didn't know what my emotions were at the moment.

I only felt....... Blank and mostly wordless.

But I'm not supposed to say a word, am I?

This is one of those moments I'm only meant to listen in silence.

"My Son is happy and it will only be a shame on my part if I can't extend it to you. I know we all are grown and it might be a lot more difficult for us all to adapt to this new life and to ourselves but I believe we can work things out. I can never replace your father but I'm more than willing to take you as my own child. We all can be happy together. Me, you, Your Mom and Ralph, we can be our own small happy family" he continued and I really was beginning to bring down the walls I have built around myself.

He might have a point. Ralph is a Big jerk I very much know but Fred seems nice and Mom is happy.

We really could make this work.

"I want to be there for you too Jordan, but I can't if you don't let me." He added in whispers and I genuinely smiled at him for the very first time since this dinner started.

No, scrap that. I smiled at him for the first time since I've met him and he must have noticed because he smiled back all too brightly.

"Thank you Fred." I replied genuinely while nodding my head.

After a short random conversation we had, he left me to myself once again and joined the others inside after making me promise to return back as soon as possible.

Now, that wasn't so bad.

Perhaps I really did need that Step-father Bonding before the wedding which is due in exactly two weeks.

After a long breath, I finally decided I was ready to join them inside again and thankfully enough, it wasn't long when they all decided to call it a day and leave.

I particularly couldn't ignore how Ralph gently rubbed his fingers in slow circles on my bare back on display from the deep vee cut at the back of my dress when he pulled me in for a 'goodbye hug' in front of everyone who had no clue as to what was going on.

I couldn't push him off me in the presence of everyone so I cleared my throat loudly and tapped on his back weirdly till he let go off me.

I really have no idea where Ralph thinks he's going with all of this but it's really a good thing I still have the whole of two weeks to myself before I have to eventually put up with him.

In Just one night, it seemed as though my life had just taken a very drastic turn.

It felt all too soon but I could live with that. I hope.