SEBASTIAN
"Everyone, we would like you to welcome Mr King. He is doing a four-month work experience programme in partnership with Ambrose Law Firm from-" I zoned out, glancing at the faces scattered around the room. They all stared at me with curious eyes.
"Any questions for Mr King?" Mr Archer, my boss for the next four months asked.
When there was no reply he signalled over two other staff members to show me around and give me a tour, after that, I was free to go home. I start actually working tomorrow, this was just easing me in.
"Hello, I am Micheal and this is Dominic. We are happy to make your...um...what's the word, Dominic? It begins with an a, uh aq, aqu-"
"Acquaintance?" I suggested.
"Could repeat that a little slower please?" So I did, they repeated it after me, trying to get the word right.
I nodded, a small smile on my face. "Yeah, it sounds great. Are you both from France?"
"Well, Micheal is. I am from Singapore." Dominic answered, bringing me to a chain of rooms. "Sometimes, if we have a case or we just need time away from our offices we come here. Sometimes it's better to be in an unknown setting."
"I've seen people use these as their own personal theatre pretending they're in court." Micheal chirps.
"Really?" He nods his head, chuckling.
"Oh yeah, totally. If it weren't for the company policy the internet would be swimming in videos." Michael jokes, a wide smile spread across his face.
Maybe this won't be so bad.
I returned to Audrey's house and saw her in the kitchen wearing the pron I sported this morning.
"Hey, how was your first day? You're home earlier than I thought you would be." She asked, smiling brightly.
"It was great. They just introduced me to everyone, showed me around the place. I start properly working tomorrow." I reply, joining her.
"Ah, well, as long as you had fun." She continued whisking and began humming.
"What are you making?" I laughed a little when she began dancing a little.
"Chocolate cake."
"Do you need help?" I ask, not bothering to hide my smile.
"Nope." She rejected, popping the 'p'.
I nodded and left the kitchen after making a cup of tea, grabbing my laptop and settling into one of the chairs on my bedroom balcony.
It took a while before my mother answered the video call but when she eventually did, I thought my eardrums would pop. "SEBASTIAN! Oh, you haven't called your poor old mother in so long, I was growing sick with worry."
I winced, covering my ears. "Mother, please, keep it down. I swear, at this rate only dogs can hear you."
"Oh hush child. So how is my favourite and only son?" She questioned, resting her chin on her hands.
"Wow. Jackson only got married, not exiled."
"I know but he's off living that married life now. He's still in his two-year allowance of minimum disturbance from his parents." She waved it off.
"You mean from you?" I joked, sipping my tea.
She laughed joyfully. "I mean yes, but, your father has been worried sick too. It's no wonder your father and I are such a good couple."
"So how's Paris? I was only notified that you've been sent off for a four-month work experience briefly. What's happening?"
"Don't worry mother, everything will be fine. I'm staying with Audrey and it's a paid work experience," I explained.
"Wait, what?" Her eyebrows raised.
"It's a paid work experience."
She shook her head. "No, no. Before that honey, you were staying with who?"
"Audrey. Audrey Parkinson." I furrowed my brows.
"You found her?" She narrowed her eyes for a second before widening them, her face lighting up with excitement. "Oh my goodness, tell me everything."
After I finished explaining everything she looked at me in a certain way. "Do you still feel...you know."
"Stronger than ever," I admitted. Before I could continue, Audrey strolled into the frame, announcing that she finished making the cake.
"Hey Mrs King, it's lovely to see you again. How are you?" She leaned her head on my shoulder, gazing at my mother with a warm smile.
"Hello dear, I'm great, I've had lots of time to spend with Edward now that Jackson has moved out and Sebastian is always working." She returned the smile.
"That's good to hear. I'm really sorry I couldn't make it to the wedding I-"
"Don't worry about it dear, we all understood."
"Wait, you were invited to the wedding?" I ask, turning to Audrey.
"Yeah, but since I pushed a business deal back so far already, I couldn't push it back any farther and I, unfortunately, missed it."
My mother nodded in agreement. "Yes, it was a shame too, since you were the one who set them up and all."
"Well, it was nice talking to you, mother, but I'm afraid I have to go now." At this, she started whining. "If I don't go now I'm afraid Audrey will eat all the cake."
Audrey gasped and whacked me on the arm. "I will not," she protested, blushing and looking away.
"Well, you two lovebirds take care of yourselves, remember to contact your mother every once in while mister," She scolded, waving a finger at him.
I closed my laptop after the call ended and turned to Audrey. She met my gaze and sent me a questioning look.
"So," I started, "chocolate cake?"
AUDREY
By the time the sun had set, we were both curled up on the couch.
"Is this how Asian mothers usually are?" He wondered, pointing to the mother of 'Crazy Rich Asians' on screen.
The corner of my lips quirked up in amusement. "I mean, not all of them. They want the best for their kids but they aren't all so excessive like her."
"where's your mother from?"
"Indonesia. Before she was born her family had nothing. Her great-grandparents started up a company that took off and granted them great success. Thanks to this her family moved to where we live now. Funilly enough, when my parents met, it was actually my father's mother who acted like the one in that movie."
"How did your parents meet? You know how mine met, I don't think you've told me how yours met."
I giggled softly at the irony. "Similar to how we met actually. When she started up the Cupids Database he came to her for help. He had fallen in love with a girl but she didn't love him back. She worked hard and she got them together, actually, they were about to get engaged when my father saw my mother on the cruise he and his soon-to-be fiancé were on. He came to her again for the help and they ended up falling in love. It probably wouldn't have happened if her sister didn't fall ill."
"Wow, it's like fate." He marvelled, poking me in the side.
"Yeah." He turned back to the screen and I couldn't help muttering. "It is."