Memories of Autumn

Chapter 3

As there were silence between Nate and Anne a little boy entered the café with his mother. The boy saw ane and pointed towards her. "Mommy, Mommy, look. It's my teacher, Ms.Richards." she smiled to the boy "Hi there, Coby. What brings you're here?" she said with a warm smile. "I'm here with my mom. Teacher, is he your husband?" the little boy replies and pointed at Nate who smirked at the thought. Before Anne could answer the mother of the little boy drags the child away saying "Sorry if Coby disturbed you, Ms. Richards. Say bye-bye to your teacher and her charming husband." The woman said as the little boy waved to Anne as the walked towards the door. Anne chuckled and shook her head. "so, I see that you're still not married after all these years." Nate said as he looks at her. "Well I suppose my time hasn't come yet." she replied smiling. "What about you? I'm sure you have a wife and kids by now." she added. Nate was getting confused on how to answer Anne's question. He took a sip of tea then started "Uhm, actually I don't have a wife. But I do have a son, well, uhm, kind of." Anne looked puzzled. "Hm? How come?" she replied. "Well that's what I wanted to tell you. Uhm I think it's better to show you." he answered. "I-I don't understand. You're not making any sense." she replied. Nate gave her a serious look as he leans towards her. "Anne, I want to show him to you. Come with me." He said as he stood up. "W-what? "I-I don't understand. You're not making any sense." she replied. Nate gave her a serious look as he leans towards her. "Anne, I want to show him to you. Come with me." He said as he stood up. "W-what? You really don't make any sense. You can just tell me about him." she said in confusion. "I'll tell you on the way. Now please come with me." he said with a bit of tension in his voice. "Alright, alright, I'll go." she said standing up. "Good, because I really don't know how to explain it to you. You have to see him to believe me." he replied then pays the register and the both walked out. "I think we should just use my car to go there." he said as he opened his car door. "Alright. I'll just ask my friend to drive it home for me." she replied. They both hoped in the car and Nate started driving. They drove outside the city towards the countryside and after a few more minutes of driving, Anne started "So, what is the boy like? Why do I have to see him? Why am I involved with this?". "Well I told you that I am a genetic scientist. I studied gene mutations, cloning, gene production, cell production and mutation. Six years ago, I started an experiment using a sample from a gene of a human being to make an completely different human being. A-a clone. It was farfetched and I honestly didn't think it would work...but it did." As he was talking, the car was driven into a large estate with tight security and there stood a large mansion surrounded by hectares of land made into a beautiful garden. It looked like something the queen could live in. The car stopped at the stairs towards the door where they hurriedly went up the stairs and the door opened immediately. The inside was just as elegant as the outside with the high ceiling, large stairwell, expensive marble tiles, golden mouldings and paintings at the wall. "Where is Arthur?" Nate asked a maid with a black uniform and a white apron. "He is at the nursery, sir." the maid replied. They walked up the stairs to the west wing and walked in a grand hallway with a big two way door at the end. Once Nate opened the door, Anne's heart pounded with anxiety. What could be in stored for her behind that door? The door opened and she saw a large nursery. It was filed with toys and books and everything that can be seen in a nursery. There stood a boy who had blond hair facing the fireplace, with every step she took, the more her heart pounded. Nate touched the boy's shoulder and the boy turned his attention to Nate. Anne's heart sank to the ground as she saw the face of the boy. The blond, blue eyed boy looked painfully familiar...it was John! She couldn't believe her eyes, the boy was a four year old John. Warm wet tears begin to roll down her cheeks as she observed every inch of the little boy; how could that be! It is not possible; that could not have been him. She breathed heavily as she took a step back as the child looked at her. "Daddy? Who is she?" the boy said as he tugged on the sleeve of his father's suit. "H-h-how? I.." she mumbled on what to say as she felt a lump in her throat. "I'm sorry.." she said as she covered her mouth with her hand and ran towards the door, out the hallway and right above the stairs. As she ran, Nate follows her. "Anne! Please, wait!" he finally caught her wrist as she was about to go down the stairs. "Anne, I'm so sorry." He said as Anne turned her attention towards him. She suddenly embraced him as she cried miserably; her tears wetting his chest. He embraced her, rubbing her back with one hand while the other was stroking her soft brown hair. "I-I'm sorry for not telling you about all this." Nate whispered. Anne just shook her head "Y-you don't have to apologize.."

'It was a cold autumn morning and I was just on my way to school. I was walking towards my usual meeting place when I saw Nate sitting on the bench where I and John usually sit. As I was walking towards him, he looked at me and stood up. I was puzzled why he was there but he started talking. "Anne, I want to talk to you." I looked at him and I replied "S-sure." He began by "I know this will be a little awkward but uhm..I wanted to talk about your relationship with John. I just want to tell you that...I want you to be happy with him. John is a good guy and he will never hurt you and I know you wouldn't hurt him so you will probably last long together." I smiled at him pitifully. "Please don't feel sorry for me, Anne. I just want you two to be happy. From now on I won't bother either of you. The best of luck to both of you." He said as he puts his hand in his pocket, the other fixing his glasses then turned and walked away. And that was when I realized the depth of Nate's feelings for me. And I just stood there, looking at him as he walked away...'