He is Enchanted

What Do You Do on the Weekend?

Roman enjoys a ship of refreshing mint tea when the twins are eating their breakfast. Liana checked her phone, seeing how many emails she had to reply to and how many things she had to do today. While Odette was checking her bag, she made sure nothing was left. 

“You know,” said Liana, turning Roman and Odette's attention from their routines. 

“I kinda liked his answer last night; it’s so … you know, deep?” 

Odette smirks while hearing her sister, followed by a smile peeking shyly from Liana’s lip. Then Odette nudged her sister's shoulder, who was blushing. 

Roman giggled. “Not bad.”

“But didn’t you guys feel when Ethan told you about his brother then called dad “annoying and cranky old man.” His body gesture, his facial expression is completely different from the person you guys told me,” Odette says. 

Roman sighs heavily, then he thinks. While Liana folded her arms across her chest, looking at the ceiling, trying to remember even the slightest memories at their first dinner. 

“We’re having dinner at a fancy restaurant. Of course, he will be polite. Perhaps because the last dinner feels more homey and casual than the first one, he had unintentionally brought out his true self.” 

Roman nods. He agrees with Liana’s opinion, plus there were children among them, making the atmosphere even more relaxed, and the twins also had a fight while eating dessert. However, the food was as fancy as the food served at the restaurant on their first dinner. 

“Dad, I wonder what's on your mind.”

Roman rested his elbows on the table, and his right fist clenched, then he used it as a support for his chin. “About what?”

“About Ethan. How do you see him from your perspective?”

He is a young man who still has a lot to learn as a young sprout. He must know how to deal with pest attacks, r with rainstorms to become a great tree that nothing will be able to tear its giant trunks. Except for God, of course. 

His point of view on marriage was impressive enough. At least he was different from his parents and his wife. He looks like someone open to criticism. It will be a crucial thing because Liana has the same freedom and right as Ethan in everything. They can remind each other, and no one dominates. They move forwards together at the same speed and direction. 

Don't forget about his job. He has become a young entrepreneur who is ready to replace his father at any time. Roman has done his research, and it seems that their company has a bright future and many opportunities to grow even with the emergence of new competitors. He even read about the history of their company. Of course, a great company must have great roots. 

“Can you be more specific?”

Liana smiled, then leaned towards her father. “Personally, what do you feel about him? And I want it to have nothing to do with me or the engagement.”

Well, what can he say?

He has brown jewel-like eyes with thin eyelashes. He has angular cheekbones and a pointed chin. He has a dainty and delicate nose like an ancient sculpture but with full and moist lips. Although Roman is still a few centimeters taller than him, that’s not become a problem. It’s Roman who’s too tall compared to ordinary people. 

Roman didn’t know how often he workout, but he either just started his training a few months ago, or maybe he didn’t intend to build his body. His muscles are beginning to form. But that’s not a problem, because the most important thing is that he’s healthy. 

And about his personality, Roman wasn't sure since he showed two different sides. But Roman doesn’t think he’s a hypocrite. His two sides are like two sides of a coin. Even though they are different, both sides are from the same coin, with the same characteristics. Both sides of the coin still counted as one coin. 

“Well, I’m not sure.” 

Liana was silent for a few seconds, then slightly nodded. “He is interesting, isn’t he?”

Roman shrugged his shoulders. “Maybe.”

Everyone is busy with themself. Miles and Naill finish their breakfast. Liana and Odette checked everything to make sure they didn’t miss anything important. Because time has caught up with them, they all have to prepare to go to the office or school. Times force them to postpone that unfinished conversation. 

Roman opened his car then the twins rushed in and sat in the seat next to the driver. Their size still allowed them to sit in one chair without feeling crushed towards each other. While Liana walked to her car and Odette turned on her motorcycle. She preferred motorcycles because it’s cooler than a car and more effective than a car. 

“Girls.” 

Liana almost shut her car door closed. Meanwhile, Odette’s hand that was holding the helmet was floating above her head. 

“We haven’t had a family vacation in such a long time.”

Liana and Odette look at each other. 

“Want to go to the zoo this weekend?”

They widened their eyes, and they seemed to be asking each other about the same question even though there’s no single sound came out of their mouths. Seriously? 

***

Since their last dinner, Ethan had yet to meet that old man again. 

But for a couple of times, Ethan finds Roman and his children going together. Neither to the office or to drive the twins to their school. Usually, if this happens, Ethan will wait inside of his home while watching them. It was only when they all left the house when the gate closed perfectly, then Ethan took out his car. He’s usually turning his care in the same direction as Odette, the opposite direction with Roman and Liana. 

He will trap in a couple of traffic lights with Odette and her motorcycle. Ethan will keep his car at a safe distance; he still can see the series of numbers on her motorbike plate, but Odette won't think Ethan and his car are stalking her. Odette will turn at the third traffic light after a fast-food restaurant while Ethan still has to go through two more traffic lights to make a turn. 

But after Odette turn at the third traffic light, they are both completely separate. Like they didn’t take the same path before. Ethan would only meet Odette again the following day if Ethan accidentally went to the office simultaneously as the Pearsons. 

After about five days of accidentally ‘seeing’ the Pearson throughout his windows bedroom that face directly to the Pearson’s house, he began to memorize their habits.

The twins will go home with Liana around 3 p.m, followed by Odette around 6 p.m, and sometimes she takes her friends home, then Roman arrives around 9 p.m. 

One day, Roman arrived earlier, around 7 p.m., and brought a bag; it seems that he bought something for dinner, it might be some pizza. Ethan didn’t make sure what kind of food he bought home on that day. 

So far, Ethan concluded that Roman actually leaves the office around 5 or 6 p.m., and he usually headed to his friend’s cafe. Then he spent some time at the cafe. Ethan couldn't be sure because he didn't know where the cafe was, so he spent around 3-4 hours on his way to the cafe, hanging out at the cafe, and returning home.

From the information he gets from that old man company’s website and social media account, his company operates from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., so Ethan's conclusion could be right, considering the distance between his home and office is about 15 minutes if there's no traffic.

Ethan usually doesn't go to the office on Saturdays, and Ethan thinks most of the company didn’t open on Saturday. But this morning, after brushing his teeth, Ethan saw that old man leaving his house. He was the only one who went. Ethan didn't see anyone going with him.

According to the company’s website, and it’s also written on their social media account. His company only operates until noon on Saturday. 

Ethan glanced at the clock hanging on his wall in front of his bed, 11 o’clock. “If he didn’t go to his friends’ cafe, he might arrive at home around 12-1 p.m.,” Ethan said to himself. 

Ethan rested his chin on his clenched left hand, glancing at that old man’s house through his windows. 

“How do you think he will spend his weekends?” 

Is he will watch some movies? Or does he have some hobby? Or will he just chill while having a conversation with his child? Or might it be played with the twins? 

Does he still go to his friend’s cafe on the weekends? It seems better to spend the weekend with a loved one, right? Is he right?

Ethan shook his head to answer all the questions he was asking himself.