2

Allan Ashbluff

After heading out from the pretty restaurant to my office, my parents called me home for an important business, but I see no importance over discussing how my date went with that daughter of my dad's friend.

"How was your date?"

"It was good, just like how dates be" I say, making my mother tsk. "No, son, how was your date? Did you like her?" oh, so she meant about the person I went on a date with. "She's good" I replied, "Only good" dad asked, "You hear it Lily? Just good"

"You're going on another date with her this Saturday"

"No, mom, why would I go?"

"I'm not asking you, Allan, you're going on another date with Chloe Mintz on Saturday, so that is it" she can be scary some times, and one of those times is now.

"Exactly, she's a perfectionist like her mother, I insist you should go with her on dates, ask her out to be your bride" dad says, making mom eye him, "What do you mean, Adam?" She rises her brow at him "I mean she is perfect to be our daughter-in-law" dad laughs the topic off, ignoring the fact that he called another woman perfect in front of his lady love.

"But why should I take her out for the date? I don't do dates and don't ask people out on dates" I say, "Because you should, the first time, it was a blind date with your father and her mother set up, but this time you'll be taking her out, no matter how much you protest it" mom replies.

Sighing, I nod my head "What should I even say her? Hey Chloe, wanna hang out?" As soon as I say those words, mom shook her head in disapproval and pulled out her hand "Give me your phone, I'll text her" I did, "What's the password? Again"

"My birth date"

"It's seventeen of August right?" she doesn't even remember my birthday? It's eighteen. But I simply nod.

"Liar, you can't lie to me, I'm your mom, anyways, I texted her, she'll reply as yes, I know that, until then let your father and me to decide a nice, romantic place for your dinner date" and then my father's head pops up from his mobile, "Don't worry, Lily to see, I've already booked a restaurant" then he looks at my direction, "I can also book a room for you both nearby the destination for your date" he smirks, it takes me a good couple of seconds to realize what he meant by that.

"No dad, I'm not into pinning her down until she shows some affection" and that's when I hear a ping from my phone. I checked it to see the woman in the question reply me.

Me: Hey, Chloe, would you mind it if I take you out tomorrow for a dinner? If you are free.

Chloe: Hey, why not? I mean, sure, I'm free tomorrow; my café is closed usually at weekends.

"Is it from her?" mom asks me, I nod, with a sigh, showing her my phone. Call me a mama's boy; I don't care, because I love my parents as much as your lungs love oxygen. She smiles and passes me my phone back, after typing something in it.

I checked my phone, and shook my head in disbelief when I saw what she sent.

Me: Okay, I'll pick you up at 8pm if it's convenient. Be ready.

"I would never say that, I order people to be accordingly to me, not the other way around" she sighs at me, "These are the things you should put up when you get married, and be in love for real"

"And, again, why should I marry when I'm good being single?" I ask, "Because son, you'll find the answer from yourself when you do, now don't piss us much and move your ass back to office, your schedule says that you have a meeting in what? Fifteen minutes, so hurry up" he says glancing at his phone screen.

Making me stand up hurriedly and then he shoves me out of the door until I'm fully outside. "meet you later, son" he says and shuts the door on his face, I could hear them both talking about something but the sound is not clear enough for me to know what, I sprinted towards the elevator and went down to the parking lot.

Turning the engine on, making it roar, I made my way to my office right when the meeting was supposed to begin. Being a new CEO is hard, I'll need more year or years to get practiced to it, and just a few months isn't enough for me to ace this job, I need more experience on being the boss on everyone's heads, like my father was. I took over the company four months ago, when dad had a cardiac arrest and some blockages, the doctor asked him stay at home and not to handle any type of stress or pressure or any shit, and that's when he made me CEO of the company.

Answering people questions – which popped in their heads while my assistant showed them the presentation and explained it, briefly, kind off tested my patience every time, but I have to deal with it and keep my calm, like my father used to do.

And then calling it a day off at around eight, I head back home. Aroma of the food getting cooked is all around the home; I hung my coat in my dresser after taking stairs to upstairs to my room and went for a shower. My parents probably know that I'm home, that's why I could hear mom's voice from outside the bathroom, asking me to have food. Yeah I live with my parents, as said earlier, I love my parents, and also, it's a tradition or culture or whatever fuck, in our family that the child should stay with their parents until they get married. Weird, isn't it? It is, too very weird, like other kids, I used to dream of getting my own place to stay when I'd be in college, doing some part time jobs after college hours, but as I grew up, I understood that later, that you have to be with your parents until you get married. I used to think it was as being trapped with them, but now I realize that I have become closer to my parents than compared to any other person I know – not too close though, but close enough.

We sit at the dining table, my father, first, as the head of the family, which he is, and then my mother at the right side of him, and opposite to her, I sit. The table is for four, one seat, opposite to my father is empty, as my sister doesn't live with us anymore, I mean, she's married now.

"How's work?" dad asks cutting the silence which had thickened around us, Choking us up. "Tiring, since I'm not used to it" I reply while cutting my chicken, and shoving the piece inside my mouth, devouring the taste of it. My mom makes the best food ever; to be honest, I think that she'd rather be a cook if she weren't a fashion designer. And if she were one, she'd be the most famous chef, alongside being beautiful in her fifties, and not many people look as young as she does.

"No son, how are you doing it?" my dad asked.

Yes, how am I doing it? Am I doing it good? Am I doing it worse? Or am I being too rude and cruel or being dramatic over these silly mistakes people do? I know I've been a bad boss, short tempered, annoying because asking questions to my secretary about things which I don't know. I don't know a fucking thing about designing dresses, and here I am, young CEO of the top designer company in New York City. I got my degree in bachelors of software engineering; I applied for a job in some companies, but since my father's health got threatened by the heart issues, I had to join it even if I didn't know any fucking thing about designing the dresses.

"Better than how I used to do when I was new" I say for which he hums as a reply, "I've booked a restaurant for you both at Scarpetta. If you say them that I've booked a table, they'll show you. And you better make her as your wife in future she seems to be a nice lady" huh? How does he know about Chloe? Did they know each other since beginning or did her mother told him about her? And why do they want her to be my wife so early? Might be something about the business or shit. Anyway, I'm gonna ask the reason.

"Why her? Why do you want me to marry her so early, though we have been on only one date?" I ask, waiting for his reply, but instead of him, my mom replies. "because, Allan, we know that you had your aim for something else to be, and you can be whatever you want, do your own job, but only on one condition" don't be marrying, yeah it's gonna be marrying her, but, I don't want to marry so soon, I'm just twenty eight, I haven't dated, haven't loved. I'm so grumpy, annoying person to everyone – not my parents though – that no one would ever want to talk to me, and vice versa, people are annoying as fuck, I don't care whatever they think of me, but I hate being around people and getting in touch with them.

"And that is?" I ask, hoping that it isn't related to marrying stranger. "And that is to marry someone and get settled, I was twenty three when you were born, your father was twenty five, and since we've been carrying the rituals and cultures since your father's ancestors, the last age to be singe is twenty five in their family. Which, my son, you've crossed three years ago" she says, sounding a bit scary. I sigh but continue eating. But wait, what will happen if I leave the company and marry her? I look up, worry all over my face, because what of my dad joins the company back? His life is already at a risk, and I cannot risk it more by letting him join it.

"Don't worry, your dad won't join the company again but I'll take over the company, as the CEO, he'll be at home" she assures me, "so what did you think of marrying her?" she asks, will I marry her? "I don't know, I don't know her yet, I've been merely to one date with her" I answer, not coming up with any appropriate excuse. What excuse can I even give my mom? "It's okay; go on as many dates as you want to. Even we had an arrange marriage, but look, we love each other now" she says, holding my father's hand and giving it a light squeeze.

Love. Is it even real? Does love even exists? Why do people always say that they love each other? Have I ever felt any love tell now? Will I ever experience it? I know my parents have a beautiful attraction in between them, but I am not sure if I would ever get that attraction in my life.

I have dreamt of being a successful person, launch apps, work as an engineer, and .... What exactly? I don't know what I want. I've never thought of having a girl by side, nor did I ever think I'd be in love, ever.