CHAPTER THIRTY FIVE: HE'S MY SON

The reception ended later than expected due to the side attraction of George's friends which included Lucas. Lucas had decided to join force with them to punish Ian Green for his manipulation in the presentation of party's candidates.

They all changed into some clown dresses and gave funny dances that made people laughed till their sides started paining them.

Although George and Sheila would be going for their honeymoon straight from the reception, but their friends wanted their marriage to be an unforgettable one. Hence the big organized party on their behalf in their absence. George being the youngest and the first person to tie the knots.

The couple had the last dance and was ushered to the waiting car in a colourful way. Cherry Banks held unto her daughter as if that would be their last time together.

'Darling, be good to George. Love him unconditionally.' She whispered into her ear.

'Yes mum.'

'I'm not too young to be a grandmother you know.'

'Mum! It's too earlier for that.' She said rolling her eyes.

'It's okay but enjoy your honeymoon.'

'Thanks mum.' She disengaged from her mum and hugged her dad.

'My little girl now belongs to another man.'

The statement brought tears to Sheila's eyes. 'You're still the man in my life dad.'

'But with a borrowed ownership.' Sheila smiled amid her tears.

'What does borrowed ownership mean?'

'I'm still the man in your life but I need permission to see you from now on. But I love the arrangement because it makes you very happy.'

'Thanks dad.' She cried hugging her father.

'Daddy, you're making my wife cry.' George joked as he collected his wife from his father-in-law.

'Don't mind me, I was only telling her how beautiful and special she is.'

'Of course she is special to us all. Aren't you Sheila?' Big George added as he joined them to wish them goodbye.

'Thank you grandpa for everything.' Sheila said with a smile amid her tears.

'Come on Sheila, I'll only accept your thanks if you come back as an expectant mother.'

'Grandpa! Please don't bring that up now. I want to enjoy my wife first and stop embarrassing this beautiful lady.'

'But the wish is mutual George.' Cherry defended big George.

'Sweetheart, we have to go now our plane is waiting.' George drew his wife and entered inside his limousine.

Big George was a bit emotional as he watched little George being driven away with his wife. He turned to Cherry andTim with emotion layered voice. 'I'm back to lonely life as when George was in college. No more fake harassment to make him do as I wished. He now has his own family.'

'Come on big George, you still have your little George anytime, anyday.' Tim said patting his back.

'Don't worry big George, we are here for you. We are family now and we would not be far from you. Whenever you feel like having company, just call on us. We shall fill the void.' Cherry promised with a smile while holding his hand.

'But what of your bakery? Does it not take your time?'

'Not really, now that I have workers who are very good at what they do, I can take things

easy.' Tim explained.

'That's good to hear. Can we spend this weekend together at my resort?' Big George offered.

'Sure thing. Right honey?' Cherry asked her husband.

'Yeah.'

Gary and Alistair also stood watching as George's car moved out of his grandfather's gate. 'I think we should be preparing.' He whispered to Alistair.

'Is that a proposal?' She whispered back.

'I don't think I can wait any more to sleep and wake up with you by my side.'

'You're very unromantic if this is the way you're proposing to me.'

'Okay then.' He raised his voice for people around to hear. 'Listen everyone, I want your attention please.' He went on one knee and held Alistair's left hand. 'I have been wanting to do this for a long time but never had the nerve to ask you. But now that I'm confident of what my feelings are towards you, Alistair, would you do me the honour of being mine forever?'

Everyone was quiet waiting for Alistair who deliberately hesitated. Big George who was her mother's uncle fastened his eyes on her. 'Alistair, what do you say to Gary?'

'Grandy, I don't know.'

'Don't you love him enough to take the step with him?' Cherry asked.

'I don't know.' This time, Gary was sweating and downcast.

'Come on Alistair, give him the answer that pleases your heart. No one can force you.' Tim advised.

'Okay then. Gary, I love you with my heart but....'

'But what sweetheart?' Gary interrupted her.

'But you don't need to propose in front of everybody.'

'You said I should be romantic about my proposal.'

'Hmm. Yes, yes I'll marry you!' Gary with joy gathered her into his arms and kissed her deeply forgetting to put ring on her finger.

'You made a right choice Alistair, I'm happy for you.' Big George said while congratulating them.

'Congrats kids.' Mr and Mrs Banks chorused.

Stuart was having difficulty in persuading Anna to attend the party so that he could talk to her. He decided at the end of the day to drive her home. Although she refused, but later Stuart was able to convince her. The party would not start until late in the evening in one of the high class clubs in town.

Stuart started to chat with Anna in the car on nothing in particular which made the conversation an easy one for both of them.

'We are there Stuart. Just move to the left.' Anna told him as he parked in front of a storey building. The house was an old one but renovated to look a bit modern. It was obvious that Anna was actually trying to stand on her feet. As she was about opening the car door, he heard a small boy's shout from the first floor window. 'Mama is back!' He was taken aback that Anna didn't tell him that she had a child with her boyfriend. 'Is that your son?' He asked with a startled expression.

'Yes, he's my son.'

'You didn't tell me you and your boyfriend have a child.'

'And if I had told you, would you have driven me home?'

'Yes and that was the least I could do but I wouldn't have had it at the back of my mind to pursue you. I wouldn't want your son to suffer broken home.'

'My son can't suffer broken home because there has never been a home to be broken in the first instance.'

'Anna, what do you mean?'

'Stuart, we can only be friends and nothing more.'

'You have told me more than hundred times today but I will like to know you better even as a friend without string attached. Now tell me, did your son's father leave you without turning back?'

'It would have been better if it was that, he denied him.'

'I'm sorry about that. But does your boyfriend behave nicely to him?'

'Boyfriend?' Anna asked in confusion as she had forgotten what she had told him about his boyfriend.

'Yes your boyfriend.' She then remembered and burst into laughter. Stuart looked more confused and thought that she had gone crazy.

'Oh my God, Sean is the one I referred to as my boyfriend and my life.' At this, Stuart heaved a sigh of relieve. 'Sean is his name?'

'Yes his name is Sean.'

'Can I meet him?'

'No. He is a very jealous boy and he has never seen me with any man apart from those I have business deals with and he knows all of them.'

'But you're bound to fall in love someday and he needs to know that you need a man in your life.'

'Stuart, thanks for driving me home, I appreciate it. But you're not welcome in my house.' She opened the door to step out.

'Can you give me your personal number?'

'You can contact me on my business line.' She got out of the car and walked inside the house. Stuart waited to see her enter the house but he saw the boy come out to hug his mother. He cursed the father of the boy in his heart for denying such a fine and energetic boy. He made up his mind as he drove away that he was going to break the iron Anna built round herself no matter how long it too him.

He did not even dance at the party but was lost in thought of Anna and her son. His friends kept on asking him if he was alright because he was a big time playboy amongst them. He just maintained his cool and assured his friends that he was alright.

'Buddy, you're not yourself, talk to your bro. What's eating you up?' Bernard asked him after many hours he had been sitting by himself.

'It's Anna.'

'Anna? Who is Anna?'

'The wedding planner.'

'Have you fallen for her?'

'No. Although I like her but she's a pussle to be unpussled.'

'You got me mixed up here.'

'Her so called boyfriend happens to be her son.'

'She is married?'

'No, but she has a son whom the father denied.'

'So what then happened?'

'It seems she doesn't want any man due to the experience she had with the guy.'

'And you decide not to let go?'

'I felt drawn to that boy. I want to be the missing jigsaw in his life.'

'How can that be possible when his mother doesn't want you?'

'I can be the boy's adopted uncle without having anything to do with th mother.'

'I thought you said you liked her.'

'I don't have to hate her, but the boyvneeds a man in his life and I want to be that person.'

Bernard touched Stuart's forehead. 'You're not burning up so you don't have fever.'

'You don't take me serious?'

'I never knew a day would come you would be this attached to someone's child to the level of wanting to take responsibility of that child.'

'What are you insinuating? That I'm irresponsible?'

'Of course not buddy. We are talking about a woman here and not one of your friends. You're a very reliable friend but when it comes to women, you're like wind that stays nowhere.'

'Anna is different.'

'Don't knock yourself on that, just take it easy with yourself. With time, you'll get there.'

'Yeah, you're right.' He said absentmindedly. He later had some drinks and danced with random girls but he never had interest in any one of them.