It had been twenty-five years since that unforgettable day when we both said 'I do' at the altar and I had been blessed by this family ever since. Five years after we got married, Mr Taylor decided to retire. When Cindy's parents broke the news that they would move to their country cottage, I understood why he had insisted so much on me going to university and getting a degree in Business Administration - costly studies he paid for. He asked me to take over as the Managing Director of his company. I remember panicking at that moment; so much responsibility and my total lack of experience would make a mess of it. But I felt so honoured with his trust in me, I couldn't say no.
He also left us his wonderful mansion, arguing that a top executive shouldn't live in an ordinary house. Unfortunately, however, he wouldn't let me drive his Lamborghini even if I begged him to. In a short time Adam and Gwen had become the closest to a father and mother to me, which I had needed for so long. Having lost my parents when I was eight, I was brought up by an uncle who had done his best, but never been able to fill the emptiness.
We had our ups and downs, but life had been good to us. I would have liked a big family, but we just got one daughter. I have always loved Cindy, and yet more deeply since she gave me Sally. I was overwhelmed when she put that little baby in my arms. I felt so insignificant and so proud at the same time. As beautiful as her mother, she became my everything. Ever since that moment I had feared the terrible day, the day when a stranger would take her away from me and steal my precious treasure in the name of love.
Now everything was ready to welcome our guests to the dinner party we had prepared to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary. The first to arrive was Sharon with her husband, Dr William Webster. It was only then, while we were having a drink, that she confidentially told me that long ago, after being abandoned by his wife, Dr Brent had decided to move abroad with Charlotte, who wanted to continue her university studies in Paris. I was sorry to hear that about him, but glad for Sharon as I knew that his decision had made things easier for her to start a new life. She always looked happy and that made us happy, too.
Our home was noisy and full of people, the people we loved. While they were chatting and laughing, Cindy and I were opening the presents our relatives and close friends had brought us. Suddenly, the bell rang again. I was surprised because we weren't expecting anybody else. Everyone had been punctual and were about to sit down for dinner. I found out later it was Cindy that had invited this unknown guest she had met while I was abroad on a business trip two weeks before. As I didn't want any interruptions on such a special occasion, I went to the door myself to see to it. Cindy followed me.
'Sorry, darling. I forgot to tell you that I'd invited someone else,' she said.
'Who?' I asked.
'Someone I thought you could meet today. Open the door and you'll see.' She started to rub her nose and I knew she was nervous. She made me nervous, too.
'Good evening, sir,' I said to a very young man wearing a cheap blue suit that reminded me of the ones I used to wear at his age. 'Can I help you?'
'Are you Mr Edward Brent, Sally's father?' he asked trembling. 'Happy anniversary, sir' he said giving me a bunch of flowers he had obviously picked from his garden.
'Well, this must be for my wife,' I said coldly. 'But thank you all the same.'
'Hello, Drake,' interrupted Cindy, knowing that nothing good was about to happen. 'Darling, I want you to meet Mr Drake Webster, our daughter's boyfriend.'
'What!? What boyfriend!?' I exclaimed. ' I didn't know Sally had a boyfriend.'
'Well, you know now,' she said. I felt that she was mocking at me and I didn't like it.
'Sorry, what's your name again?' I asked.
'Webster, sir. My name's Drake Webster,' he replied.
The day had come. Suddenly, I became a whirlwind of emotions: fear, confusion, anger, until the image of me holding my little Sally in my arms left me speechless. I think I wanted to cry. But I plucked up courage. It was now or never, the chance to chase him away...or on second thoughts, put him to the test.
'Are you a relative of Mr William Webster's, the doctor?' I asked him. The question brought back memories.
'Edward!' said Cindy trying to stop me. 'Do you really have to...? Don't you remember...?'
'Please, let me... Just this one question,' I whispered in her ear. I was dying to ask that question. 'Are you, by any chance, Dr Webster's son...or nephew perhaps?'
'No, sir. My father is a plumber. He runs a little business with his brother.'
'That's a good answer, my boy,' I said.
'Darling, don't you think it's time to go in? Our guests are waiting for us,' Cindy urged.
'Yes, of course,' I agreed. ' Let's go. Sally must be wondering about you, Drake... By the way, do you play golf?'
'No, sir. I'm hopeless at all sports,' he admitted. I immediately took to this boy and all my fears vanished.
'Let me introduce you to some of our friends,' I said, laying my arm around his shoulders.
We all went in. The butler - another butler - closed the door.
T H E E N D
He also left us his wonderful mansion, arguing that a top executive shouldn't live in an ordinary house. Unfortunately, however, he wouldn't let me drive his Lamborghini even if I begged him to. In a short time Adam and Gwen had become the closest to a father and mother to me, which I had needed for so long. Having lost my parents when I was eight, I was brought up by an uncle who had done his best, but never been able to fill the emptiness.
We had our ups and downs, but life had been good to us. I would have liked a big family, but we just got one daughter. I have always loved Cindy, and yet more deeply since she gave me Sally. I was overwhelmed when she put that little baby in my arms. I felt so insignificant and so proud at the same time. As beautiful as her mother, she became my everything. Ever since that moment I had feared the terrible day, the day when a stranger would take her away from me and steal my precious treasure in the name of love.
Now everything was ready to welcome our guests to the dinner party we had prepared to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary. The first to arrive was Sharon with her husband, Dr William Webster. It was only then, while we were having a drink, that she confidentially told me that long ago, after being abandoned by his wife, Dr Brent had decided to move abroad with Charlotte, who wanted to continue her university studies in Paris. I was sorry to hear that about him, but glad for Sharon as I knew that his decision had made things easier for her to start a new life. She always looked happy and that made us happy, too.
Our home was noisy and full of people, the people we loved. While they were chatting and laughing, Cindy and I were opening the presents our relatives and close friends had brought us. Suddenly, the bell rang again. I was surprised because we weren't expecting anybody else. Everyone had been punctual and were about to sit down for dinner. I found out later it was Cindy that had invited this unknown guest she had met while I was abroad on a business trip two weeks before. As I didn't want any interruptions on such a special occasion, I went to the door myself to see to it. Cindy followed me.
'Sorry, darling. I forgot to tell you that I'd invited someone else,' she said.
'Who?' I asked.
'Someone I thought you could meet today. Open the door and you'll see.' She started to rub her nose and I knew she was nervous. She made me nervous, too.
'Good evening, sir,' I said to a very young man wearing a cheap blue suit that reminded me of the ones I used to wear at his age. 'Can I help you?'
'Are you Mr Edward Brent, Sally's father?' he asked trembling. 'Happy anniversary, sir' he said giving me a bunch of flowers he had obviously picked from his garden.
'Well, this must be for my wife,' I said coldly. 'But thank you all the same.'
'Hello, Drake,' interrupted Cindy, knowing that nothing good was about to happen. 'Darling, I want you to meet Mr Drake Webster, our daughter's boyfriend.'
'What!? What boyfriend!?' I exclaimed. ' I didn't know Sally had a boyfriend.'
'Well, you know now,' she said. I felt that she was mocking at me and I didn't like it.
'Sorry, what's your name again?' I asked.
'Webster, sir. My name's Drake Webster,' he replied.
The day had come. Suddenly, I became a whirlwind of emotions: fear, confusion, anger, until the image of me holding my little Sally in my arms left me speechless. I think I wanted to cry. But I plucked up courage. It was now or never, the chance to chase him away...or on second thoughts, put him to the test.
'Are you a relative of Mr William Webster's, the doctor?' I asked him. The question brought back memories.
'Edward!' said Cindy trying to stop me. 'Do you really have to...? Don't you remember...?'
'Please, let me... Just this one question,' I whispered in her ear. I was dying to ask that question. 'Are you, by any chance, Dr Webster's son...or nephew perhaps?'
'No, sir. My father is a plumber. He runs a little business with his brother.'
'That's a good answer, my boy,' I said.
'Darling, don't you think it's time to go in? Our guests are waiting for us,' Cindy urged.
'Yes, of course,' I agreed. ' Let's go. Sally must be wondering about you, Drake... By the way, do you play golf?'
'No, sir. I'm hopeless at all sports,' he admitted. I immediately took to this boy and all my fears vanished.
'Let me introduce you to some of our friends,' I said, laying my arm around his shoulders.
We all went in. The butler - another butler - closed the door.
T H E E N D
