A Night to Regret

Chapter 9: A mere reunion

Chapter 9: A mere reunion

I calmed myself and tried to slow down my heartbeat. Okay, Sky. Eros Stefopolous is his name and he's the CEO and President of C&D Enterprises.

"And this is my dad, Diomedes Stefopolous, the Chairman of C&D Enterprises."

I blinked thrice before I snapped myself. Then I shook my hands with them with so much awe. "And I'm Skelemina Hitherway, the head engineer of this project named Josiemarie project." I thank God and also to myself because I managed to suppress a smile at those powerful men I've ever known.

When I shook my hands with Mr. Diomedes Stefopolous, he stared at me for a second then he spoke. "Are you related to Matheus Hitherway?"

My forehead creased in confusion. Does he know my father? Well, that shouldn't surprise me though. I suppressed a smile and nodded my head. "Yes, he is my father. How did you know him, Mr. Stefopolous?"

From what I said, Mr. Diomedes Stefopolous smiled gently and widely whilst looking at me with a soft gaze. I glanced at his son, Mr. Eros Stefopolous who was staring at me intensely. I simply looked away from his gaze because I'm being conscious in the way he looked at me intensely like he was staring right through my soul and it's like he was checking something that he couldn't believe. I returned my gaze back to Mr. Diomedes Stefopolous.

"I'm his childhood best friend. Such a surprise that his only daughter is here in front of us. My, my. I'm sure Matheus is very proud to see you that you became a civil engineer and such a coincidence that you are our head engineer of Josiemarie project," said Mr. Diomedes Stefopolous with a smile on his face.

I simply tried to remember something, thinking if Father mentioned anything about his childhood best friend. I instantly smiled and looked at him when I remembered something. "My father mentioned you before. He said that he has a Greek childhood best friend when he was still living in Brazil. He called you as..." I hummed and think. "...As Dio. Am I right with it?"

Mr. Diomedes Stefopolous' smile grew wider and he instantly nodded his head, agreeing from my statement. "It is. It is." Then he looked at my son as he smiled. "Is this your son?"

"Yes, this is Oasis. Five years old," I said, feeling proud as to how I introduce my son.

"Mommy, I don't understand what you two are talking about."

I turned at my son, Oasis who was already frowning. I winced his hair using my free hand. "Oasis, honey, this is Diomedes Stefopolous, he is the childhood best friend of your grandpa."

"Just call me Grandpa Dio since your Matheus' grandson. And you can call me Tito Dio, what should I call you? Skelemina?" he asked.

"My friends used to call me as 'Sky' but my parents used to call me as 'Mina'," I said, smiling.

"Then I will call you 'Mina'. And this is my only son, Eros. He is half Greek and half Filipino."

I glanced at Eros and simply laid my hand to him. "You can call me 'Sky', Eros. And I'm half Brazilian and half Filipina." I gulped suddenly when I suddenly felt ticklish static electricity the moment my eyes landed on his lips. I tried to ignore it when he touched my hand and we shook our hands solemnly.

"Sky... Hmm... I like your nickname. It's so nice to finally meet you, Tito Matheus' daughter."

My heart pounded so fast when our eyes met. I felt my knees becoming weak as I felt a jolt of electricity flowed in my skin. Father would be glad once they have a reunion about his best friend. I am going to call him later about this matter. I would be happy if I see him hanging out with his childhood best friend again. Father doesn't usually go out unless if they have a date of my mother and spending time with my son.

"Mommy, I'm hungry."

I slowly slid my hand away from his hand so that I could caress my son's face but he stopped me and held my hand tightly. We both stared at each other's eyes. What was he up to? I gave him a questioned look as to why he stopped me. I simply looked at Tito Dio who was looking at Eros and I. I simply removed my hand from him then I placed it in my son's hair and caressed it.

I looked at them and bowed my head a bit. "I guess we have to go and..." Then I glared at my wristwatch. "And it's already lunch." Then I glanced back at them.

I put Oasis down and he came closer to Tito Dio and Eros and held their hands. "Grandpa Dio, Tito Eros, let's have lunch together with my Mommy. I'm sure you are all hungry. Mommy, pretty please! I want to talk with them."

Oasis ran towards me and gave me a hug in my thigh. "Mommy, pleassseeee." Oasis pouted.

I smiled and nodded. "Ask them properly, Oasis."

He instantly turned his head and pouted at them. "Grandpa Dio, please?"

Tito Dio gave me a smile. "Of course. How can I say 'no' to someone like you? Can I give you a lift, Oasis?"

Oasis was very happy to oblige when Tito Dio lifted him up in his arms. I couldn't help myself but chuckle. If only Tito Dio was Oasis' grandfather, for sure he would get along and go out just like what he and his grandpa did.

"We will go to my favorite restaurant, Mina. Is it fine with you?"

"Of course, Tito. Oasis, let's go."

I took Oasis from Tito Dio and approached Charlie that we're going to have lunch with some important clients. She checked my son if he's okay. With Oasis's bubbly behavior, Oasis showed his little biceps to her. Charlie and I laughed. Then after that, Oasis and I both hop on in my car. Then we followed Tito Dio's car.

We went to a fine restaurant and we followed them. We went to a private room and I heard that Tito Dio already reserved foods for all of us. We were set in a rectangle table. Eros was sitting across mine while Tito Dio was beside me. I felt a little bit uncomfortable every time Eros landed his eyes at me. I suddenly felt goosebumps and all.

Oasis couldn't help the excitement when the food was served. His eyes were widening in awe and mischief. Then he glanced at me, his eyes were dancing happily to see the foods served in the table.

"Mommy! These are so many!" He spread his arms wide to show how many the foods are.

"You can eat whatever you want, Oasis. Don't worry it's your Grandpa Dio's treat," Tito Dio said and smiled.

"Really, Grandpa Dio? Let's eat!" After Oasis said that with awed and excitement, he started eating.

It was fun to be with Tito Dio. He told me he and Father's childhood days and how they met. To make the story short, he said that he met my father in the village's playground in Brazil. Tito Dio had just arrived at their new house near my father's and they came from Greece and went to Brazil that's where he met my father Greece. They became the best of friends till high school. When they were in their college days, he had to go back to Greece to study in college. They still had a connection and talked to each other on the phone consistently. But they became busy with each other's lives when they reached the age of matrimony. They lost their connection and took care of each other's lives. I could see that they still have a connection with each other because this world is so small. They could get a chance to meet each other in an unexpected time and space. Father would be so happy to have a reunion so I better tell him the goodness right away.

"So, you're the only daughter of Matheus. I hope I get to see him with your mother. I want to introduce my son, Eros and I want to talk with him like we used to do when we were still young." Then Tito Dio laughed.

I chuckled as his laugh was so contagious it affected me. Tito Dio is a humorous and jolly person. He never failed me to laugh when he telling me such incredible stories of their incredible and crazy adventures of my father and him.

I ate a piece of meat and gave Eros a quick glance who sitting next to Oasis. He didn't speak much while his father and I were so busy chitchatting about his father and my father's history from their childhood. I had a great time listening to Tito Dio's stories. I caught him staring at me then I looked away as I chewed it before I spoke, "Tito Dio, how long do you live here in the Philippines?"

"I lived here for almost fifteen years. When I married Eros' mother, I decided to live here with them. It is so nice and peaceful to live here. How about Matheus? How long does he live here together your mother?"

I hummed and thought about it before I answered his question. "I think it's almost twelve years, uhm... I'm not sure of it, Tito." I gave him an apologizing look.

"Oh, it's okay, Mina. I will ask Matheus once we visit him," said Tito Dio, smiling at me.

I was about to say something when I caught Oasis placing broccoli on the side of his plate and didn't eat them. I narrowed my eyes as he kept on doing that. He was too busy placing broccoli and he hasn't noticed that I'm watching him intently.

"Oasis, o que você está fazendo?" (Oasis, what are you doing?) That made him flinch when I spoke seriously.

His innocent blue eyes gazed up to look at me. Then he forced a little smile. "What is it, Mommy?"

I tried myself not to smile, even though how cute he was right now that I caught him. I just wore my serious expression like the way I used to do whenever I found Oasis do something wrong.

"You weren't eating broccoli. I had already taught you to eat what's on the table hadn't I, honey?" I sounded calm and relax but my tone was serious.

Oasis looked at me then at the broccoli. He returned his gaze at me then back to the broccoli. But his eyes landed at me after he looked at the broccoli disgustingly. Then his eyes looked at me guiltily.

Nevertheless, Oasis pouted. "But Mommy, I really don't like broccoli to begin with..."

I sighed exasperatedly. How would I explain this again? How many times do I have to repeat myself in front of him? "Oasis, broccoli is a vegetable and of course, you need to eat nutritious food like broccoli."

"But I really really... really don't like it... It tastes horrible."

I looked at him in disbelief and was about to dispute my son when Tito Dio laughed like it was as if he was amused with us. Afterward, Eros spoke in his dark, manly voice. He gazed at me first and I felt my heart skips a beat and it started to confuse me. Then he looked at Oasis and Eros flashed a mega-watt smile. That melts my inside.

"We're both the same, Oasis. I don't like broccoli."

I slowly caught my breath as he smiled wider. I felt butterflies fluttering my stomach when I heard his voice. I felt like someone had tickled my insides. I reached the glass of water and drank a little as I calmed myself. Your heart is palpitating, Sky. Calm down. Calm down.

"Realy, Tito Eros?" asked Oasis in his hopeful tone.

Eros nodded his head. "For me, broccoli has a horrible taste and my mother always got upset with me whenever I don't eat it."

"Your mom is like my Mommy." Oasis smiled sweetly then he looked at me. I don't know if I should find it that my son is trying to put me down or not. Then he looked at Eros who was also staring at him intently. He was smiling widely.

"I guess she is," he said, breathless as he gave me a glance. I gulped when my hands were starting to sweat when I heard his breathless voice. Okay... This was the first time that I had been having these whirlwind emotions toward him. It was very unfamiliar for me to feel those. "But as I grew up, I learned to eat broccoli without having a disgust expression excel in my face."

"Woooaaahhh! How? What did you do, Tito Eros?"

I sighed with defeat. Great! I f****d up! Perhaps, Eros would be going to teach my son not to eat broccoli anymore which is a big agreement for my son. For my son, it's easy for him to believe. He would truly be freaking believe in it once he found it that it was a fact for him to believe in. Once Eros speaks that the solution for that broccoli is not to eat it anymore even though if it's a joke, I don't know what to do to him if my son believes in him. Forgive me, Tito Dio if your son had done something that I wouldn't like to my son, I'm sorry but I'll talk to him frankly speaking.

"Here. Try to dip the broccoli in this cheese dip. You're not going to taste the horrible taste of broccoli. My mom taught me about this when I was your age and I liked it. Try it, Oasis."

That made me so much relief on my part. Thank God. I thought he's going to say, "Just don't eat and you'll be safe." Good thing that didn't happen. I don't want to show the badass I have and speak frankly to this guy. I shook my head mentally for myself. You had a very wild imagination, Sky. But at least, we are very precautious to what Eros could have said to Oasis. Part of being a mother is thinking in advance and being so cautious about everything my kid is doing. I should always keep them safe and let them experience what life has to offer. I am here as his mother to guide him until he grows up like Eros.

My son did what his Tito Eros said. He dipped the broccoli in the creamy cheese then he ate it. My son's face brightened up from gloomy and smiled showing his perfect little set of white teeth.

"Hmmm... it's delicious! This is so yummy, Tito Eros! Mommy, you should try this," Oasis said, offering me broccoli with cheese.

Oasis tried to approach me and said 'Ah' to me. I obliged. I agreed to Oasis. It was yummy and cheesy. I never thought that it will taste so delicious if you dip broccoli to the creamy cheese.

After that, Oasis returned to his seat and sat down. I wiped the corners of my mouth using a tissue paper. When Oasis gazed at the shrimp tempura that was placed in the table, he immediately turned his head to Eros and to Tito Dio.

"Grandpa Dio, Tito Eros, you know what? I have allergies on kinds of seafood. My face will blow up if I ever get a taste of any kind of seafood."

Tito Dio chuckled and let out an amusement huff. "Really, Oasis? Well, Eros has an allergy, too to seafood," said Tito Dio with amusement on his eyes. "Unfortunately, looks like Mina and I will be the ones who will eat them then." I chuckled as an answer to him.

Oasis turned his head to Eros. He was looking at him in disbelief in his eyes. "Really, Tito? You have an allergy, too?"

"Yes, I do have. So, unlucky us, aren't we?"

Oasis pouted and nodded his head then he stood up from his seat. "The last time I remembered eating seafood was when Mommy cooked a sweet and sour crab. I found it delicious but it made me sick."

"Is that true, Mina?" They all looked at me after Tito Dio asked, asking confirmation from what Oasis told.

I nodded my head, trying to remember when it happened. "Oasis was four years old before. I thought I made my son eat a food poison, but when I brought him to the hospital in Brazil, the doctor told me that my son has an allergy to sea foods because of the red spots scattered on his body. From that time, I never allow Oasis to eat anything regarding seafood. I won't repeat history. Because it made me worry. It took Oasis a week to lower his fever." I couldn't help but to sigh and remember that those things five years ago.

It's very hard to see your son confined in the hospital.

"I see. I understand now. Eros and Oasis have similarities, don't you think, Mina?"

"You went to a hospital in Brazil? That's so far, isn't it?"

I glared at Eros when he asked that. "Oasis and I lived in Brazil because of..." I stopped in mid-sentence and think that I should not discuss this especially that my son was here. I don't want him to hear about this discussion. "....personal matters."

"Oh, so you had been in Brazil, Mina. Did you visit your father's former home?"

I looked around but didn't glance at them a bit. How am I gonna answer them? I got pregnant and my father detained me in his primary country, Brazil. I sighed again in distress and looked at Tito Dio.

"I made a mistake that made my father mad at me. I was detained in Brasília, Brazil."

"What?!!" Tito Dio at Eros said in unison.

I suppressed a bitter smile as I remembered how I suffered as how difficult it was to live in Brasília, Brazil. "If you visit my parents, you'll know it why it happened," I said and ate silently. I didn't speak further when they all stayed silent as my son was just happily munching on his food. But damn! That was way too personal. I shouldn't have told them because that was a private matter I shouldn't discuss with someone so easily. But I already said it so my father had to deal with it once Tito Dio and Eros visit them.