Unlikely Attraction

It was Saturday morning when Jewel woke up from her sleep. The morning sun was already peeking from the white curtains of her bedroom windows. It was casting a golden hue inside her room. While still half asleep and buried like a burrito inside her quilt, she could already smell the scent of breakfast; a brewed coffee, the sweet aroma of pancakes, fried egg and bacons, that made her rise from her bed after hearing her stomach grumble. If she wasn't hungry, she would rather choose to laze on her bed more. After taking a bath, fix and blow dry her hair and did her skin care routine, she wore a comfortable pair of cargo shorts and loose vintage shirt that almost hid her shorts whenever she stood. After feeling satisfied with her casual outfit, she went down the carpeted stairs and walked towards the kitchen. Once Jewel entered the kitchen, she saw her mother, Emilia, putting the fried eggs and bacon on the plate with paper napkins on it to soak the remaining oil on it. Once done, her mother put the plates of food on the breakfast table that was full of foods like bacons, hash browns, scrambled eggs, cut fresh fruits, a pitcher of orange juice, fresh milk, a pot of coffee, and her mother's signature blueberry pancakes. "Good morning, Mom," Jewel greeted her mother after entering the kitchen. Her voice was still a bit raspy from sleep. Emilia looked at Jewel and smiled, gesturing for her to sit on the table already. "Good morning, sweetie. Did you sleep well?" Jewel nodded after sitting from her usual seat, and she pour fresh milk on the glass in front of her. "Yes, since it's the weekend, so I get to sleep more than usual. It looks like you cook more than we can eat, mom, what's the occasion?" she asked curiously. Usually, just pancakes and bacon or fruits was fine with her. Emilia smiled at her, her face seemed to look like it was blooming, and there was something mysterious and unreadable passing through her eyes. Now, Jewel's curiousity was peaked. For a busy businesswoman like her mother who was also a single parent, she barely had time to always cook such an elaborate table full of foods every time they ate. And as a student, Jewel was mostly used to eating at school cafeteria's or restaurants, and most of the foods at home were cooked and prepared by their house helper who buy ingredients and cook for them on weekdays and clean their house every other day. "Well, why don't we eat first before the food gets cold?" Emilia suggested while she took a seat across from where Jewel was sitting. Jewel nodded in agreement and they both started eating in a companionable silence, the only sounds that could be heard was the noises their cutleries were making. Jewel was on her second pancake when Emilia cleared her throat to get Jewel's attention. It looked like her mother was ready to tell her what she was up to and what she was being mysterious about. "Jewel, sweetie, I have something to tell you." Her mother began in a serious yet cautious tone. "What do you want to tell me, Mom?" Jewel asked her mother curiously. "I've met someone." Emilia told Jewel. Jewel blinked and asked, “Someone? Like a… boyfriend?” "Yes, his name is Yufan Chen. Yufan is a businessman in his late 40s and he's a few years older than me. He looked young for his age though, so when you meet him you would think that he's only in his mid 30s." Emilia answered Jewel's inquiry, the hint of adoration from her voice could also be detected. Yufan Chen's name sounds familiar to Jewel. She waited for her mother to continue telling her about her boyfriend. "Well, we've been seeing each other for a while now and things have gotten quiet serious between us," Emilia told Jewel earnestly. "In fact, he already proposed to me and I accepted." She continued saying like a lady in love with sparkles in her eyes. "Proposed?" Jewel asked in surprised. And of course she was happy for her mother, but she couldn't help feeling surprised as well. Emilia nodded with a smile while she looked at Jewel's expression, "Yes, sweetie, Yufan and I are engaged and we plan on getting married soon after we both talk to our family members about it, of course." She informed her daughter. "Married? But when did this all happened? How long have you known him?" Jewel asked her mother. "Well, I met Yufan almost a year ago," Emilia informed Jewel. "Remember that our advertising company had a big project last year, we were working with Yufan's company to advertise their new hotel branch. That's how we met first before we kept seeing each other on charity galas that we're both attending as well. That's how we started talking and got close and.... well, one thing led to another. I didn't want to tell you until I was sure it was serious." Jewel was getting fully loaded of information. This sounded like it was from those romance novels she usually read online. How come her mother kept something so monumental like this from her for a year? "So, why didn't you tell me earlier?" "I wanted to, but I needed to be sure first." Emilia said, as she reached across the table to take Jewel's hand and squeezed it affectionately and reassuringly. "And I want to introduce you to him in the right way. Yufan is a very private person and with his social status, he prefers to keep his personal life out of the spotlight." And then like pieces of puzzles, Jewel's mind suddenly remembered who Yufan Chen was. She recalled that he was one of the wealthiest billionaire businessman not just in America but almost all over the world. His businesses was scattered all over the world. His real estate business was only a small part of their huge corporation. His face often graced the covers of business magazines and his name was synonymous with power and success. He had a lot of charity projects and different foundations that he was supporting. Jewel could never imagined that her mother would be involved with someone like Yufan Chen. She was not understamating her mother but Yufan Chen was like on a different level. For example, it was like a fan girl ending up marrying a super popular and successful rockstar or celebrity actor that she was admiring from afar. It was like one in a million, and her mother happened to be the one who got noticed by Yufan. Jewel was happy for her mother. After all, her mother had been a single parent for so long. Jewel was only eight years old when her father tragically died from a stakeout. Her father was a soldier who fought wars in another country against terrorist and when he returned home, he decided to be place in a special unit. The war from another country didn't kill him, but trying to capture local criminals did. Her father died a hero but what irony still. After her father died, her mother didn't remarry and only focused on taking care of her and continued to build her business successfully. And now that her mother finally found happiness and love again after more than a decade, Jewel was really happy for her. "So, does he know about me? That you have a daughter." Jewel asked her mother. “Of course he does." Emilia answered her in an assuring voice. "He's looking forward to meet you. We thought it might be nice if we all have dinner together this weekend. So you can both meet each other. He also has two sons from his previous marriages. His eldest from his first wife is in Singapore and helping him manage the family business there, he's 23 years old. While his second son from his second marriage is still in college, he's 20 years old, only a year older than you." She informed Jewel. "This weekend? Does his sons also know about us? Do you think his sons will welcome us to their family? You know, I read and watched a lot of web novels and series and movies that includes a lot of family dramas." Jewel couldn't help but asked. Emilia nodded in amusement. "He also talk to them to let them know our plans for marriage, and also about us. I guess you read and watch way too many dramas. There might be some family like that in real life, but Yufan's family is not one of those. From what Yufan said, his sons are happy with their father's marriage as long as their father was happy. And Yufan's parents also gave us their blessing. Yufan said that they'll flew here from Singapore once tge wedding date is finalize." Her mother told her in assurance. "That's why we decided to have a dinner together for you to meet Yufan. I know it's a lot to take in but he's a wonderful man, Jewel. So I know you'll like him once you meet him. He makes me very happy." Her mother added. Jewel looked into her mother's eyes and she could see the happiness and affection there. Her mother had been through so much, raising her as a single parent and working tirelessly to provide a good life for them, if anyone deserved happiness, it was her mother. "I'm happy for you, Mom. I really am. I just need to get used to the idea of having new family members in the near future." Jewel told her mother reassuringly. "I understand. Take your time and whenever you want, we can talk more about this. But I hope you'll go to dinner, it means a lot to me and Yufan." Her mother said in a gentle voice. "Of course I'll go. This is my first chance to see and meet the person you fell in love with after so long." Jewel told her mother in a teasing voice. Emilia's smile widened with a look of relief and happiness on her face. "Thanks, sweetie." Jewel smiled and nodded. She wondered what this new chapter of their life would mean to them? How would her life change with Yufan Chen as her stepfather? And could she really trust this man who quickly became the central figure in her mother's life? She only want her mother to be always happy, that was why she couldn't help but thought about these questions. "Mom, can you tell me more about Yufan? What's he like?" Jewel asked curiosly. Emilia's eyes lit up after she heard Jewel mentioned Yufan's name. "He's kind, intelligent and hard working. He has such a great sense of humor, he's generous and thoughtful. He's really serious and passionate about his work and he makes time for the people he really cares about. His parents and other relatives are all based in Singapore. He started a business here in New York with his college friends after graduating. His mother was originally from Beijing but she stayed in Singapore after she met and married her husband there. They built their business there that Yufan expanded here in the western countries." Jewel listened to what her mother was talking about and tried to picture the man who captivated her mother. "And he really wants to meet me?" "Absolutely. He wants us to be a family, Jewel." Emilia said with a soft expression on her face. Hearing the word 'family' made Jewel's heart warm. It had always been her and her mother for a long time. Now, they would be a part of a bigger family. "Okay. I'm also looking forward to meet him and his son who's here in the country." Jewel said while nodding. "Thank you, sweetie." Emilia leaned over and kiss the side of her head.