by Lauren Wood
When the day ended I was glad to see the familiar black Rolls Royce right on time. I was expecting the back seat window to open to reveal the handsome man who irks me to no end. But I surprisingly felt disappointment as the passenger’s window opened and the driver told Sophie “Ms. Sophie, your father told me to fetch you,” Sophie nodded as she waved at me and entered the car.
As the car drove off, I couldn’t explain the feeling in my stomach. I felt as if I had just lost something. And I hated that it got me thinking of Mr. Baudelaire. Curse me and my woman hormones!
Today I was disappointed because I didn’t get to see Mr. Baudelaire.
Chapter 3
Bash
Friday has dreadfully came. The whole school was decorated with art made by the students. Each art represented how thankful they are to have a mother. I sat with the other parents as we all waited for the program to start.
I couldn’t help but glance at my phone from time to time. Although, my faith in Isabella is not even very little but the way that Sophie hoped her mother would come had me in hopes too.
I saw students running back and forth on the stage getting the whole program started. My poor lovely Sophie stood at the side of stage, her eyes glued to the entrance door. I could see her tight grip on her script. She was supposed to deliver her speech with her mother. She even sent a copy to Isabella but I doubt that Isabella took even a glance at it.
Then my eyes drifted to a certain teacher. Ms. Pierce looked to be the youngest teacher in the school. Not only was she young but she was breathtakingly beautiful. I didn’t notice her beauty till she opened her mouth and spouted fire. Her hazel eyes burning with a hidden passion. Glossy black hair fell down her back like a waterfall. She had sexy curves on her body that could put her in such danger if she was closer to me.
My trance was broken as I saw Sophie slowly walk towards the podium. Her eyes still glued to the entrance door, and my heart instinctively reached out to her. When she stood at the podium she looked at the crowd and looked absolutely mortified. Damn Isabella for putting Sophie in this situation!
“Good morning… Ladies and boys… Uh… I mean gentlemen,” she nervously said. Her little mistake caused some of the crowd to chuckle and this only made her more nervous. “Me and my mom…” her quivering voice broke my heart. Her eyes were on the brink of tears.
I could see her longing stare at some of her schoolmates who were with their mother. I felt like I’ve failed her.
Before I could stand up and go to her, somebody else came to the rescue.
Ms. Pierce quickly walked up to the podium and continued the speech for Sophie. I could see a comforting hand on Sophie’s shoulder and Ms. Pierce stopped from time to time to let Sophie speak as well. Sophie looked more confident now as she delivered her speech with a smile.
And in that moment I didn’t know who stole my heart? Sophie’s smile or Ms. Pierce’s bravery. But one thing was for certain, I admired Ms. Pierce even more.
For the rest of the day Ms. Pierce has managed to not only capture my attention but also to reel in my heart. Only a handful of people were able to do so. Even with all the other teachers flaunting their attributes and wearing fancy clothes. But still the woman holding my daughters hand through the games and throughout the entire day as a stand-in-mother captured every piece of me.
Instead of worrying over Sophie and being on the phone yelling at Isabella, I watched Ms. Pierce make Sophie smile more times than I can count.
“Daddy! Look what I made,” Sophie called out as she showed a rose made out of paper. “That’s beautiful Sophie but not as beautiful as you,” I told her as I scooped her up in my arms kissing her cheeks as she squealed.
Ms. Pierce came up to us with a smile looking magnificent than the last time if that was even possible. I put Sophie down as I walked up to Ms. Pierce and said “Thank you Ms. Pierce, for what you’ve done. It means the world to me,”
She smiled and said “Please Mr. Baudelaire, call me Emma. And you’re most welcome. I’m just so glad that you’ve attended today’s event. I thought that maybe you got caught up in work,”
I chuckled and replied “I wouldn’t miss it. You can call me Sebastian or Bash for short. Is Emma short for something?”
“No, just Emma. Thank you, but I prefer Mr. Baudelaire.”
This little vixen sure knows how to pull my strings. “Dad, can we eat at my favorite French restaurant?” Sophie asked as she played with the paper rose in her hands. I looked down at my lovely Sophie and I thank the great being above that she looks more like me than her own mother except for the piercing blue eyes.
“Yes sweetie,” I said.
“Can Ms. Pierce come with us?”
The question not only startled Emma but me as well. If it were up to me, I’d take Emma out to dinner every single day. But to know that my little Sophie wants Emma to come opens up a whole new direction in my life.
“Well, she can come that’s if her boyfriend agrees—”
“I don’t have a boyfriend. And dinner would be lovely,” Emma corrected me.
After collecting all of the art that’s made by Sophie, we headed towards Sophie’s favorite French restaurant. The three of us sat at a table, with Emma and Sophie sitting next to each other while I sat in front of them.
Once we were done ordering which I ordered in perfect French, I couldn’t help but feel smug at Emma’s surprised look.
“You know French?” she asked. I smiled as Sophie answered for me. “Oui, nous sommes français après tout.” I chuckled at Sophie’s horrible French accent and told Emma “She said, yes, we are French after all. Baudelaire is actually an old French name,”
Throughout the whole evening I got to know more and more about Emma. As she learned about Isabella and some of my achievements in life which Sophie spoke ‘Your achievements are so boring.’
Emma even spoke of her passion for teaching and children. And it got me thinking that all this time looking for a mother figure for my dear Sophie, I’ve tried nurses, doctors, lawyers, and even chefs but I’ve never dated a teacher before. Not only was she extremely pleasing to the eyes but she adores children as well.
Still even after glasses of wine and sparkling wine for Sophie, we had polite conversations but even Emma being polite she was a fiery vixen. She always made sure to correct me and she always reminded me how irresponsible I am. And this only made me want her more.
Right as we dropped Emma off at her house I had to ask her, “Emma, are you free this weekend?” Which she seemed startled by the question.
“For what Mr. Baudelaire?” Time and time again I told her through the night to call me Sebastian or Bash but she refused. “I was wondering if we could get acquainted with each other. Maybe over a glass of wine at dinner or maybe we can go to the art gallery,” I suggested a few ideas in my head for a date.
Emma smiled as she said “I think we’re acquainted enough Mr. Baudelaire. I’m also not free this weekend. I’m very busy.”
“Maybe some other time then,” I said as I didn’t want to push her. She smiled once more and said her goodbyes to Sophie and disappeared behind her front door.
Either way, I was going to see Emma this weekend.
Chapter 4
Emma
I’m very busy…
I knocked my head back as I gave out a merrily laugh. Sebastian Baudelaire could’ve fooled me. The whole week of me eagerly trying to get a single glimpse of him and I felt that he was teasing me every moment we’re together.
Don’t think that I didn’t search the name Sebastian Baudelaire on the internet because I did. And multiple pictures of him and random girls are all over the place. A few pictures stood out, and that was him and Sophie’s mother, Isabella Sinclair. The Isabella Sinclair.
Gosh… She was absolutely perfect in every way. She was gorgeous from head to toe. No wonder why they both got married and conceived a beautiful little girl.
His reputation after the divorce is quite ques
tionable when you think of him as a candidate to settle down with. Being in a relationship where you always wonder whether he’s loyal to you or not is no relationship at all.
No matter how charming his looks can be with his captivating silver orbs and how his deep velvet voice soothes my every worry. I can’t give him the power to destroy the one thing I’ve kept safe for a very long time, my heart.
I propped my legs upon the coffee table as I turned to watch Netflix. But right as I was about to put on some random romance movie my stomach growled like an angry dragon it was. I went to my refrigerator and saw nothing except for a bar of butter and a box of expired milk. I groaned as I knew that I had to go grocery. I got ready and sped off to the nearest grocery store.
I’ve been so busy with work and planning the event at school that I didn’t get a chance to go grocery shopping which I think is the best kind of shopping. I pushed the cart around the store and threw in things I needed and maybe a few things I wanted. I was strolling through the junk food aisle until my cart bumped into someone.
“Ooh! I’m so so—” But I stopped in midsentence when I saw the person who I bumped into. “I can’t say that I’m surprised to see you here. For a man of your status, I doubt this is the store you go shopping at. Tell me this is no mere coincidence?” I asked him as I folded my arms in front of my chest.
When Mr. Baudelaire smiled and let out a heartily laugh I almost swooned. My toes in my converse shoes curled and my fists clenched tightly just by hearing his voice.
“I’m sorry Emma, I wasn’t supposed to let you know I’m here but seeing you in casual wear is so tempting. And the fact that this is what you call a busy weekend amuses me,” his forwardness made me take a step back. I should’ve known that by the time his daughter was nowhere in sight he would be madly flirting with me.
“Are you following me?” I asked as I ignored his comments about my attire. He usually saw me in my business attire which consists of slacks, pencil skirts or simply church wear. So it’s his first time to see me in a pair of jeans, converse, and a simple shirt. If the paparazzi took a picture of this moment I can already imagine the comment section degrading my attire.
He, on the other hand, was wearing white button up shirt with two top buttons are open and his sleeves are folded around the elbows. He also wore jeans with his shirt tucked in and some expensive brand of rubber shoes. And he pulled it off perfectly. I think he can pull off any attire. There goes me and my female hormones, imagining him in nothing but his birthday suit.
He smiled once more and I told him “You know that’s called stalking,” I managed to get my cart around him and simply walk away. But as expected he kept in step with me. “Stalking? I’d rather call it intense research of an individual… a beautiful intriguing individual,” he said.
I groaned and asked “What do you want Mr. Baudelaire? Another scolding?” He walked in front of the cart and put his hands on either side so I could stop walking. “Have dinner with me tonight. Just the two of us,” he said.
“In your dreams Sebastian,” I said with a laugh.
He beamed at me and said “You called me by my name,” I rolled my eyes. If it wasn’t for my empty fridge back at home I would’ve left the cart and just leave the store. “Emma, look. What you did for Sophie yesterday was amazing. And when I said that it meant the world to me, it did. Sophie means the world to me. When you made her smile over and over again even though her mother let her down again, I couldn’t help but admire you for it. I want to take you out on a date. If you don’t want anything to do with me after then I have to learn to live with that. Just go out with me tonight.” He said.
For the first time in the presence of Mr. Baudelaire, even though I’ve only known him less than a month, has made me stay completely still. He made me think because I’ve never seen a man so sincere. The sparkle that he has in his eyes that says “I’m up to no good” was no longer there. Instead it was replaced by sincerity and hope. Two qualities a man like Mr. Baudelaire shouldn’t have if he wanted to keep up his bachelor reputation. Not only was he a rich and very handsome bachelor but he was also a single dad. Even though I think of him irresponsible still he raised a little girl to be smart, well-mannered, and talented. He’s doing something right then.
I sighed as I said “Let’s make something clear here, what I did on Mother’s day wasn’t for you… it’s for Sophie. Sophie is one of the sweetest child at school, and I thought she deserved better… And fine, I’ll go on this date with you but we must go now,”
“Now?” he asked as he looked at my attire. I smugly looked at him and said “If you’re taking me out because of my personality and not my physical women qualities then you’ll take me out as I am,”
He shrugged his shoulders and said “Can’t argue with that,” he suddenly closed the gap between us and wrapped his arms around my waist squishing our bodies together. “You won’t regret this… Emma,” he whispered my name in my ear which sent shivers down my spine. I could feel my face drained of color.
Without even hesitating he grabbed my hand and started walking out of the store. I couldn’t even argue because my full attention was on the warmth of his hand and I was drowning in his earthy scent that surrounded him.
“What,” as I cleared my throat. “What about my groceries?” I managed to squeak out. I could tell he felt smug about making me squeak just by touching me. Could this human being be anymore irksome? A very exquisite human being at that. My inner female thought.
“I’ll have them delivered and paid for at your house,” he said as he typed something into his phone. I would ask how but then I remembered that he’s a powerful billionaire. He brought me to his Porsche car and I’ve noticed that he drives his Porsche but has a driver for his Rolls Royce, and here I am taking the bus or Uber.
The trip to wherever we’re going took a while. I was expecting some restaurant like the one he brought me and Sophie to but to say I was surprised was an understatement. He brought me to Dairy Queen. There’s nothing wrong with that, I’m just surprised that a man like Mr. Baudelaire would come here.
Once we got in a waitress recognized Mr. Baudelaire and approached us rather quickly. “Mr. Baudelaire, your usual table I presume?” she asked. “Yes, Tiffany that would be nice,” he said. I just looked at him with raised eyebrows. Maybe he took his other ladies here as well. Definitely not to show off his riches but to show that even though he’s loaded, he’s humble.
Well, it’s going to take a lot for me to think that.
The waitress gave us a booth table at the very corner as she smiled at me which surprised me. I expected the waitress to scowl at me as she throws flirtatious looks towards Mr. Baudelaire, like at that French restaurant we went to yesterday.
“I hope you both enjoy,” she said cheerfully as she left. “We didn’t even order,” I said as I pointed at the people who are waiting in line to order their food. “No need, Tiffany knows my order and she’ll get for you as well. If you want anything else then you can simply ask Tiffany.” He said.
“I don’t think that’s fair to the rest of the customers,” I pointed out. He smiled and showed off his pearly whites. “Emma, I own this franchise. And as long as I’m here everyone gets a discount.” He said.
“Wow, how generous of you,” half of it was sarcastic.
Tiffany came with our food and ice cream, and then she left our table. “Sebastian, why are we here?” I asked as I stared at my ice cream. I’m eating my ice cream first because I don’t want it to melt.
When he didn’t answer me I rolled my eyes and said “I bet you take all your women here. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have your usual table.” Smugly.
“I can assure you Emma that you’re the only girl I’ve ever taken here. Of course, aside from Sophie. But there is a reason why I specifically brought you here,” he explained.
“You see that old couple over there?” he pointed out. I turned around and saw an old couple, they look to be around their eighties. I no
dded and asked “What about them?”
“The reason why I have a usual table at this place is because of them. They get a free meal every Saturday night from me,” he added.
I looked back at the couple to see the old woman pouting because her ice cream is gone but the old man started feeding her his own ice cream which I thought was the sweetest thing I’ve ever seen.
“Why?” I asked.
“When I was going through the divorce with Isabella it was no easy task. It’s never easy to divorce your wife, especially your first wife who you thought you’ll spend the rest of your life with. I got drunk during those days and left Sophie with the maids and butlers. One day I got so drunk that I passed out, Sophie went to the park with some of the maids… Sophie got lost,”
I held my gasp in as I covered my mouth with both my hands and stared at a grief stricken Sebastian.
“The maids and even a few bodyguards tried searching for her but there was no sign of her. They tried waking me up but I was out of it. When I finally snapped out of it, it was already dark and I knew that something terrible happened to my Sophie. By some sheer miracle this old couple came to the park with a sleeping Sophie in the old man’s arms. Their name is Henry and Petunia Baker. Both married with no children of their own,”
On my own accord I reached over the table and grabbed Sebastian’s hand. I knew it was hard to be telling this story because he would be reliving it.
“They rescued Sophie from a man who tried to take Sophie in a car. But Sophie fought so hard and screamed so loud that she was able to grab the old couple’s attention. I didn’t care who saw me even if the paparazzi took pictures I still wouldn’t care. I was full out sobbing as I kneeled in front of the couple, thanking them over and over again. They refused any reward for returning my Sophie, and when I knew that they ate here every Saturday, I paid for their meal. The manager knows to not charge them for anything… it’s nothing much but I will be forever in their debt.” He ended his story with a few tears falling down his face.