SWNOVELS Chapter 42: The Grandparents
Saturday, 11:30 AM.
"Sam, are you coming down? The hotel staff wanted me to go to a conference room, but I prefer waiting for you in here at the lobby," Matilda Davis asked on the phone right after they settled in the First Diamond Hotel lobby.
For that lunch, they were to gather at the first-carat conference room and have a private meal together with Ethan's parents.
From the other line, Samantha answered, "Grandma, I'm heading down with Kyle we can proceed to the conference room together. Kenzie poured her water over her dress so she is changing again with aunt Diana."
"Okay, Sam. I miss you already and I am excited to see Ethan," said Matilda. "I'll see you soon."
It took only ten minutes for Samantha to come down and from the lobby they lingered for Some time, waiting for Diana and Kenzie.
Kyle sat on the opposite couch from Samantha and Matilda, playing with his tablet.
Matilda and Samantha, on the other hand, engaged in a conversation about Ethan when a lady with style approached them. This lady was tall, with dark long hair and brown eyes like Ethan.
She wore conservative, yet expensive clothes, and her face was as soft as a pearl.
The same woman stared at Samantha with brows furrowed that it made Samantha uncomfortable. Samantha could not help but ask, "Excuse me, is there something wrong, madam?"
"I'm." The lady placed a hand on her chest and became teary-eyed. She responded, "I'm sorry, but you look so much like my friend, Sarah."
"Sarah?" Samantha repeated, wondering if the woman meant her mother, Sarah Turner Davis.
The same woman glanced at Matilda and acted like she was also familiar with Samantha's grandmother. The lady asked, "Are you - are you Matilda Davis? I hope I am right. It's been so long, but I think my memory has not failed me yet."
"Ah, yes. Yes, I am," said Matilda while staring back at the beautiful lady.
"Oh, my goodness!" The lady sighed of relief, gasping as she recovered from an obvious shock.
"Aunt Matilda, I know it has been so many years, but it's me. I'm Sarah's old friend, Amanda - Amanda Wright? Do you remember? I used to visit Sarah in the military camp when little Sami was just two years old."
The lady who identified herself as Amanda Wright glanced at Samantha and asked, "Please tell me... are you little Sami? You must be... You look so much like Sarah."
"Ah! Now, I remember!" Told Matilda. She smiled happily at Amanda and said, "I remember you. We even visited your home once when my son was still a Colonel and Sarah was still pregnant." "Yes, that's right! That is exactly right!" Exclaimed Amanda Wright.
While Matilda and Amanda were bringing back memories, Samantha was utterly astonished. She wasn't sure, but she wondered how many Amanda Wrights would be out there. She asked in silence, 'Is this Ethan's mother?'
Samantha wound up studying Amanda Wright's features, analyzing her similarity to Ethan. She thought, 'She has to be. She has the same eyes as Ethan.'
"And this is little Sami, right?" Amanda eagerly asked, staring adorably at Samantha.
"Why, yes! This is little Sami, but she goes by Sam now." Matilda chuckled and told, "As she got older, she wanted to be called Sam rather than Sami. And as you can see, she is not so little anymore." "Oh... I can see that!" A tear fell down Amanda's face as she walked closer to Samantha and sat next to her. She reached for Samantha's hand and revealed, "Oh, my poor heart. You resemble Sarah so much that it takes me back to the pain when I learned of her passing."
"Little Sami, it's me. I'm your godmother, Amanda." She wept as she added, "I'm so sorry, I was out of touch. A lot of things happened."
Amanda gulped and explained, "My son and I were in Europe when your mother died, and I." She gasped before revealing, "I despised your father! I blamed him for Sarah's death! Back then, I felt he should have been around Sarah more often."
"Oh," reacted Samantha, feeling pained by her tale, but at the same time, she remained awed by the possibility that she was speaking to her mother-in-law.
Just as Amanda Wright was being regretful of having not been there for Samantha, Kyle walked towards them and asked, "Mommy, who is she?" Amanda's attention immediately shifted to the little boy and at the sight of Kyle, Amanda paled. She got up from her seat and took a heavy breath. Pointing at Kyle, she asked, "Why - why do you look like... my son so much?"
It was as if Amanda lost her logic that she turned to the entrance of the hotel and roared, "Daniel Wright! Come here, right this very instant!"
She took a few steps forward, making her way out of the set of sofas and right in front of her husband, Mr. Daniel Wright.
Amanda practically dragged her husband in front of Matilda and Samantha. She returned to pointing at Kyle and grilled her husband, "Look at that? Tell me, Daniel... Did you cheat on me?!"
"What?!" The frown on Daniel's face became apparent. "Darling, what on earth got into you! And will you tone your voice down? There are people around."
"Then how do you explain a young boy who looks exactly like our son!" Yelled Amanda Wright, still pointing at Kyle.
While Ethan's eyes resembled so much of Amanda's, his features mostly came from his father. Ethan was a near copy of Daniel Wright, and his presence made it clear to Samantha how these two were her husband's parents.
"Oh, no! No! It isn't that at all," Samantha tried to interfere but Amanda was only beaming at her husband. "Please, let me explain."
"Explain to me, Daniel!" Repeated Amanda.
"Don't be ridiculous, Amanda! We are always together. Why in the world would I cheat on you," responded Daniel Wright.
"Mother! What is going on?!" Thankfully, Ethan came right on time. He walked into the lobby and saw how his mother was screaming her lungs out.
"Ethan, you father - "
"Daddy!" Kyle called and ran to Ethan. The little boy gripped his father's hand and walked with him, back to where Amanda and Daniel Wright were having an argument.
"Wait!" Amanda Wright pointed to Ethan and asked, "What is... going on, Ethan?"
"Mother, this was what I was going to tell you yesterday, but you stormed out of my office," told Ethan as soon as he stood in front of his mother.
He took a deep breath and moved Kyle in front of him. He said to his parents, "Father, mother. This is Kyle, my son with Samantha."
He pointed to Samantha and said, "This is Samantha Davis Wright, my wife."
There was a moment of silence, especially coming from Ethan's parents before Amanda spoke again. She clarified, "What? You married her? And you have a son together?"
Amanda Wright laughed hysterically, realizing the wrong she had done. She wound up crying as he stomped her feet. She explained, "I thought - I thought your father cheated on me with little Sami because the boy looks so much like you! Haha!"
"Ethan, son. You look like this! Exactly like this when you were a little boy!" Explained Amanda for her silly misunderstanding.
"What in the world was I thinking? Why did it never occur to me that the boy was Ethan's?" Amanda asked herself while still giggling at her mistake.
Shaking his head, Daniel Wright said to his son, "Ethan, you have some explaining to do. You caused your mother to doubt me because of your lack of telling!"
"Sorry, father. We can talk about it at the conference room," suggested Ethan. "People are staring at us."
"Daddy!" While there was still confusion coming from their party, Kenzie came rushing out from the elevator area, dashing towards Ethan.
Daniel and Amanda Wright gawked at the cute little girl who called their son her Daddy. They heard Ethan say, "This is my other child with Sam, Kenzie."
"Kenzie and Kyle... are your flesh and blood... both are my children," added Ethan.
"Ohhhhh!" Amanda smacked her husband in the arm and said, "Daniel, did you hear that? There's two."
"I can see that," said Daniel Wright while tilting his head to one side.
Amanda suddenly had a lightbulb moment. Her eyes gleamed as she pulled down her husband's arm. She declared, "Daniel, we are grandparents!"
"I supposed," responded Daniel Wright.
"Hi, I'm Kenzie!" Introduced the little girl with a beautiful smile.
"Awww... How beautiful," Amanda reacted. She then doubted if this was all real that she leaned over to her husband and whispered, "Pinch me. I may be dreaming. If I am... I don't want to wake up... just yet. Did our son just give us grandchildren?"
"No, mother. You are not dreaming. Let's go to the conference room and have a proper talk," urged Ethan.