Solving Riley

❄Chapter 12

"The smartest thing a woman can learn is to never need a man."

- Demi Lovato

Andrew's POV

It's been two days since I first saw her in the train. Why is taking her so long to call? I've never myself given my number to any random woman before. It was always the other way round, them running behind me for my good looks. But she's wasn't one of them. I still remember the way she aimed the banana peel at the kid. For a second, I was jealous of the kid. And she was so funny. It's like she was weird but in a good way. I didn't recall seeing someone so unique before. That was why I was still smitten to her. The only regret I had was not asking for her name. I wanted to make a stylish exit but hell, the wait was killing me. Every-time the phone rang, I jumped in response thinking it's her only to end up disappointed.

"Would you like some pasta?" Dad asked me, and I quickly kept my phone away.

"There's food at the party. You really don't need to cook."

"I'm experimenting with cooking for your mother. She loves pasta so much. Now tell me, will penne do for you?" he asked while fidgeting with his apron. Cooking really wasn't meant for him but if he was doing it for mom, it was great.

My parents mostly lived at Sydney, but today they were here at my place in New York. Today's occasion was something really special to my heart. My father was a really famous model. The good looks that I inherited were a gift from him. After he started getting old, we opened our own agency and now Mathews Models is one of the top model agencies in the entire world. To describe my mom, she was the most extraordinary person in my life. There was no problem in my life that I couldn't solve after talking to her. She wasn't my biological mother but the bond that we share was so profound that I could never spend a day without talking to her.

My biological mother died when I was just five. After that, I never experienced mother's true love. I became a rebellious teenager when I grew up. I went to parties, got drunk, even arrested sometimes. Seeing everyone with their mothers made me jealous. I started thinking that god was completely unfair to me. I truly was out of hands.

Grace was like an angel to me. She often spent time at our house and even helped me with my studies. In fact she was the one who brought me back on the track and made me a better person. Dad and her were so in love. The day they got married, six years ago, was the happiest day of my life. Since then, she took really good care of me and protected me from the outer world. If there was one person whom I owed my life to- it was her.

***

Everyone was present at the party- my grandparents, relatives , all of my cousins and my dad.
Except mom, where was she?

I greeted everyone with a fake smile and left by pretending to bring a drink. I went to check the guest room where they were staying and gently knocked on the door. When I entered, I found her sitting on a corner of the bed, gently sobbing while holding a picture frame.

I recognized that frame immediately. Why wouldn't I? I'd snatched it from her several times and I would do it again in the blink of an eye.

It was them.

"Mom, give it to me." I snatched the picture frame from her.

"Give it back Andrew." She said while wiping her tears.