Chapter 37: Chapter 37

Nick walked forward to welcome the newly arrived man.

"Doctor Gremitt, I'm glad you made it," Nick shook hands with Ismael.

"Come on, please drop the title. Just call me Ismael," he gently appealed as he shook hands with Nick.

Kelly was still standing where she was when Ismael arrived, and she did not know what to do. She silently watched the two men shaking hands in front of her. Kelly could not help checking the other man in front of her stepson.

He has a clean-cut hairstyle with a slight pepper and salt complexion. His beard and mustache were neatly trimmed as well. His body was lean, and from his shirt, Kelly could tell he was a health-conscious man. He was wearing a navy blue shirt, sleeves half-folded, and a few buttons open on his chest. The man looked tall but a few inches shorter than Nick. The two men were still exchanging pleasantries when Kate arrived riding a car driven by Paul Courtney. Nick assigned him to be Kate's driver instead of working for the company. He was more confident with Kate's safety when Paul would drive for her everywhere she wanted to go. The man has so much respect for the Eudovic's that he would never let anything happen as long as it was within his control. So even if Kate has had her driver's license, she agreed when Nick suggested she take Paul as her driver. She was also still scared to drive by herself, so she did not decline.

Kate saw another man with his back to her talking to Nick.

"Could it be him?" Kate thought aloud.

"I'm sorry...?" Paul asked when he heard Kate say something distinctively.

"Oh, nothing," Kate smiled at the middle-aged man.

Kate did not want to say anything about her mom being set to a blind date until they saw what possible results it may bear. She did not believe in a jinx, but she did not want to have a similar experience to it by discussing the matter beforehand. 'Wouldn't it be better to share the news when it turns out positively?' Kate thought.

The people in the yard noticed her ride coming, so they all waited for the car to stop, and Nick crossed the distance to open the door for Kate.

"Hey, babe! Mom's date is here," Nick whispered as he kissed Kate as soon as she stepped down of the vehicle. She realized she was right. It was his mom's date Nick was talking to.

"Hi, mom!" Kate greeted her mom. Then she turned to the man Nick was talking to earlier. "Hi, Doctor Gremitt!"

"Let's get inside first," Kelly responded with a shy but gentle smile.

"Nick, you walk with Doctor Gremitt..." Kate suggested, just to be cut off by Nick's words.

"He prefers to be called Ismael, Kate," Nick winked at Kate, knowing the man was behind him while Kelly went ahead to the door.

"Oh, I see," Kate smiled widely. She can see the doctor was a bit nervous while her mom was almost the same. "Don't they look cute feeling shy together?" Kate whispered before she quickened her pace to catch up with her mom. "Mom, wait," Kate called out.

Kelly only turned her head for a moment and slowed her pace, but she did not stop.

"Tell me, honey," Kate whispered when Kate caught up with her. "Why do I feel like crap?" she asked, clipping her hair behind her hair without even knowing it. It was only mid-afternoon, so the sun was still up, and her flushed cheeks were noticeable.

Kate clung her arms on her mom's right arm and curled her head to Kelly's shoulder. She was excited about her mom dating.

"I think that is because you like him?" Kate answered in a hushed tone. "You won't feel anything if you don't fancy him in the slightest," she explained.

Kate thought her mom must have forgotten that stage in her life's memory as well. But since she did not know any love story her mom had when Kelly was younger, or even about her relationship with Kate's dad, the daughter did not know how to compare or set an example about how she was feeling right now. She felt like she had to guide her mom since she has experience with Nick being romantic.

"Well, I think he is quite handsome, I will admit that," Kelly felt her nervousness intensify as she admitted her honest feelings to her daughter. "But don't tell him that, okay? Who knows if what he thinks about me might change after getting we get formally introduced?" Kelly warned her daughter thoughtfully.

"I promise, mom," Kate held her right palm up as if saying her oath. "You will be the judge of him. We wish you happiness, do not be distressed with forcing yourself to like someone you don't, okay?" Kate replied in the same manner, thoughtfully.

"Thank you, honey. You and Nick really have so many things in common, or things you agree with together," Kelly chuckled as she pulled her arm out of her embrace only to wrap it around her daughter's shoulders, imprisoning Kate in a tight side hug.

The two men behind them were watching the mother and daughter with pure amusement. But nervousness was more potent on Ismael's aura.

"Nick, do you think Kelly likes me?" Asked Ismael, followed by a deep breath out. He tried to smile, but it was a somehow embarrassed smile.

"As far as I can tell, since she did not shoo you away, knowing you are her blind date for the whole weekend, that is something positive," Nick chuckled. "But that will be for you to find out. You're the man!"

Ismael felt better, but his nervousness did not disappear just yet.

"By the way, we have a double date," Nick reminded Ismael. "You remember, right?"

"Yeah, where is your girl?" Ismael asked, looking around.

"Kate is my date, and you are my stepmom's. So, we are two couples," Nick's pace slowed down. He wanted to explain their arrangements so Ismael would not misunderstand.

"Kate is my stepmom's daughter, and my dad had wanted and tried his best to convince Kate to agree to be legally adopted, but she did not want to give up her dad's rights on her as a father, so she declined the proposal again and again. And I was upset at first. Even before I met her, I was already mad at Kate because she made my dad sad, rejecting his wishes to have her as his daughter. But when I met her, I fell in love with her. I hid my feelings and tried to avoid her. I even moved out so I wouldn't have to see her every day as my feelings grew even deeper with her around. Although it didn't change when I moved to my own place, I suppressed and hid my feelings for her. Until one day, we both realized we had the same feelings for each other. I was going to talk to her mom the day she got into a terrible accident. We waited until she could recover, and we were waiting for the right time to confess, but without planning, the moment presented itself, and I blurted out asking for her blessings to let me love her daughter not as a stepsibling but as a man to a woman. She said she was happy to see us both happy with each other, so she gave her blessings. That is why we are happy with each other with my stepmom, soon-to-be mother-in-law, guiding us," Nick stopped from his tracks and faced Ismael.

"We love the woman you wish to chase with all the love our hearts could contain," Nick continued. He wanted to express his honest emotions regarding Kelly to Ismael. "She deserves to be happy from everything she had been through, and I hope you are sincere enough to be with her. She is a woman with a pure heart. I can assure you that. She had been my dad's wife but not before my dad agreed to sign a prenuptial agreement which she stubbornly demanded not to receive anything from his properties. Of course, my dad did not agree, but she still insisted with only the least share possible. They were not even able to consummate their marriage as my dad's illness had worsened day by day. But she cried pitifully, day and night the whole funeral time. She got so distressed that she even had a tumor but did not want to let me and Kate know about it," Nick's voice started to shake as he let his emotions diffuse from his heart. It was the first time he was able to take it all out of his chest. Nick breathed deeply. "You see, Kate and I are happy that you came. Your mere braveness to come forward was already an answered prayer for us. We are guilty of being happy while she is alone. You know... and I am sure you will agree, it's sad to be alone."

Nick paused. He had to stop. He felt like a lump was on his throat. But he had to say what was on his mind.

"If you have a change of heart or even a change of mind..." Nick paused as he felt his chest tighten. "Please don't break her heart so harshly," Nick closed his eyes tightly and faced the sky. "Just move back and don't say anything. It would be easier for us to start over from there."