CHAPTER 4: THERE IS THE MAN!

Sarah’s POV:

The next morning, my eyes opened up to some birds chirping outside the window. I smiled while looking at them and stretched my hands and legs, groaning. It felt like a nice morning. The sun was shining brightly and its rays hitting me directly made me feel good. I took some deep breaths, meditating and trying to forget all my worries but suddenly the most worrisome thought came rushing into my mind and I stopped smiling. I couldn’t help but to keep thinking about it. Taking a deep breath, I got up from my bed and walked to the bathroom to get ready for the breakfast with Eloise and Gene.

As I got ready and climbed down the stairs, I saw mom eating something.

“Hey, you are up?” She asked me as I reached her.

“Yeah…” I said to her.

“Sit down… I’ll get you something to eat” She said and stood up from the chair.

“Ah, no mom… I am fine… I am going to have my breakfast with El and Gene at Flynn’s” I said to her, rubbing my forehead.

“Oh okay…” She said and as I turned around to walk towards the door, she added from behind, “Um, Sarah…”

“Yes?” I asked her.

“You ah – you remember that we are meeting Rowen today… Will you be home by 12?” She asked me hesitantly.

I gulped and started, “Yes, mom… I remember. I’ll be back home by 12”

“Okay, darling…” She chuckled nervously and said.

“I’ll go, bye” I said to her and she nodded.

“Goodbye…” She said as I walked out of the door and hit the road. I turned around to see mom going back inside the house and shutting the door behind her. I wondered if I as over reacting over this and if I should be genuinely happy for her. I took a deep breath and began to walk towards the Flynn’s café. Flynn’s café is at five minute distance from my house and it is located in the corner of the street. It is our go-to place for everything. We discuss each and every problem of ours in that café. It is all peaceful and calm there. I kept walking towards the café while looking around and admiring the beautiful day to distract myself from thinking about mom. Finally I reached the café and entered in, to look at Gene and El already there in the corner.

“Hey…” Eloise said immediately as she saw me. I waved at them and walked towards their table.

“Sit, sit…” Gene said and I sat down.

“What do you want to eat?” Eloise asked me.

“Ah nothing… I am going to order a coffee” I said to her and then called out the waiter to place an order for a cappuccino.

“So what happened, Sarah?” Gene started curiously and then added further, “Eloise told me that you are not okay?”

“Yeah, but I think I am… Just being paranoid…” I said in frustration.

“Why?” Eloise asked anxiously.

I took a deep breath and started, “So let me tell you this…” They began to look at me suspiciously while I continued, “My mom… She is ah… She is going to um… She is going to marry someone…”

“What?” Eloise and Gene said in unison while I looked down in embarrassment.

“Yes…” I said distressfully.

“But – but with who? How that happened?” Eloise asked me anxiously as the waiter came with the coffee.

“She ah… She was dating people, you guys know that, right…?” I asked them.

“Yeah so… Something got serious?” Eloise asked me.

“Yeah apparently… She got serious with some man. It was unbelievable but she did… She told me that man’s name is Rowen and…” I started.

“Rowen…?” Gene got suspicious. “I think I have this name somewhere” She added while thinking deeply.

“I – I don’t know his full name…” I said to her.

“No problem, you continue…” Gene said.

“So, the thing is… She love that man and he wants to marry my mom… My mom told me all this last night and since then I am just freaking out… I don’t know what to do…” I said to them and threw my head in my hand.

“Sar, listen to me…” Eloise started while taking a sip of her iced coffee and added, “It’s not – I mean why can’t she do that?”

“I – I don’t know… I just never thought that she would marry again” I said to her.

“Yeah but Sar, she can… It’s not something bad, you know… She is obviously beautiful so she has the right, I guess” Eloise said.

“Yeah, I guess it’s not such a bad thing… I was just thinking about how I was going to handle this stepdad thing…” I said to them anxiously.

“Yeah but I don’t think that is going to affect your life that much… That man is going to be with your mom… You just talk to him like someone who is related to your mom… You don’t need to call him dad if you don’t want to” Gene said and I nodded.

“Yeah that’s right…” Eloise said.

“I guess so… Also, I – I can’t ruin my mom’s happiness. After my dad left us, she was the one who did everything to give me a better life. Although, I don’t get why my dad left us to marry someone else? I mean, he – he was very loving… Not only towards me but also towards my mom… I just don’t – don’t get this. I think there is something else to this story which I don’t know…” I said to them.

“So you don’t trust your mom?” Eloise asked me anxiously.

“I – I don’t know, El… But I know that she is always trying to be a very nice mom… At least I can give her some credit for that…” I said distressfully.

“You should, Sar… Let her be happy in her own life” Eloise said, placing her hand on mine.

“Yeah I think I should…” I said anxiously and took a deep breath.

“Yes, Sarah and stay positive… What if that man is actually nice?” Gene pointed out and I began to think about it. May be she is right. May be that man is actually nice. I thought.

“Yeah… But there is one thing…” Eloise said, raising her eye brow.

“Wha – what?” I asked her anxiously.

“Look, um like your mom has you… The same way… What if that man also has someone…?” Eloise pointed out and I looked at her in confusion. “I mean what if you are going to get a step brother or sister, along with a stepdad?” She added and I widened my eyes at her.

“Oh no…” I said and once again threw my head into my hand.

“Don’t worry… Stay positive about that also… If you are going to have a step brother or sister then he or she will be nice too… Also, it’s not necessary that he or she must be of the same age… They can be elder or younger then you… Then it won’t be much of a problem you know…” Gene said and I shut my eyes thinking about that.

“I am so… so stressed out…” I said in frustration.

“Don’t be Sar… Everything is going to be fine, if you’ll stay positive” Eloise said and I began to nod.

“Yeah I need to stay positive…” I said to her and nodded, taking a deep breath.

“Yes… So when are they going to marry?” Gene asked me.

“I – I don’t know… But it’s going to happen before school starts again…” I told them.

“That’s quite early” Eloise said.

“Yeah it is… But they have to… Because that man is going to get busy next week. So…” I said and shrugged. After completing my coffee, I glanced at my wrist watch and realized that it was almost 12 and I had to get back home.

“Oh I have to go home…” I said to them and stood up from the chair.

“Why?” Gene asked me anxiously.

“Because I am going to meet my to-be stepdad…” I told them.

“Really?” Eloise asked and stood up from the chair.

“Yes… Mom wanted me to meet him… So I am going to…” I told them.

“It’s nice actually… You’ll be able to understand him and may be you’ll like him too” Gene said excitedly.

“I hope so…” I said and grabbed my phone to get going. “I am going to go, bye…” I added and walked away from there.

“Tell us everything after…” Eloise said loudly from behind while I got on the road to head home.

Walking briskly, I finally reached home and entered in to see mom dressed up in a body fit, below-knee length dress. It was navy blue in color which looked gorgeous on her.

“You – you are looking nice” I said to her hesitantly and walked in.

“Thanks, honey… Are you going to change your clothes?” She asked me.

“No, um, I am going to keep wearing this only” I said to her and noticed how happy she was. Her happiness and excitement was making me to be happy for her.

“Shall we go then?” She asked me.

“Yeah sure…” I said and then added, “Let me get the cab”

“No, wait…” Mom held my hand and then added, “Ah actually Rowen is sending his driver to pick us up”

“What?” I got shocked and continued, “But why…? We could have managed on our own, mom”

“I know, honey but he insisted so I couldn’t say no” She said. I wasn’t liking that while she added further, “Also, we should get used to these luxuries now…”

“Mom… You can get used to it… I don’t want to” I said to her and walked out of the door while she followed me behind.

“Sarah… Honey, don’t be mad at me… Please” Mom insisted from behind while I kept walking until I hit the road when suddenly a nice shiny black car stopped in front of me and I stepped back.

“His driver is here” Mom said from behind and I looked at the car with my eye brows raised up.

“My God…” I said in frustration and mom walked excitedly towards the car.

“Get in, Sarah, come on…” Mom insisted and I reluctantly walked with her to get into the car.

“Isn’t this a lovely car, Sarah?” Mom whispered to me while I took a deep breath and looked outside the window, not bothering to reply to her. It was a twenty minute drive when we finally reached a place.

“Come on…” She said and got out of the car while I kept looking at the restaurant. It was a huge building with beautiful ancient architecture, aesthetically pleasing. I kept looking at the building when mom added, “Come on, let’s go inside…”

“Mom…” I started and walked towards her to add, “It looks like a very expensive place”

“Yes it is…” She replied casually.

“Mom, how are we supposed to eat here…? Look at it…” I asked her in frustration.

“Sarah, you don’t need to think about that. Rowen will take care. Just come with me” She said and held my hand to drag me inside. While entering inside, I kept looking at the magnificent interior design which looked opulent. The people eating there looked quite rich and classy. I kept walking in nervousness until we reached a table and sat down.

“We are early and he is late?” I asked my mom.

“Yes… He is a busy man. He can get late” Mom justified while I rolled my eyes.

“Usually the women tend to get late but… Never mind” I said and took a deep breath.

“Oh Sarah… Just meet Rowen for once… You’ll love him…” She said and I smiled nervously.

“So you used to come here on dates with him?” I asked my mom.

“Ah yeah… We have been here sometimes” She said and then started, “Actually, you see this…”

“Is that…?” I started while pointing at a man walking towards us with two people behind him.

Mom turned around to look at him and then added, “Oh… There he is…”

My eyes widened and I stopped blinking as I looked at the man…