Chapter 7 (Part two) - Day One

AIDEN

While working I kept checking the time on my swatch wrist watch and also at certain times my eyes will shift to the clock on my working desk. I couldn't just wait for it to be four o'clock so I could leave work.

"Aiden, what's up? Is there anywhere you are meant to be soon?" Yusuf asked.

I looked at him and we both started laughing. "Bruh it's Friday. I've got a list of things to do and today's my mom's birthday." I said to him.

"I know right, TGIF and yeah your mom's birthday." he said, looking at the clock on his desk, "just a few more minutes and we'll be out of here."

"You're coming with me, right?" I asked

"Nah I'd drop by later to drop your mom a gift. I know she'd want me to stay but I just want to do something really." He said.

Yusuf is like a brother to me, he and I attended the same school right from kindergarten, our bond over the years remained strong that even our parents came to know each other and since then his mom and dad are like mine and mine, like his. My mom really liked the kind of person he was.

"Finally," Yusuf said, "let's vamoose!" He said as he stood up and picked up his bag."

"This boy, you don't like work, I would report you to the manager." I said laughing as he too burst in laughter.

I was going to leave for my parents' immediately after work but mom called to tell me to take my time since the party was by eight pm. Just a small get together. My parent's home was not so far away from the city.

"Buzzz---buzzz." My doorbell sounded.

"Come in, the door's open." I said while putting on a white round neck.

"Hey!" Vivian said. Vivian is my baby sister.

"Sis." I said smiling. "You didn't tell me you were coming to my place.

"Decided to join you, mom told me you might still be home so here I am. You're not ready?" She asked, taking a seat.

"Uhh soon. Let me just wrap up mama's gift, Vivi."

"Aiden, c'mon!" She said laughing.

"Alright-alright." She always felt like a baby, whenever I called her Vivi. We both left for mom's birthday.

"So you finally came," mom said when she opened the door, "come in. We're just about to start."

I missed home so much. Our parent's house was on the cool quiet part of Ottawa, unlike the city life Vivian and I experience. But all that noisy city life makes you feel like back home is quiet and boring. Mom didn't like how we didn't visit often; she always called me to complain of how Vivi and I didn't use to come home, though it's not even so far off.

"Mom I got this for you." Vivian said with a smile, handing over the gift she got for her, to her.

"Awww," mom said, touching her chest, "that's my daughter, Comment ça va?" How are you? She asked, then gave her a kiss on both sides of her cheeks when they hugged.

"Je vais bien mama, I'm fine." She replied.

"And you!" She said looking at me, "what did the boy 'who is too grown for home' bring?"

"Mom!" I said laughing, "nothing much, but here you go" I said offering her the gift I got her.

Minutes before we sat at table, Yusuf joined us but didn't stay long just as he told me. He said he needed to see his parents as well since he was around.

"Dad, can you pa--" I was saying when we heard the door bell ring.

"Darling, are we expecting anyone else?" Dad asked my mom.

"Uhh-- Aiden," she looked at me, "why don't you check who it is."

"Okay mama." I stood from the dining chair to check who it was outside the door; when I opened the figure in front of me made me just stare in shock at her.

"Aiden." She said with a beautiful smile. Her beautiful mixed breed skin and smile left me speechless like it always has.

"Hey...ehm-hey Suz." I said trying to act normal.

"May I?" She said.

Susan, I wondered why she came and how she still remembered today is my mom's birthday.

"Sure-you may," I said showing her in, "everyone's at table." I said after closing the door.

"Suz!!" Everyone exclaimed when they saw her. My mom most especially was happy to see her. She always hoped that Susan and I would end up marrying each other, but Susan had other plans. I never told mama what really happened between Susan and me.

"Susan, comment ça va?" Mom and dad asked at the simultaneously, "asseyez-vous; sit down." Mom said, pulling out the chair next to her.

SUSAN

It was a perfect night; candles, romantic music, the moonlight which shined through the window. Everything was perfect except for one thing - the timing.

"Suz," he said with a knee on the ground, "will you marry me?"

The question had me speechless for quite a while; I stared at him the whole time I was quiet and wished I didn't accept his invitation that night. "Aiden-I-I-" words failed me. His smile and face were so adorable but, but I wasn't ready, "Aiden, I can't, I can't marry you especially not now. I have other plans you see, we're still young and I have my career-I-I'm not just ready to settle down."

Two years from then and here I am seated on the same table with them. Why did I come back?

"Susan-Susan." Aiden's mom called me, "how did you see the meal?" She said smiling.

"C'était délicieux maman; it was delicious ma." I said smiling.

"Okay," she smiled back at me, then Aiden.

After we finished clearing the table, we stayed up till to eleven, and then everyone left for bed. Living just Aiden and I in the sitting room, we were watching the movie "Bourne conspiracy."

"Why are you here?" Aiden finally broke the long silence between both of us.

"It's your mom's birthday Aid," I said looking at him.

He took a deep breath in then out. "Okay, thanks." He said facing the TV again.

Aiden and I had known each other since high school. For a long time we had been friends and then one day in university, he asked me out to be his girlfriend and I happily accepted, I really have always liked Aiden and he was the best graduating student in the department of computer engineering, University of Ottawa, which immediately made him get a job at one of the best computer vision companies in Kanata. He was already a self sustained handsome young man so early. But I still wasn't ready to settle down with him then.

"I'm going to bed." He said standing up from the couch.

"Okay, I better head home," I said, also standing from the couch, "thank you for not telling your mom about what had happened." I did not really understand why I had said that.

"Yeah-sure, I should walk you to the door," He said already walking to the door, "good night Suz. Say hello to your dad."

"Good night." I said. After he shut the door I felt like turning back to tell him I was sorry about everything but then, I knew he couldn't stand my presence and I hurt him.

My dad's house was not so far away from theirs. I walked home feeling I felt cold.

AIDEN

"She's looking even more beautiful than when I last saw her." I thought as I climbed my way to my room. My parent's house was quite big; of course my sis and I had separate rooms and then, there was my parent's room.

"Aiden," Vivian called as I was about to enter my room, "where's Suz?"

"Suz?" I rose my hand to my mouth, clearing my throat. "Suz--uhh, she left." I responded.

"Wow." She started walking towards me. I knew it was talking time, "let's go into your room and talk."

***

"Dumm-dumm-dum-dumm-dumm." I heard knocks on my door which woke me up. "Aiden, Aiden!" My sis called.

"Yeah?"

"Le petit déjeuner est prêt; breakfast is ready!" She said.

Sigh."Okay." I yelled back.

"Morning son," My dad said when I joined the table, "how was your night?"

"Great dad thanks." I replied.

"How was your night Vivian?" He asked my sis.

"Beautiful, thanks dad." She responded smiling.

"Okay-okay-okay, enough with the pleasantries," mama said as she took her seat next to dad, "mangeons; let's eat."

One of the reasons I disliked breakfast in the Smiths' house, my family house, was because of the unavoidable conversations which always have to deal with the children's lives. The moment my mum dropped her fork and took a sip of red wine from her glass cup, I knew that time had come.

"So, Aiden..." She said looking at me.

"Mom, table manners." I said trying to avoid conversing.

"Vivian!" She said turning to her, "so how's school?"

My dad never really spoke much; he had always been more of the listening type. Although he did always speak when he deemed it necessary to.

"Yes Vivian. Tell us, how's school?" Dad asked.

"Ahem," She cleared her throat, "uh--school, school is great, I'm almost done with my final year project so, I'm always, always so busy." She said picking her glass up to sip from it.

"And you, Aiden?" He asked me. He knew I didn't want to talk when mom asked.

"Uhh dad, well-things are fine. Work is just perfect, I got a recent promotion."

"Wow! That's beautiful son." My mom said, smiling at my dad and holding his hand.

"Oui maman." I said, clearing my throat. "So how are my lovely parents?" I asked trying to avoid the next question unavoidable question my mom was going to ask.

"Je croyais que Susan dormait;I thought susan would sleepover." Mom said looking at me. I knew she was going to talk about Susan.

"Non maman." I said avoiding contact with her.

"Aiden, you're not getting any younger, don't you understand. You need to start planning your life. You need to settle down." She said.

"Ooh-kay. I'm, I'm heading upstairs." Vivan said as she stood up to clear the plates then left.

"Maman, I'm not a child anymore. I need time to settle my head, to be ready."

"Ha!" she exclaimed looking at my dad, "honey, do you hear him?"

Sigh. "Boy, your mom's right. You already had eight promotions and you can afford a life in the city. Why don't you settle down with Susan?" My dad said.

"I'm sure you don't want your sister getting married before you right?" Mom added.

"Ok maman, ok papa." I said then left for my room.

Later that evening Vivi and I left home for my apartment. And for some reason, I couldn't get what my parents had told me out of my head - I did need to settle down.