YVONNE found Rohan’s mother occupying the corner table inside the coffee shop. It was past ten in the morning when she arrived.
“I’m sorry for coming late,” she said apologetically as she sat down on the chair across from Rohan’s mom, who was just smiling at her.
“It’s okay, Yvonne. The driver messaged me that you’re stuck in traffic because of an accident.”
“Yeah.” She nodded politely with a shy smile plastered on her face.
“Shall we order now?”
“Let me order for you.” She stood up.
However, Madam Edwina beckoned her to get back to her seat.
“E-eh? Why?”
“Let them serve us here.”
“O-oh… okay.” She sat down and slowly looked around the place. That was when she realized that the coffee shop was one of those chains owned by the Collins.
“What would you like to drink?”
“Espresso,” she replied with a beam.
Rohan’s mother beckoned a barista to come and tell him their orders. Soon after that, their coffees were served.
They were sipping coffee in silence when the madam suddenly spoke to her again.
“So, tell me… what do you do, Yvonne?”
She almost choked on her espresso when Rohan’s mother asked that. She was sure she was referring to her work. For some reason, Yvonne felt shy to tell Madam Edwina what she was doing for a living because she was afraid she might get the wrong impression about it. She wasn’t ashamed of her profession, though. It was just that… many people tended to belittle her line of work.
It took a while before she could answer the question.
“I’m a… novelist.”
She felt relieved when the madam’s face lit up.
“Really? How genius of you.”
“Not really…” she said shyly. “Imaginative, maybe. I used to daydream.”
“Well, I see people in that profession as geniuses. What you’ve been doing is really something that not many people can do. You know, many people can write a novel, but telling a story is different. It requires talent and passion.”
A smile curved on her lips. What she heard at that moment made her feel extra special. She didn’t get to hear that from every person she encountered.
“Thank you… what you just said means so much to me.”
Rohan’s mother smiled back at her, and right at that moment, she felt that the two of them really clicked. Or maybe she was just being biased because… well, it was Rohan’s mom.
“What kind of genre do you write?”
“I used to write quite a few genres, but I always incorporate them with romance.”
“So, you’re a hopeless romantic.”
“Well, I must admit I am,” she said, grinning.
“What made you pursue to be a novelist, Yvonne?”
She took a deep breath and stared at the remaining espresso in her cup. She had answered that question quite a few times during interviews, and she never thought it would be different when it was Madam Edwina’s turn to ask her. Yvonne never lied about her answer, but this time it would be a little different. She wouldn’t name-drop Rohan to his mother.
“My first love….” She leaned against her seat. “I’ve always dreamed that we’ll have a happy ending, so I started writing novels with him and me in mind.”
Madam Edwina clasped her hands above her chest and sighed dreamily.
“That’s so sweet. Did you and this guy you’re talking about have this happy ending you’ve been dreaming of?”
“Sadly, no. And honestly, I don’t even know if that’s even possible.”
“Oh, Yvonne…” Rohan’s mom reached for her hand and cupped it. “Don’t be sad. Maybe he’s not the right one for you.”
She smiled faintly. If she told Madam Edwina she was talking about his son, would there be a change? But she didn’t have the courage to tell her the truth yet.
“I-I’m trying to move on, anyway.”
“Well, maybe that’d be the best option.”
Yvonne was about to say something when Madam Edwina’s phone suddenly rang. She excused herself and left their table to answer the call. Then she was left alone on the table, staring blankly into space as she slowly drifted into reminiscing the past.
She gathered all of her courage and dragged Rohan behind the library’s building. It was the only safe place she knew no one of their friends would see them. She knew that if their friends were to witness her confession, they’d tease them, and that was the last thing Rohan would want.
“Why are we here, Yvonne?” Rohan asked the moment they stopped walking.
“I-I have something important to tell you.” She swallowed the lump that was starting to form in her throat.
“What is it?”
She decided to cut to the chase because she didn’t want him to lose patience.
“I like you, Rohan… a lot.”
Yvonne clasped her hands tightly, one hand squeezing the other. She was too nervous that her heart wanted to jump right off her chest, and she started to feel anxious when Rohan just stared at her and didn’t say anything.
“R-Rohan…” she muttered anxiously. S-say something, please.”
“I don’t have anything to say,” he countered nonchalantly.
“W-what?”
“I said… I don’t have anything to say, Yvonne.”
She bit her lower lip when she felt her eyes sting. Yvonne knew her tears were about to well up in her eyes, but she did her best not to cry. But it only made her throat ache. Ah, if only she has the magic to open up the ground at that moment, she’d bury herself alone. It was too embarrassing and heart-wrenching as well.
Yvonne tried to think about what was wrong with him. And then she suddenly realized what Rohan meant by that.
He didn’t like her…
She got rejected…
She closed her eyes tightly, and that was when her tears escaped from her eyes.
“Yvonne.”
She immediately turned around and walked away.
“Yvonne, wait!”
“Don’t!” she yelled as she walked briskly away from him. “Please, don’t follow me….”
“Yvonne? Yvonne…”
She was suddenly pulled out of reverie when she heard Madam Edwina’s voice, who was now back in her seat.
“O-oh… I’m sorry about that.” She took a sip of her coffee. “I… uhm… space out from time to time.”
Rohan’s mom smiled at her.
“Anyway, I won’t make this conversation too long because I know we’re both busy.” Madam Edwina leaned against her seat and clasped her hands above the table. “I’d like to ask you a favor if it’s okay with you.”
“I think it depends on—”
“I really like you, Yvonne. Can you please date Rohan?”
Her mouth dropped open.
“E-eh?”
ROHAN was playing his favorite piece on the piano inside his bedroom when he heard the hinges creak. He didn’t bother to look in the door’s direction because the rhythm of the approaching footsteps already indicated it was his mom.
He stopped playing the piano when he felt his mother’s presence behind him. He then slowly shifted his body in her direction to face her.
“Yes, Mom?”
“Is that all you can say after what you did last time?” His mom folded her arms over her chest and looked at him with crooked brows.
“Okay. I’m sorry about that. But I really don’t have any interest in—”
“Then what you’re about to hear might change your mind.”
Rohan’s forehead creased. His mother’s voice sounded different right now. There was too much firmness in her voice that somehow bothered him.
“What is it now?”
“I found another girl for you to date—”
“Mom, please—”
“I’m not done yet! Listen, Rohan. You have to date this girl, or else I will have you removed on my will!”
“What?!” His eyes widened.
“Not only that. If you didn’t get married before or when you’re thirty, I’m going to disown you.” His mother sounded serious.
“What the hell, Mom? You’ll disown me just because I don’t want to get married? That’s absurd!”
“My decision is final, Rohan. It’s up to you now what you’re going to do with your life.”
He sprung up from his seat when his mother turned around.
“Mom, wait!” Rohan grabbed his mom’s arm. “Maybe we can negotiate.”
She turned to face him.
“There will be no negotiation this time, I’m afraid.”
“What?”
“But don’t worry because I’m giving you time to think, though the only option you have is to do what I want or lose everything.”
“You can’t do this to me! I’m your son.”
“That’s right. You’re my son, and that’s why I want what’s best for you.”
Rohan couldn’t understand why his mother thought getting married was the best for him. All those times, she was obsessed with seeing him dating a girl.
“You know what you’re doing right now? You’re manipulating me!”
“If you think I’m manipulating you, let go of everything then.” His mother went out of his room.
Rohan plopped down on the bed, stunned. It must be a dream… a very bad dream. How could his mother, who had adored him so much since he was young, do that?
Maybe he should execute his plan, and that was to find a girl who would pose as his girlfriend. And if the odds were in his favor, maybe he could ask the girl to marry him and get a divorce once he got his inheritance.