The Ex Pact

Chapter 25. " Her pearl bracelet"

"I am coming home," he said, walking down. "Where are you going?" Emily asked, following him out of the door, now in her uniform. "Home," he said, pushing his phone into his pocket. "Is everything alright?" she asked, walking towards him. He looked anywhere but her eyes, "Everything is fine. I am just tired," he said. "Take some rest," she said, and he nodded.

"Hey Emmy," he called out, midway. "Yeah?" she asked. "I am glad that we met," he said. "Me too, bye Sam," she smiled. "Bye," he said, turning around. He texted them, and he was leaving. He had to be there for his mother. He saw her through her kitchen window. She was laughing at something someone said.

He started his car and realized that within these few days, they have grown close, and unknowingly, Emily Hale became one of his best friends. He turned up the music and started singing alongside. By the time he reached his home, he knew she was right, singing loudly and horribly to music really helped.

He took a deep breath and walked in, his mother was on their couch with her laptop. "How was the meeting?" He asked, kissing her forehead. "Just with a few changes, the book will be ready," she said, closing the laptop. "When is the releasing date?" Sam asked.

His mother pushed her square glasses into her brown hair, "Within a month, everything is nearly done. With just a few touches, it will be ready," she said. "It will be amazing," he said, his mother's books always were. Publishing her first book at nineteen, his mother's way to success was through her writing, and she was incredibly successful.

"Do you want to go out today, just you and me?" he asked. "Honey, you have school for which you are probably late." she looked at her watch, "definitely late," she said. "I can skip it today. Let's go out for breakfast and then at the library you like," he said.

His mother nodded, "Wait, I will get dressed," she said, standing up. She cupped his cheek and smiled. Without any further words, she walked up the stairs.  At that moment, his mother suddenly looked old, tired.

He changed into a blue shirt that she gifted him. She was already there in her white sundress when he went downstairs, "You look nice." he took his mother's arm. "Thank you, love," she said. He opened the door for her. "I am driving," she closed the door.

"No matter how much you try to deny, but I can drive," he said. "Get in, Sam," she said. Sam got in, "I would hate for you to hit some poor thing on the way," she said, starting the car. "Fine, suit yourself," he said.

"Where are we going?" he asked, passing through their neighborhood. "Where we always get breakfast, Mariette's cafe," his mother said, taking a turn. "What will you have?" his mother asked, holding the menu. "I can't decide what I want. You decide, " he gave up after looking through it. "When will you learn to make decisions," she said as she called a waiter.

"Can I get a french toast,  a chocolate chip pancake, and two coffees, please?" she said. "On the way," he walked away. Sam decided to give a try to the conversation he wanted to have. "How are you keeping up with the news?" Sam asked.

"What is there to keep you with? He is starting a family. He is trying to start over, " she said. "Maybe you should too, Mum try seeing other people," Sam tried. "I don't think I need to see other people. I have you, I have my books. I am happy, " she said, taking a sip of her coffee. "Stop thinking too much about it. You are going to be a brother," she said.

"Don't remind me," he said, drizzling chocolate syrup on his pancake, "don't look at me like this," Sam said geeling his mothers eyes on him. "Don't you think that's a bit too much syrup?" she asked. "Chocolate is the supreme flavor," he said, smiling at the thought of Emily.

"Are you seeing someone, Sam?" she asked. "Why would you ask something like that?" he said. "You seemed happier," she said. "I am happier," he said it was because of her he thought. "So who is she?" she asked. "Emily, Emily Hale," he said, looking at his mother's face.

"I remember her. She was sweet. She gave me flowers when I visited their home, " she said, taking a bite of her french toast. "What about Isabel? You were crazy about her," she asked. His mother knew almost everything about his life, maybe it was because it was always them against everyone. He intentionally skipped the part where Isabel dumped him. "We were. I don't know, not right, I guess," he said.

"She left you?" she asked. "Yes, she did," he said, "love is hard," she said.  "First loves are harder," he said. "She wasn't your first love, was she?" his mother asked. "She was Mum," he said. "I always thought it was someone else. It always seemed like that," she said. Sam furrowed his eyebrows, "who did you think I liked?" he asked.

"The girl in the yellow dress," she said. "Who?" he asked. "You don't remember?" she asked. "I have no idea what you are talking about," he said. "We were at the park one day, and you ran off somewhere, and when I found you, you were talking with a girl. You were around five if I remember correctly. You told me that one day you and that girl were going to fall in love, you kept her pearl bracelet, I am surprised you don't remember, " she said. "I don't," he said. "Let's go home, I am tired," she said. "Let's get ice cream first," he said, standing up.