Love is Like A For*bid*den Fruit

Chapter 10

Thomas' Point of View

Me and Edgar reached New York and we went towards the same room that we normally book, every time we are in New York Times Square Hotel. Our suite was available and we both went towards our room and slept off, in order to ward off the jet lag. We reached at around 12am and we wanted nothing but a bed to just drift off to the oblivion. 

I got up and looked around and saw Edgar all ready and waiting for me to wake up. As usual, he was standing there with a tray with my breakfast in it. I smiled at him and went towards the washroom to complete my morning chores. I took a long shower and came out and saw a grey 3 piece suit placed neatly on the bed. A green tie was placed on the suit to match my eyes. I got dressed in it and set my hair neatly combed side wards with the help of gel and spray. I looked at myself and saw a perfect person staring back at me in the mirror.

I left towards the living area and saw Edgar all set to leave for the wedding. The time was already 9am and we had a few minutes to reach the venue. I had my breakfast in a hurry and we started our way towards St. John’s Chapel. I was having so many thoughts regarding the wedding and also about my new so-called “step-mom”. What made Mr. Strauss to marry her? Why is he doing this, even though knowing after it will surely hurt me and Susan? 

We reached the venue and saw that there were not many people present. Guess Mr. Strauss wanted the wedding to be a private event, even though the news was advertised in all media types available in today’s generation. I saw many reporters lined at the sides of the red carpet area, and the reporters were held at least 5 feet away from the aisle that led into the chapel. There were guards located at every 2 feet distance and they were making sure that no person crossed the barricade area and tried to illegally enter the venue.

Our car stopped just at the end of the red carpet aisle and Edgar looked at me through the rare view mirror. I understood his dilemma and gave a gentle nod at him. He exited from the car and came towards my door. He opened the door and I got down from the car. I was bombarded with hundreds of questions from the reporters from both the sides. 

“Mr. Thomas Strauss, what is your opinion about Mr. Leon Strauss remarrying?”

“Do you feel sad because he is trying to replace your mom with someone else in his life?”

“Have you met your stepmom? Has it become possible for you and Ms. Susan to make her acquaintance?”

“Do you have step siblings? Because as per our reports, the future Mrs. Strauss doesn't have any children so far.  What is your opinion regarding this event?”

The reporters started firing at me with so many questions as soon as I got down from the car. My head was really spinning and I couldn’t face the crowd anymore. I just gently made my way into the venue, but before that, I turned around and gave a smile at the reporters and gave a “No Comments on the event” reply and went inside the chapel. 

There was no spark that you see commonly in a wedding, inside the chapel. It was decorated with some lilies everywhere and the seating area was decorated with white satin cloth. A red bow was tied at the back of every bench in the chapel and there were some lilies decorated at the beginning and end of every bench. The chapel was huge enough to accommodate more than 500 people in it, and yet there were hardly 100 people present inside.

I went and sat at a bench that was closer to the door. I didn't want to go and get stuck amidst our relatives, or otherwise known as vultures looking for a way to eat their prey. I was lost in my thoughts when I felt a gentle tap on my left shoulder. I turned around and saw someone looking at me with caring eyes. She was in her 50s and she had a worry filled look on her face. I felt like I was lost in those same eyes once before, as I had already seen those dark brown colored eyes before. I seriously felt like I have seen those eyes somewhere, but I couldn't make out where exactly I saw those eyes. I was just looking at her, and that was when she spoke.

“Son, do you have someone joining you to the event later?”, she asked me.

“No ma’am, I’m alone here” I replied.

“Do you mind If I join you till the wedding is over. I don't want to go towards the front side seats and grab attention”, she said to me with an anger filled tone. 

“Oh sure, why not. Same feeling here too. Are you from the groom’s side or the bride’s side?” I asked this question even though knowing that she is definitely from the bride’s side, as I was the immediate relative of the groom. She looked at me for a while and sighed. She then passed through me and sat next to me. 

“Son, the bride today is actually my first cousin. We are not in close terms. I seriously didn't wish to attend the wedding. It was my daughter that forced me to stay through the event, as it is not good to not attend the wedding, when you are invited exclusively. Ya ya, I got the invitation because the wi tch wanted me to be the flower decorator for her wedding. I guess it is the only reason for me even getting invited to the wedding. Oh, pardon my language son. I got carried away. By the way, which side are you from?”, she asked me by looking straight into my eyes. 

“Well, to be frank, I'm from the groom’s side and to be more frank, I’m the unfortunate son of the groom. I have a sister and I thought that she would be attending the wedding. I can't see her anywhere. Well I can't complain to her as I haven't moved from this place, since the time I entered the venue”, I said with a sad tone.

“Oh son, where are my manners? I’m Sarah Lockwood”, she put her right hand in front for me to shake it. I looked at her for a while and replied to her gesture. “I’m Thomas Strauss. It's very nice to meet you ma’am”, and with that we both shook our hands. 

“Wait a minute. Strauss?? As in The Strauss Pharmaceutical’s CEO Strauss?” she asked me with shocked and surprised eyes.

I was taken aback by the question. I mean she has come to the wedding and she doesn't know the last name of the groom. How can this be possible? “Yes, I am the CEO of Strauss Pharmaceuticals. By the way, how do you know about my company?” I asked her. 

“Son, my daughter works for your company here. You might have heard about Elena Lockwood. She is interning under Rachael Stiff. I heard that she was asked to go and work under the pioneer scientists in your London branch. I didn't know that I would be meeting a Strauss at this wedding. I was so angry at my cousin that I didn't even glance at the name of the groom. My bad”, she said to me in a relaxed tone.

I was really shocked with the gesture. I mean, people normally go crazy and would ask for selfies, when they learn about me. Some older women would even try to hook me up on a date with their daughters and some would even try to hug and kiss me, like some shameless crazy women. However, this woman was not at all intimidated by me and my name, and instead she simply stated the fact about how she knows me. I really liked the calm and composed woman sitting next to me. 

“Yes ma’am, I do know about your daughter. “Know” is actually quite big word here, as I have heard about Mrs. Stiff and Ms. Lockwood’s achievements from my branch managers. I wanted them to work directly under me in my lab, and so I made a proposal for them to come and join me in my main office. However, I’m waiting for their reply. It would be an honor, if the duo would love to come and work for me” I said to her. Even though there were fireworks going off in my heart, I didn't show that in my face. She is the mother of the girl, whom I felt something for, for the first time in my life. Is this called fate?

She thought for a while and sighed. “You know son, I mean Mr Strauss, my daughter is quite passionate about her work here and would give anything to go and work in the main branch office, under the supervision of the experienced scientists there. She did speak to me about it and I have given her my consent to move to London. I am her mother and cannot hold her back, when a good opportunity comes her way. I think she is still deciding about what to do. Anyways, what she does with her life and career is up to her”, she replied to me in a relaxed tone.

Wow, is she for real? I mean, which mother would be so cool about the decisions of their daughter moving to another continent? She learned about me and she didn't go into the mode, where she worships me as her God and would just keep praising me. She didn't even start praising her daughter in front of me to make sure that I would have a very good opinion of her daughter. She is treating me just like any other person whom someone meets for the first time. I had never come across someone so calm and composed. I really admired the woman sitting next to me.

“Firstly, ma’am, you can call me Thomas or son, what you seem fit. Please don't become all formal with me. Secondly, I have heard many good things about your daughter and Mrs. Stiff and their achievements. I have even heard about how they stay back if required, when it comes to completing any experiment. I mean, I do know about her dedication to the work. I really like it if I have such dedicated workers working under me, in my branch. So I offered her the job to come work for me in London. Let us hope that both the experienced experts decide to come and join my laboratory back home”. I smiled at her and she was about to tell me something and that was when I heard someone call Mrs. Lockwood.