Age-less Love

Unprecedented Surprise

“Wouldn’t mum blame my dad’s attitude for what is happening to me?” She thought. Her mother left because her dad was more concerned with his rubber factory than the emotional needs of his family. When Andrea’s mum couldn’t bear it anymore, she took her belongings and left before her husband and daughter returned home about four months ago.

Andrea looked at her wrist watch as she walked out of the counselor’s office. She was thinking if she could go to her mum’s residence, then go back home before sunset.

Since her mum left, both had not seen each other more than two times, but she frequently called her mum asking her one particular question she found hard to answer.

“Mum, when are you coming back?”

Andrea took a cab straight to the train station. Stephanie, Andrea’s mom, lived in a close by city, a one hour, twenty minutes journey by train. When she got to the train station, she hurriedly bought her ticket, and her next step was to wait for the next train and hoops in. Fortunately, the train came as least expected and she entered with other passengers. Her eyes were looking outside the train as the buildings and trees were seen moving backward when the train was on motion.

She was deep in thought and she couldn’t notice the gentleman sitting at her front and was staring at her throughout the trip.

“May I have your phone number?” The guy said as the train came to its destination.

“I’m in haste,” Andrea hurried out of the train and took another cab and checked her wristwatch again and the time was 3:30 PM. Andrea became nervous each time she had the feeling that she was getting closer to her mother’s residence, and there was a rush of dopamine into her bloodstream.

“What if my mum reveals my secret to my dad on the phone?” This was one thought she couldn’t silence. She noticed her communication with her mum had been reducing day in day out and she was afraid if her mum was that woman she could trust again. Despite all her fears, she was determined to pour out her emotions.

There was tension as she got out of the cab in front of the house and she reduced her pace, feeling guilty. She put her handbag on her shoulder and her palms were wet. Then she knocked on the silver door with a peep hole. Her first knock produced no response. She waited and knocked harder without altering a word, and her eyes were on her right foot she constantly stamped the floor. A few minutes later, she heard the sound of someone followed by the creaking sound of the door.

“Andrea!” Her mum said in disbelief and embraced her. She was close to tears and they spent more time cuddling themselves. When she finally pushed herself away and was holding Andrea’s hands, she asked,

“How are you doing?”

Andrea darted her eyes before replying.

“Mum! I’m passing through a lot. I came to see you for something I am finding hard to deal with…” Then she paused when she heard the sound of a male voice.

“Honey! Where are you?”

“Mum, who is that?” Her countenance changed and before she could finish, she saw a man holding her mom on her waist, and her mum made no restrictions.

The man was in his fifties and he had salt-and-pepper hair and a well-defined physique, reflecting his years of physical training and exercise. He wore casual clothes and he tried to dash out a friendly smile at Andrea. When he saw that his presence froze their conversation, he said,

“This must be your daughter. You never told me you have such a gorgeous grown up daughter.” He took a step away from the mouth of the door, still putting his left hand on her mum’s waist and he extended his right hand for a handshake.

Andrea’s gaze was fixed and unwavering, suggesting her resolve and she didn’t raise her hand to greet. The whites of her eyes were visible, indicating her heightened arousal and intense emotions.

“Honey,” the man kissed Andrea’s mom on her right cheek and added,

“This is a mother and daughter’s talkover. I’m going inside. When you are done, you can then introduce me to your pulchritude.”

He flipped Stephanie's chin with his right hand and crafted an alluring smile.

Andrea’s mum didn’t resist any of his actions and she remained neutral until the man went inside.

“Who is he?” Andrea stoned her eyes at her mum. This was something her mom didn’t want to talk about. She remained silent. She had a dejected and downcast expression, her shoulders slumped and her eyes cast downwards, reflecting her feelings of self-criticism and disappointment.

When Andrea saw no response from her mom, she raised her voice.

“Is this what you want?” Andrea who was initially down became irritated and pointed at the door, indicating the direction of the man who went inside.

“Dad still loves you, he talks about you all the time.” Andrea was close to tears.

“How will he say he loves me when he doesn’t have time for me? How does he care for my emotional needs? Thankfully, you are a woman. We want the touch of a man just as blood runs in our veins. Your dad’s priority is his factory. A perfectionist! He wants things done as he wants them. He could stay days in his factory and he is never worried about his family. Who does he expect to take care of my s****l needs? I want to be plain to you. You are my daughter and I can’t hide the truth from you. I want a man who prioritizes me just the way he prioritizes all other areas of his life.” She widened her eyes and hands to defend herself. There were expressions of pain in her face, with tears in her eyes and a shaky voice, conveying her hurt and sadness, while her body language was closed off and withdrawn, indicating her feelings of isolation and disconnection.

Andrea watched helplessly and she didn’t know when her lips parted from each other. She was looking, not only her mother but a woman demonstrating starvation of emotional needs. And this was the main reason she came to see her mom, to look for additional help to unravel her affection for her father’s best friend.

“Mum! I least expected this from you, dad is a good man. His struggle was for us to have a comfortable life.” Andrea narrowed her voice and stepped backward, then she turned and walked away from the house.

“Andrea…! Andrea…!!” Her mom called.

At the same time, she felt a sense of shame, as she realized the impact her actions have had on her daughter and their relationship. She was helpless, watching her daughter walking closer to the express road.

“She took me unaware! I wish she gave me a call before coming, I would have sent Fred away,” Andrea’s mother thought.

Early the next day, Andrea woke up and the scent of freshly baked croissants filled the air in her room. Andrea couldn’t help but wonder as she sat on her bed.

“Who is preparing my favorite pastry?” She thought and stood up. At first, she thought it was their neighbor, but the aroma was so strong that she was convinced it was within the house. Andrea, without changing her nightgown, walked out of her room and walked towards the kitchen which was at the left side of the house. The closer her steps to the kitchen, the stronger the aroma and she stood at the door and peeped. It was her father who was preparing one of her favorite meals. She felt a sense of surprise and joy at seeing her dad in the midst of cooking. The sight of him in an apron and oven mitts was a rare and unexpected occurrence, filling her with a sense of warmth and affection. At first, she felt disoriented, wondering why her dad was cooking her favorite meal. And the first thing that crawled into her mind was,

“Is he not going to his factory today?”

There was brightness outside and usually, this was the time her dad usually hurries out of the house.

“Dad!” She called with an overwhelming excitement and walked up to him and saw that he had made so many croissants. She didn’t know when she embraced her dad from his back.

“You surprised me,” through his right shoulder, she watched what he was doing.

“Thank you,” she added.

“How was your night sweetheart?”

“So sweet,” she chuckled.

“Would you love to taste?” He asked with a delighted smile.

“Yes. You amazed me. When did you wake up to do all of these?”

“Andrea, I have a better surprise for you.” Andrea almost picked one of the croissants, but she dropped it and was eager to hear from her dad.

“Take a bite, I am with you. I’m not in a hurry.”

Andrea’s heart raced with every passing moment, and she could hardly contain her enthusiasm as she took the first bite of the fresh and warm pie. After swallowing her first bite, she asked,

“What’s the surprise, dad?”

“Don’t be in a hurry. I will tell you after breakfast.” Nicholas smiled as he pulled the oven mitts from his hands.

“Let me quickly go and change my gown and come back and prepare what we will use to eat the croissants you have baked.”

“I have done that. I made mashed potatoes.”

Andrea was filled with awe and she stared at her dad.

“So when did you wake up dad? What are you hiding from me?”

“I said I have a surprise for you.” He said and there were genuine emotions in their eyes. Andrea placed the croissants on a tray and took them to the dining table and came back to carry the mashed potatoes. Subconsciously, Andrea was walking fast but she didn’t notice it.

“Please, let me quickly take my bath,” she quickly said.

“Okay!” Her dad replied.

Andrea went into her room, pulled off her gown in her bathroom and she omitted her warm bath in the tub. She hurriedly took her bath and came out, put on a white gown and came out of the room.

“Dad, where are you?” She said when she got to the dining table and she didn’t see her dad.

“I’m coming,” he shouted in his room.

Andrea pulled one of the dining chairs and sat down. Some seconds later, Nicholas came with a brown file in his right hand. But before he sat down, he said,

“That’s my wife’s seat,” he pointed. Andrea smiled and stood up and sat at the opposite chair, then Nicholas sat down.

“Please dad, can you just tell me what is going on? I don’t really like the emotions it brings waiting for a surprise. Please! Tell me before we eat.”

Nicholas stole a glance of his daughter’s face and looked at the meals on the table, then he slided the documents in his hands towards his daughter. He paused for a while before he said,

“I want to turn things around in this house. I don’t want to regret it on my deathbed. I want to bring your mum back to this house and be close to my family. And for that reason, I have sold my factory. The more I was trying to increase the output of my factory, the more the unity of my household was going down. Some months ago, your mom left, and I saw how recently, it has affected you. I don’t want to lose my wife and daughter. Please, forgive me for all my absence.”

Andrea dilated her pupils, making her irises appear larger and darker and her eyelids instinctively open wider. She blinked rapidly, trying to process the unexpected information. And before she could verbally react to her dad’s words, Nicholas continued,

“We are going on a vacation and Margie and her dad will be joining us. We are going to Marco island, and Margie’s father is suggesting he will look for a wife there.”

“A wife?” Andrea didn’t know when she exclaimed and she immediately turned her eyes from her dad. Andrea felt a mix of jealousy, wrapped with anger and a large volume of blood left the arteries of her heart at once.

“Am I in love with Margie’s dad?” She thought with a pounding heart.