I woke up around seven. My room was covered in a bright light. I turned over and rolled off my bed. I hit my elbow on the wood floor and let out a big gasp. To make the pain go away I closed my eyes really tight and held my breath. I laid there for a few minutes and finally got to my feet. As I opened the door I almost walked into my mom.
"Good, you're up. I was just about to come and get you. Get dressed; we are leaving in fifteen minutes." My mom rushed as she was brushing her hair.
I was confused for a second then dazedly asked, "What? Where are we going?"
"Don't worry about it just get ready and let's go." My mother turned around and went into her room.
I scratched my head and headed towards the bathroom. I wanted to take a shower but with only ten minutes I didn't have time. I brushed my teeth and got dressed. About seven minutes later I went to the kitchen to get something to eat when my mom yelled from the other room, "Don't eat anything we'll be eating there."
I dropped the banana and mumbled so my mom could not hear, "Eating where?"
She came back into the kitchen and grabbed her purse, "Okay, come on. We are supposed to be there for eight o'clock."
We walked out of our suite and I locked the door. We reached the end of the hallway and entered the elevator. When we got to the ground floor we went right through the lobby. I saw Bert and he walked towards us smiling. He sneakily handed me a candy bar and I thanked him by standing on my tip toes and kissing him on the cheek. He blushed and tipped his hat again. I laughed and headed out the door with my mom.
Bert had been working at the hotel for a while. He started around the time that we moved in. He is twenty, three years older than me. He is the shy, quiet kind. But he is very friendly and respectful. He works full time trying to save up money to go on a around the world trip. I always wanted to go around the world and see all the different cultures. I wondered though what Bert would do after he went on his trip. Would he go to college? Would he return here and continue working? Or did he plan on never coming back?
My thoughts were interrupted by my mom signaling a cab, which stopped almost instantly. She opened the door and motioned for me to get in. I hopped off the side walk and shuffled into the cab's fake leather seat and scooted squeakily over so my mom could sit. I was putting my seatbelt on as my mom gave the driver the directions to where we were going. I noticed that we weren't going that far. About a few blocks down from Central Park. Even this early people were out and about. The traffic was bumper to bumper and I knew at this rate we were not going to make it there in time. I was about to tell my mother that when she took out her phone and called someone.
"Hello? Yeah. We are going to be a little late." My mom said into the phone.
She was silent for a minute then said, "I know, I'm sorry there is a lot of traffic. If we are not there in twenty minutes you can leave and we'll do this another time."
There was a little more silence and I leaned closer to my mom to hear who was talking. I faintly heard a deep husky voice. I didn't know what they were saying but I could tell it was a man. I sat back confused to as who she could be talking to. The voice didn't sound familiar so I don't think it was anyone I have ever met. My mom mumbled a good-bye and closed her phone.
"Who was that?" I asked my mom not looking at her.
She acted as though I didn't say anything and we sat in silence while the car moved about two inches every five minutes. After forty minutes in traffic my stomach startled gargling. My mom raised her eye brow and looked at my stomach I gave her a look and she apologized saying that I should have eaten the banana. Curiosity was starting to get the better of me and I was wondering who we were going to meet. To tell you the truth I had no idea who we were seeing. I guess it could be my mom's brother because I haven't seen him since my dad's funeral but I don't think his voice could have deepened that much since we last saw each other. I was sick of the silence so I started bugging my mom with questions.
"I thought you told him that if we weren't there in twenty minutes that he could leave?" I asked.
"I did. But he said he could wait." She answered.
That's it? That's all you're going to give me?
"So. Who is he? And why are we going to see him." I pushed.
She sighed and thought for a second, " His name is Harry and we are going to see him because he wants to meet you."
Harry? I don't think I have heard of any Harry's. And why would he want to meet me? There is something going on here. Something that my mom isn't telling and from the way she's acting I can tell it's not something good. I shifted in my seat trying to figure out what was going on. I was about to ask her who he was and why he wanted to meet me when the cab stopped and my mom started opening the door. We were here. She paid the cab driver and stepped out onto the side walk and I followed her. We went into this little café and she stopped for a second and looked around. As soon as she saw what she was looking for she smiled and headed me over to the corner where a man in his forties sat alone. He has on a black suit and a red tie. As he looked up to my mom I noticed that he had a full mustache and bright green eyes. His nose was wide and had a hard jaw. When he saw us he did not smile but put his hand up to his jet black hair and ruffled it. When we got to the table he pointed to the seats in front of him and we sat down. I stared at him while he looked at me with a creepy grin on his face.
Finally my mom spoke up,
" Harry this is Rosie, my daughter. Rosie..." She deliberately looked away from me. I knew what this meant. It was something she was afraid to tell me because she knew I wouldn't like it. I immediately tensed and was afraid to find out who this man was. Why would my mom bring him to meet me? Had I done something wrong and he was here to take me away or something?
I froze as my mom said, " This is Harry, my fiancé."
