Calm down, tiger, the other part told her and she could literally hear the eye-roll.
“You must be Mina,” he said lifting her hand in his, “Your mother talks of you a lot.”
“I can’t say the same for you,” she forced normally through the kiss he placed on her knuckles, “I didn’t even know anything until this afternoon.”
Aaron laughed. It was definitely not genuine. She could see he was stressed, and she knew how it could get. She felt empathetic towards him and offered him a smile of solace. Aaron seemed to have caught onto it and smiled back, grateful that she understood.
Maybe we’ll get along okay, she thought as he led her to the dinner table and pulled out a seat for her. The menu surprised them and Heidi gasped in delight and ordered for a plate of deep fried shrimps straight away. Mina wanted to try some of the Japanese cuisine so bad, but she had a client to meet in an hour and had already stuffed cookies on her way to McCarthy Continental.
“I’ll just stick with chicken soup,” she spoke softly to the waiter, who nodded and waited for others to fill in their request.
“Mina, eat properly, please,” her mother poked her with concern, “You’ve only had breakfast.”
“I’m good, ma,” she said with her cat like smile. Talk started at the table and it started to gravitate towards Mina soon. She talked of her ambitions and her mother jokingly complained about her daughter’s life long celibacy. Mina only laughed and said she was waiting for the right person and that everything takes time. Dave nodded appreciatively.
“There is plenty of time to pursue romance,” he started, “and it’s not bad to start it alongside your career, but never allow it to hinder you.”
“Exactly,” Mina agreed, “I just don’t think I’m mentally and emotionally equipped enough yet to deal with a relationship. Plus, I’m still learning a lot about herself and fixing somethings that aren’t the best parts of me to deal with, even with her own.”
“You should be more like her, Aaron,” Dave scolded his son, “She has it all figured out.”
“Do be available for the impromptus, though,” Heidi started humorously, “she gets into more trouble than getting work done.” Mina only smiled sheepishly at the truth. Dave laughed.
“Aaron here is a trouble magnet himself. Rather, he’s simply extremely prone to bad luck,” Dave said, and Aaron laughed a little too nervously to be deemed okay. None but Mina seemed to have noticed, but she knew it was a topic he wouldn’t want to breach, so she didn’t comment.
There was something about him that needed clearing up. Something that needed digging into. But Mina knew better than to stuff her nose into matters that did not personally call to her attention. And so she vowed to stay away until he let her in himself.
There was something between them, though. A private understanding. They kept glancing at each other, exchanging friendly looks. The mood grew comfortable and she was positive Aaron and she would get along just fine. He had a thing for good design and diversity, as did she. He was a hardworking man, and she was hardworking, too. He handled finances well and she was also very organized in her bills and payments. He was the CFO and she was aspiring to start up her own company soon.
The dinner went by smoothly and dessert was just as delicious, but it seemed as if they all were purposely trying to stretch it out to have more to talk about. As if the disappearance of food would mean the talking would, too. Of everyone was just as huge a foodie as Mina was. But she had a client to meet and discuss house plans and room designs with, so she was soon to leave.
“Do come again when you feel like it,” Aaron said as he led her to the elevator, “You’re fun to talk to. It’s been a while since I met someone with common interests.”
“Hey, we’re going to be siblings, soon,” she said cheerily with a childish grin, “We’ll have plenty to talk once that happens.”
Aaron gave her a curious once over. Mina wasn’t sure if she wanted him as her brother. Would it be incestuous to want more? There was still so much to know about him, though. She couldn’t just fall into him without knowing him properly. She couldn’t make that mistake over and over again. It’s hard to rightfully walk away from feelings for an awful person, no matter how strong she was. And she had done that to herself too many times.
“Yes, definitely…” he trailed off in deep thought. The intense look he gave her was melting her into a puddle, but the elevator dinged open and she collected her pooling composure and sculpted it back into place, although somewhat out of proportions.
“See you some other day then.”
“See you,” he bid her farewell, and she was on her way.
Chapter Two
This is so bad, he thought as he punched away angrily at his phone, I don’t know what’s worse right now. Fighting with Greta or the fact that I can’t get Mina out of her mind?
He decided that while what he felt for Mina could in no way or form be curbed, his actions could be. Also, Greta on her period was the worst nightmare he’s ever had to deal with. It was almost as if she’d become drunk in a rather sober way.
Almost as bad as mother, he mentally sighed, Just almost.
Women made him wary. He didn’t wish for anyone to get him wrong, he loved women and appreciated them where they showed competency. He admired his work force made up of mostly hardworking and intelligent women and paid in equal money to his male workers, and with excessive respect to them all. He protected them like any other, and treated them fairly as they deserved to be. But when the women closest to you are so capable of manipulating you to their own needs, it becomes hard to break through barriers that build up after realizing what was being done to you. And that was the case with him.
Aaron had done the most courageous thing in his life and called the authorities on her. She had been caught in the mortifying act and there was no way out of it. And it wasn’t the only case she would be convicted of. She couldn’t handle the shame and charges. Too much and too many.
She committed suicide.
He was only 17 then, and it horrified him. He could do nothing to convince himself that he was not responsible. He had her blood on his hands. And, after all, he was her mother. How could have he done that to her?
No amount of therapy got him through the guilt, but he knew it wasn’t his’ and that he had no reason to feel it. His father had said nothing on the matter, but only held him the night it all unfolded. And he cried, apologizing constantly. For not being brave enough, strong enough, adept enough a father to have done the same to protect him.
“I failed to protect herself,” he’s sobbed, begging for forgiveness, “but the worst thing I ever did was let it happen to you.”
“It was never your fault, dad,” Aaron had whispered, “It’s over now, yeah?”
The news that his dad was remarrying had sent him stumbling back in his chair hard and knocking off the coffee table onto the ground into splinters, wood and glass, and even the chocolate on it, really. He couldn’t believe his father found a woman he could trust. A woman who he could allow to love him.
“Son, she is amazing!” he’d hollered into the phone that day, “You’ll love her, really. She’s absolutely wonderful!”
And meeting her was phenomenal in itself. She exuded so much love and warmth, it sent his head reeling with panic and constant questioning. He’d hesitated when she came in to hug him, and she acknowledged it graciously.
“I won’t force you,” she’d smiled, unoffended, “Don’t feel bad for it, all right?”
He let her hug him the third time they met up. It was for brunch. He’d almost cried. And she told him he should so he couldn’t hold back the waterworks. He’d felt so much lighter, and a lot better in the head ever since.
But Greta Morgan was continually disrupting that peace of mind. He loved her, though. And she needed him. He couldn’t bring it in himself to leave her, even though he understood that he should. But there was so much they were involved in together. Against a common en
emy. And she was a useful resource. He felt guilty for his ulterior motives, but his life had been ruined in one way and he could not allow another. He had his father to think of, and the Empire his forefathers worked so hard to build. He wouldn’t let a little scuffle involving such a huge crime get in the way of it all. And he was still trying so hard to escape, even though he wasn’t guilty of anything. He knew that.
But the matter at hand was what needed the most attention, and he knew sending Greta bouquets and chocolates would not help. He didn’t understand what she wanted, though. He gave her all a woman could ever want. All the attention, all the affection.
But she was demanding something he would not dare force or convince himself into. And there had been multiple times he’d been on the verge of leaving her for it, and had outright threatened to disappear. She’d always go back crying and apologizing to him later.
Sex was sacred to him, and not something he was willing to give to anyone unless he felt it. He would never allow himself to be abused again to scar him from the experience of it.
She felt unwanted and unloved. He offered to send her on a spa day. It seemed a necessity as they had to be at his father’s wedding soon. That suggestion seemed to work a bit, and so he called for his secretary to arrange it. He obediently followed through orders, leaving his boss one less thing to worry about. A weight lifted off of Aaron’s chest.
But then another one settled as he entered his office. A nice one, really. The one he felt around his mother-to-be, only a bit cooler that offered the kind of comfort that spread everywhere.
He felt safe.
His office is one place he never allowed anyone but his secretary into. It was his safe space, but Mina was an exception since he made him feel even safer in her presence. It was astounding, and scarier to accept. But she made it easier.
He felt drawn to her in so many ways, and felt it too strongly to even put into words. His sensitive soul held a spot for poetry and this was the one time he got stuck trying to write it. Writing about her. He would be doing injustice to her if he tried to recreate her in art. In his art, anyway. He had a lot to learn about his muse. He could make no mistakes.
She was standing before one of his own writings and designs. His father had loved it so much so, he got two copies printed and framed, and put up in either of their offices. This particular one was very recent, after he’d met Heidi Willows, and the words signs of healing. It was a beautiful blend of French and Latin.
Mina stood in casual wear, black leggings and a grey oversized hoodie with sleeves rolled up to her elbows. Her white sneakers were dusty at the bottom with left over mud and sand from a most probable jog. A pair of golden Beats rested around her neck. She read his work in awe as he came up behind her to read it, too. He had to admit, he felt it as one of his best works yet.
“Have you ever considered publishing a few of your poems?” Mina asked, unable to tear her eyes away from the piece. It filled Aaron with pride to have garnered her approval. Something he’d so often wished from Greta. But he didn’t feel confident enough with her to show her anything. A brutal truth he’d come to accept was that she was pretty racist unless she felt something was exotic about it. Language wasn’t on the list.
“I understand the French, but do translate Latin for me,” she demanded while jumping lightly on her toes as she pointed to the piece, the curiosity hyping her up. She looked at him expectantly, and Aaron’s heart never melted so fast at someone. Not an adult, at least. She was a child in her best form, and it was a gift to see it preserved so well.
It led to an intricate discussion about so many things. And she knew so much about culture, history, languages, and just…everything. It amazed him so much. And he knew they would never have a thing to no talk out.
She was multilingual, her number of languages growing. She currently spoke ten with staggering fluency and beauty. She was a feminist, and spoke passionately for victims of crime regardless of their gender. A huge advocate for the underprivileged, most of her projects revolved around eco-reliable and eco-friendly homes for them that made people independent of unaffordable paid resources in areas where basic sources of energy such as light and water was readily available. She actively funded and promoted animal rescue shelters. She was also a black belt in Kung Fu and Tae Kwon Do, an avid reader, and collected shells to make crafts out of. She sold live made portraits on the streets for a year to raise money for her university, along with earning through gigs with her former band. And she made a lot from sheer talent.
She had a heart she felt was not large enough, that she wasn’t trying hard enough, and that she wasn’t doing much. There was so much left for her to do. It was as if she couldn’t get enough of life.
He continued to listen to her over coffee with an open heart and mind about patriarchy and male privilege, and child abuse. And he said nothing to object because he understood. But what made him feel safer was how she acknowledged men in the light of such matters. Toxic masculinity. Male victims. Bias towards women in certain aspects of law and society. Privileges both seemed to abuse and attitudes she actively unlearned to be more sensitive and empathetic.
He could see that Heidi’s influence had shaped Mina into a person too ahead of her time. She was so ahead in her knowledge of science, religion, and all that the world had to offer.
“How do you get the time for all this?” he chuckled, “It’s amazing how you know so much.”
“I read!” she exclaimed giddily.
“Any recommendations?”
And she was off again. He could only smile at the sight. He hadn’t smiled genuinely until Heidi came into their lives. And now he had this bundle of joy to add to it.
Mina had been coming to his office regularly as per his request. She was good to spend leisure time with, and refreshed him. She made for an amazing friend and it felt a pleasure to open up to her. He’d never talked so much in his life until she came. It was as if he had years of pent of discussion rushing out in floods. And she was a very attentive listener, light brown eyes wide and vibrant in wonder against her milk coffee complexion, pink lips shaped into a delicate ‘o’.
And for once in his life, he felt satisfied with where he was.
Chapter Three
Everything was becoming a mess, much to Mina’s disdain. She had half a mind to call the security on Greta and have her sent home. The other half wanted to violently grab her in a choke hold and smash her head into the platter of biryani until she had snorted enough grains to die of suffocation.
Mina, breathe, she mentally recalled a meditation, violence is not the solution.
“Why is this pasta so spicy? Do Indians add curry to everything?”
IS SHE PURPOSELY BEING IGNORANT AND DUMB? Her internal self-roared and stood over her form from the seat beside her, but Aaron beat her to it. He looked extremely embarrassed and apologetic. He knew Mina’s ancestors involved people of Indian and Pakistani decent and that she respected their culture well. There were some here present as well, representatives and workers of multiple branches of McCarthy Continental. Mina felt sorry for him, but she didn’t understand how someone so open and compassionate was dating someone so close minded. This would not have been the first time Mina would have called out on her bullshit. Greta had clung onto Aaron like a leach and would try to suck his face the minute she felt threatened by a female onlooker. That really set of Mina to the edge because he looked so uncomfortable and she knew he was being violated no matter how he and Greta were related. She’d asked Greta to respect Aaron’s comfort zone, or leave the premises. She would not have anyone be uncomfortable or causing ruckus at her mother’s wedding. Not on her watch.
Aaron got up and grabbed Greta by the arm, leading her away. Mina kept an eye on the two, and the scuffle seemed pretty intense. It came to the point that she left the area on her own accord. Aaron tried to hold her back but she would have none of it, leaving Aaron to dejectedly come back to the table.
“I like how you don
’t stand for bullshit,” commented Aaron’s older sister, Paige, “I hate that woman to the core.”
“Someone had to say something,” Mina grumbled, “but I don’t want to dwell on her existence anymore. How’s your business holding up?”
“We just opened up internships for university students in Sweden,” she recalled with a smile, “and it’s amazing to see what these fresh young minds come up with. We’ll be hiring them right after they’ve graduated. We’re doing the same in the other countries we’re present in to try and innovate more designs. We also have an exhibition in Dubai coming up. You should join us.”
“I would love to, but I hardly get a break from work,” Mina laughed, “Clients can be so demanding, but it’s understandable since they’ll be spending quite a while with what I give them, so their satisfaction is necessary.”
“When was the last time you went on a holiday?”
“Never.”
“Goodness,” Paige laughed, “why?”
Mina paused thoughtfully, then grumbled, “I procrastinate.”
Paige laughed heartily and they were soon engaged in talk of their college days. Aaron soon joined them at the table, quiet and upset. Paige noticed his bad mood and took her leave. It wasn’t a secret within them at all that Mina eased Aaron back into normality easily.
“I apologize on beha-” he started but she shushed him with a finger to his lips and spoke, “You will not take responsibility for her behavior. She needs to apologize herself.”
Aaron’s eyes crossed to her finger against his lips for a fraction of a second before he nodded obediently. Mina grinned and gave his shoulder a playful punch, “Come on, you didn’t even eat much. Let’s get some cake!”
“You just ate two plates of pasta!”
She paused to think back to it, “I genuinely forgot. But I have a hearty appetite so LEZ GO GET SOME!”
Unwrap Me Daddy_A Holiday Romance Page 49
