CHAPTER # 5: LUNCH WITH MY MOM'S LOVER!

Sarah’s POV:

I kept looking at the man walking towards us. His personality was outstanding. I had always seen such men in movies or TV shows but he was in real. I couldn’t help but notice how manly he was. He was wearing a grey suit with white shirt inside and a navy blue tie. He has a warm ivory skin tone with aqua blue eyes. He has full grey beard with chocolate brown highlights and his hair is also of same color as of the beard. His walk was smart and confident with a straight posture giving him a dashing look. I wondered about how a man like him liked my mom and wants to marry her but then I turned to look at my mom who was looking equally beautiful and charming. I took a deep breath and once again, looked at the man who just reached us.

“Hello, sweetheart” He greeted my mom in his deep manly voice and kissed her on the cheeks.

“Hello, Rowen…” She said and smiled at him.

“You must be Sarah” Rowen said and I smiled nervously.

“Yeah, yeah I am…” I said as he sat down opposite to me.

“Hello dear…” He greeted me with a nice smile which looked quite genuine and I smiled back at him.

“I hope I didn’t get too late” He said as he began to drink a glass of water.

“Oh no… You are right on time” Mom said to me.

“So, Sarah dear… Did you hear the news about us?” He asked me directly.

“Um, ah yeah…” I cleared my throat and added, “I – I did…”

“Okay so what do you think about it? Are you okay with all this?” He asked me in a concerned manner.

“Ah…” I gulped and took a deep breath before adding, “Yeah, I mean, um… I am good with this. I have no problem in that as far as my mom is happy. I just want her to be happy and if you are the one then… It’s all okay”

“That’s amazing, dear… I wish every son or daughter to be like you… You are very compassionate and understanding” He said and I smiled nervously.

“Let’s order something and we’ll talk further” Rowen said and called the waiter to add, “Isiah… Bring me those items… Fresh”

“Okay sir…” The waiter said and walked away from there while I got all confused.

I chuckled nervously and added, “Um, how does he know what you like? I mean…”

“Because dear, he knows me. Everyone knows me here” Rowen said and leaned back.

“Oh, I see…” I said but was still confused.

“This is Rowen’s restaurant, honey” Mom leaned and whispered to me while I looked at her in shock. “Yes…” She added as I kept looking at her and couldn’t manage to say anything.

I looked away shaking my head in shock while Rowen started, “Is everything okay, Sarah? Do you want me to order something else for you?”

“Oh um, no…” I started immediately and continued while sitting up straight, “Um, I just ah… I just have a question that ah… That might get awkward for – for both of you”

“Please ask me everything you want to know” Rowen said and leaned back again.

“Um… How do you…? I mean” I cleared my throat again and added, “How do you… Like what made you fall in love with my mom? I mean she is a lovely lady but um… You are a billionaire and to be honest… It feels so, odd… You know… Because of our status and everything…”

“I get what you mean, Sarah…” Rowen said while mom got uncomfortable. I knew she was getting nervous with my question but I couldn’t help and ask this to get everything out in front of me clearly. “You see…” Rowen started and leaned forward to continue, “I saw your mom for the first time when she was getting a coffee from Patrick’s. I found something different in her. There was something which drew me towards her and I walked to her and directly asked her out. I was very straightforward and we went on a date. The first date with her was so amazing… She is fun, lovable and easy to talk to. I loved spending time with her and asked her if she could meet me for a second date too. After that we began to meet each other almost every day and I didn’t realize when I fell in love with her. It was shocking for me too because I don’t believe in love… But Sophia… Your mom… She changed me completely… I began to care for her and love her” Rowen said while looking straight into my mom’s eyes and she kept on blushing. “And about, why her only…?” Rowen added and then continued, “It’s because it’s easy to be with her. She is supporting and loving and caring… And extremely beautiful… Just what a man needs in a women. Also, I feel comfortable around her. I think I don’t need to pretend anything when I am around her, you know…”

I kept looking at Rowen wondering how deeply he was in love with my mom. It was unbelievable. Rowen said some things which I, being the daughter, never noticed about my mom. I couldn’t help but accept the fact that they were genuinely in love with each other. It felt pure and unconditional. I was happy to see someone love my mom like that after my dad left her. My nervousness and anxiety to have this huge change in my life was still there but I wanted my mom to be happy despite of my anxiousness. I didn’t want to ruin her life just because of my insecurities and selfishness.

“Um… I ah… I am happy that you are in love with each other… I don’t want anything else…” I said and Rowen smiled at me just then the waiter came with our order.

Our table began to get filled with items like Cobb salad, baked beans, grilled chicken, hamburgers, sandwiches, Buffalo wings, roasted beef with veggies and meatballs with noodles. I kept looking at the dishes as the waiter continued to place them on our table.

“Oh my God… That’s too much…” I said and looked at Rowen who was smiling.

“I am meeting you for the first time, Sarah… This is nothing…” Rowen said and smiled. I gulped and looked at the items thinking how much they would have costed him but then realized that it was his restaurant, so it was nothing for him.

“Let’s eat...” Rowen said and then looked at me to add, “Sarah, you start first”

“Um, I ah…” I started and then added, “Okay sure…” I said and then took some Cobb salad and immediately went for the meatballs with noodles as they were looking delicious.

“You chose the right thing, Sarah… These meatballs are to die for” Rowen said, while leaning forward. I smiled and quickly took a bite after which my eyes widened in amazement.

“Oh, my God…” I said with a mouthful of meatballs. “This is amazing…” I said shaking my head.

“I know… Sophia loved it too when she tried it for the first time” Rowen said and looked at my mom who was blushing and smiling at him. As I looked at my mom, she got nervous and began to eat.

“It’s okay, mom” I said and smiled.

As we continued to eat, Rowen began, “So, Sarah… What do you do?”

“Um, I will be starting my senior year of high school now” I told him.

“Oh that’s very nice…” He said and then added, “My son is also going to begin his senior year of high school”

I stopped eating and looked up at him in shock with a mouthful of roasted beef. I was appalled to hear about his son.

“You – you…” I chuckled nervously and then added, “You have a – a son?”

“Yes… His name is Zayn…” Rowen said and I kept looking at him in shock. Until then I was thinking that he might have had no kids but then all of a sudden I got to hear that news and I couldn’t think of anything else. I wondered if that stepbrother would be nice to me and if I would be nice to him too.

“What happened, Sarah?” Rowen asked me as I had stopped eating.

“Um…” I shook my head and put my fork aside to continue after a nervous chuckle, “No actually… I was just – I didn’t know that you have a son. Ah, why didn’t he come today?”

Rowen took a deep breath and leaned back to the chair while my mom stopped eating and looked at him anxiously.

“Um, is there something wrong?” I asked, looking at both of them in confusion.

“No, Sarah…” Rowen started and then added, “You see…” He cleared his throat and continued, “My son, Zayn is ah… He is not happy with all this”

“Wha – what?” I asked him in shock.

“Yes, Sarah… He is like that. He doesn’t accept change very easily. He takes time…” Rowen said and then leaned forward to continue, “But he is going to be fine. Once you and Sophia will move into my house and he will get to know…”

“Um, wait…” I interrupted in between. “We are… ah” I looked at my mom and then continued, “We are going to move?”

“Yes… I think I told you that, honey…” Mom said placing her hand on my shoulder.

“Yeah but I thought only you are going to move…” I said and looked at her in confusion.

“No, Sarah… I am not moving without you… You are coming with me” She said.

“But mom, I am going to turn 18 in few months. I think I can live on my own…” I said to her.

“But you are not 18 yet… Sarah” Rowen interrupted and as I looked at him, he continued, “Please move to my place with your mum. Live there for a while. Your mom won’t be able to stay there happily without you”

“Yes… Sar, please” Mom insisted and I looked at her and once again had to give up for her happiness. I didn’t want her to feel that I wasn’t happy with her decision of getting married again.

I looked down and taking a deep breath, added, “Okay, mom…”

“Oh honey…” She said and gently pressed my shoulders.

“Okay that’s settled. Now, about the wedding” Rowen said and leaned forward to continue, “What about day after tomorrow?”

“Ah, what?” I asked and began to cough with food in my mouth.

“Are you okay?” Mom asked me, giving me a glass of water.

“Yeah, yeah I just…” I started and taking a few sips of water, continued, “I didn’t expect it to be this early. I mean mom told me that it’s going to happen this week but day after tomorrow? How are we going to make the arrangements for that?” I looked at mom anxiously while she looked at Rowen in confusion.

“You both don’t have to worry about the arrangements. I’ll manage everything” Rowen said and then added to me, “You just come with your mom to the wedding. Okay?”

“Um…” I started while looking at mom and realized how happily and excitedly she was looking at Rowen. I didn’t want to ruin the moment for her and finally continued, “Alright. Then day after tomorrow”

Mom smiled at me widely and pulled me in for a hug while I smiled back nervously.

During that delicious lunch, we talked about how mom wanted that wedding to happen. We decided about the flowers and food before taking off.

“Bye, Sarah…” Rowen said as we got out of the restaurant. “It was really nice to meet you” He added and smiled.

“Ah it was nice to meet you too” I said to him and smiled. “Thanks for this lunch. I loved the food here” I added and he smiled widely.

“Thanks, dear” Rowen said and then moved ahead to kiss mom on her cheek, bidding goodbye to her. After all the goodbyes, we got in the car to head back home. On the way home, I texted my friends:

‘Mom’s wedding is day after tomorrow. I will need you guys there’ …