A Sulawesi Romance

Chapter 26

A/N: The image above does not belong to me. It belongs to the person who uploaded it on the internet.

Gun's POV

Although I felt happy and relieved that my stepdad and I were on good terms, I did not feel inclined to talk during the drive back home from the hospital. He seemed to feel the same way as I did because he did not initiate any conversation with me along the way.

I got the shock of my life though when suddenly just as I was driving his car into our driveway, I heard him ask, "Are you and your employer's son an item?"

"Huh?" I pretended not to hear his question right away.  I needed to buy some time to think carefully what my  answer to him was going to be.

I mean, it wasn't like, even if he did not approve of Mark and me being together, that he could do anything to stop us. And then again, at this point in time, I didn't even know how I felt about Mark and if I wanted him and myself to be in a relationship.

"I'm your stepdad, you know," he was talking again, this time looking at me with a teasing smile. "Don't you think I'm entitled to ask that question?"

"Um ... um ..." I creased my eyebrows, thinking hard about how I should answer his question.

Suddenly he said, "It's okay, Gun, if you're not comfortable answering my question, we'll leave it alone. C'mon, let's go inside the house and have something to eat. I'm starving. Did you and your friend have anything to eat during your plane trip?"

"His name is Mark," I said curtly, somehow feeling upset that my stepdad kept on referring to Mark as 'your employer's son' and 'your friend'. My 'friend' has a name, for chrissakes.

"Oh, I'm sorry, yes, Mark, I remember now, his name is Mark," my step dad was looking at me a little too intently for my comfort.  Oops, did my irritation show through in my voice?

I don't know why but I was now starting to realize that I tend to get easily upset with my stepdad's words or actions. From the time that my mom had announced that she was going to marry him, I resented his presence in the house so much, so that any little thing he did or said annoyed me.

I was starting to realize that I always misinterpreted the little things that my stepdad did for me. I kept comparing him to my own father who had more mature ways of interacting with me.

Wait, that was it! It was his age, his maturity, compared to my real dad. If my mother was going to marry again, I wanted and needed a father who was the same as my dad's age, not this stupid guy who was only a few years older than I was.

"So, did you and your... I mean Mark, have anything to eat on the plane?" my stepdad broke into my thoughts.

"Yes, we did," I said. "But if you're going to cook something, please make it good for three people so that I can bring some back to Mark."

"Of course," he said, already opening the refrigerator to see what he could find to cook.

"No, wait," I said, "Actually, you don't have to. I promised Mark that I was just going to drop you off and then go back to him right away."

"Oh, alright," my stepdad said. "After I eat and take a shower, I will go back to the hospital."

"No, you don't have to," I said quickly, almost too edgily. Damn it, I was back to resenting him again being with my mom.

Shit, he was giving me that thoughtful look again.

"I mean, of course you can always go back to be with my mom," I said defensively. "But I think you should have some sleep first. Your eyes have dark circles around them. That tells me that you did not have any sleep at all."

My stepfather did not respond right away. He continued to bring out stuff from the refrigerator.

Then I heard him sigh before saying, "Alright, Gun, yes I do believe that I should get some sleep before going back to be with your mother. But if she has any change in condition, please call me right away. I have left the same instructions to the unit nurse."

"So you have given instructions to the unit nurse already, why do you have to ask me to ..." I stopped myself in time. I wasn't going to start picking a fight with my stepdad. Not while my mom was in a critical condition.

I saw him straighten from bending to take something from the vegetable crisper section of the refrigerator. He closed the door, set down the bunch of spinach leaves on the kitchen counter and then turned to me.

"Come here," he said, his arms outstretched.

"No," I refused. "You're still stinky."

I heard him sigh, making me feel guilty, damn him.

I handed him his car key.

"I will be taking my own car to bring myself to the hospital," I announced.

He took it, saying, "Very well, Gun, please don't forget ... " and then he paused in mid sentence.

Whatever it was he was going to say, he chose not to say it. He was quiet for just a brief moment.

"I'll see you later, Gun," he said finally. "You and Mark will be using your old room, right?"

"No," I declared firmly. "I will let him use the guest room."

I almost added, "I will be the one to decide what goes or around this house while mom is not here." but thought the better of it.

"See you later," I said to him before taking my car key from the copper bowl in the corner of the kitchen counter.

"Are you on your way back here?"

Mark texted me just as I climbed into my car.

Instead of texting him back, I decided to call him.

"Mark," I said when he took my call, "Do you want me to stop by for some food before going there?"

"Yes, please," I heard him say. "But not anything fancy. Just some burgers and chips and soda."

"No problem," I said. "See you in a few."

I stopped at a fish and chips diner along the way. I requested for an order of fish and chips for myself and another one for burger and chips for Mark. Then I ordered two large tumblers of honey lemon iced tea, not bothering to ask Mark what kind of drink he wanted. If I liked something, he should like it too.

Wait, what was I thinking. It wasn't like I had some kind of hold over him.

I quickly texted Mark.

"What kind soda do you want?"

My eyes opened wide at his reply.

"Honeybunch, whatever you want is what I want, too."