Chapter 2- The Blind Date
1155 Words
At Home
Mrs. Williams stood in front of her mirror, carefully adjusting her dress. Today was the day —her first blind date. She sighed, unsure if she was making the right decision.
A knock at the door startled her.
"It’s open," she called out.
Clara stepped inside, eyes immediately scanning her up and down. "Wow! Are you actually trying to look good for this date?"
Mrs. Williams rolled her eyes. "Clara, don’t start."
Clara smirked and sat on the bed. "Where’s Kate?"
"She’s at school."
"Good. Now, let me help you." Clara walked over and took the makeup brush from Mrs. Williams’ hand. "You’re doing it all wrong."
Within minutes, Clara had worked her magic, applying light makeup that enhanced Mrs. Williams’ natural beauty. She then picked out a simple but elegant dress.
"There. Now, you look like someone who’s about to meet her future husband," Clara teased.
"Clara, please!" Mrs. Williams groaned, but a small smile tugged at her lips.
They both walked out together, with Clara giving her last-minute advice as they strolled down the street.
"When you get there, be confident," Clara said. "Talk, but don’t talk too much. Smile, but not too much. And for heaven’s sake, don’t mention anything embarrassing!"
Mrs. Williams laughed. "You make it sound like I don’t know how to have a conversation."
"I’m just making sure." Clara stopped at the roadside and flagged down a taxi. "Alright, go. And remember—if anything feels off, leave."
Mrs. Williams nodded, took a deep breath, and entered the taxi.
---
At the Restaurant
Mrs. Williams sat at a quiet table in the corner, anxiously tapping her fingers on the table.
A few minutes later, a tall man with neatly combed hair and a confident posture approached her table.
"Mrs. Ella Williams?" he asked with a smile.
She looked up, recognizing him from the photo Clara had shown her. "Yes. And you must be Mr. Gabriel Anthony."
"Nice to finally meet you," he said, taking a seat.
Mrs. Williams studied him discreetly. He’s not that bad, she thought.
Gabriel ordered a drink, and soon, they were chatting. They spoke about past relationships, and Mrs. Williams eventually opened up about her late husband and how she had been raising Kate alone.
Gabriel nodded. "That must have been tough."
"It was," she admitted. "But I had to stay strong for my daughter."
Gabriel sighed. "I understand. My story is a bit different, though. My wife left my son right after birth. I raised him alone."
Mrs. Williams gasped. "She left him at birth? That’s terrible!"
"Yeah. I don’t even know where she is now," Gabriel said.
"What’s your son’s name?"
"Richard," he answered.
"That’s a nice name," she said. "Is your number still the same? Let me save it."
"Yes, of course," Gabriel replied, but as she typed it in, he knowingly gave her the wrong number.
After chatting for a while, Gabriel glanced at the time. "I have to go pick up my son from school," he said.
"That’s okay," Mrs. Williams replied.
To her surprise, after picking Richard up, Gabriel brought him straight to her restaurant.
They sat down again, but just as they were settling in, Gabriel’s phone rang. He glanced at the screen and quickly excused himself.
Outside, he answered the call.
"How’s the blind date?" Kayla’s voice came through.
"It went well," Gabriel said, lowering his voice.
"Really? Tell me everything."
"I’ll gist you when I get home. I’ll be back soon," he assured her.
"Alright, I’m waiting," Kayla said before ending the call.
Gabriel let out a deep breath and walked back inside.
"I have to rush to work," he lied to Mrs. Williams. "I’ll come back in the evening to pick Richard."
Before she could respond, he was already heading out the door.
A few minutes later, the restaurant door swung open, and Kate ran in excitedly.
"Mom, I’m back!" she called out, but then she froze, her eyes landing on the unfamiliar boy sitting at the table.
"Who’s that?" she asked, her face full of curiosity.
Mrs. Williams hesitated for a moment, her mind racing. Then, she took a deep breath and smiled. "Kate, this is your brother."
Kate’s eyes widened. "Brother? How?"
Mrs. Williams forced a smile, trying to keep her composure. "Your father is back."
Kate’s confusion deepened, but her excitement overshadowed it. "Daddy is back?!" she squealed, jumping in happiness. But then, she looked at Richard again. "Then… where did he come from?"
Mrs. Williams swallowed hard. "I’ll explain later, sweetheart. For now, go inside and change. Your clothes are in the bag."
Kate nodded, still a little puzzled but too happy to question further.
Meanwhile, Gabriel arrived home and was immediately greeted by Kayla.
"So?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.
"It went well," he replied, tossing his phone onto the couch.
Kayla folded her arms. "Did you tell her the truth?"
Gabriel scoffed. "I told her exactly what you wanted me to say. I even left Richard with her."
Kayla laughed mockingly. "Poor woman. I hope she just accepts him as her own and stops asking questions."
Gabriel shook his head. "I don’t even care. I did this for you, so don’t start blaming me."
Kayla smirked. "Good. Now, since the ‘poor brat’ is out of the way, let’s enjoy ourselves."
She pulled him closer, and they kissed, their laughter echoing through the room.
---
At Home
That evening, Clara visited Mrs. Williams, eager to hear about the blind date.
"So, how was it?" she asked excitedly.
Mrs. Williams let out a small sigh. "It was good… I guess."
"You guess?" Clara teased. "Come on, gist me!"
Mrs. Williams smiled and recounted everything—how Gabriel was kind, how they shared their pasts, and most importantly, how he had left his son at the restaurant and never called back.
Clara frowned. "Wait… he didn’t call? Not even once?"
"Not at all," Mrs. Williams said. "I even tried calling him, but someone else picked up. I think I may have typed the wrong number."
Clara folded her arms. "Or… he gave you the wrong number on purpose."
Mrs. Williams’ stomach twisted at the thought. "I don’t want to assume anything yet. Let’s wait till tomorrow."
Clara nodded but still looked doubtful.
Just then, she hesitated before speaking. "Ella, there’s something I need to tell you."
Mrs. Williams noticed the seriousness in her tone. "What is it?"
Clara took a deep breath. "I’m relocating."
Mrs. Williams’ eyes widened in shock. "What? Why?"
"My husband got transferred to Gwafan. It’s near my village, so we have to move."
Mrs. Williams felt her heart sink. Clara was her closest friend, her support system. "When are you leaving?"
"In three days."
Mrs. Williams suddenly felt emotional. "I will miss you."
Clara smiled, her own eyes glistening. "Same here, my dear."
The two women hugged tightly, knowing that things were about to change.
- Writer
