The Tutor

Chapter 14: Surprise

Nick was right; the restaurant was stunning.

It was on the top floor of a building in Midtown, and had expansive views of skyscrapers all the way down to the financial district. Sumire was glad she'd brought nice clothes to wear in her small bag.

They were being led to a table near  window, prime seating which made sense for a star like Nick Pensieri. Nick was also smiling at her strangely as they were being led to their table, as if waiting for some sort of reaction from her.

"What?" she asked, confused. She looked at Darcie, who looked as clueless as she felt. Darcie, of course, looked outstanding, at her part-time model best in a sparkly dress with strappy sandals.

There were no open tables where they were being taken, and she turned to Nick to ask what was going on. Nick just looked back at her and continued to smile, enjoying her discomfiture.

The two people sitting at the large table for five rose as they neared, and Sumire finally recognized them.

"Oh my god, Mom, Marcus, what are you doing here?" she cried. She ran the last few steps to kiss her mother on the cheek and give Marcus a brief hug.

"Surprise!" Nick declared as they were shown to their seats by the maitre d'. He was happy that he'd been able to keep Sumire's parents' presence at tonight's dinner a secret until the very end; he'd made a point of not even telling Darcie, as she was known for "accidentally" letting secrets spill at the most inopportune moments.

"Nick, Darcie, this is my mother, Christine, and my stepfather, Marcus," Sumire said as they all took their seats. He looked curiously at the older couple, at the woman who'd produced his tutor, and the man who'd taken her father's place and helped raise her for the last half of her life.

Her mother, Christine, was petite and blonde, maybe a bit taller than her daughter, her hair done up in an elegant chignon. Lovely diamonds shone on her fingers, and she was definitely wearing custom couture, Nick could tell.

The stepfather, Marcus, was a large man, perhaps a shade taller than Nick himself, broad-shouldered and stocky, a man who gave an impression of filling a room, of announcing his presence. He had a jolly air, and a thick, full beard, with bright blue eyes.

"A pleasure to meet you," Nick said sincerely, holding out his hand.

"Likewise," Christine responded warmly, smiling. "Of course we know who you you are. And thank you for inviting us to this wonderful dinner. We haven't seen Sumire in so long, and it's lovely to get to spend an evening with her before you two head off to the wilds of Japan."

Sumire looked at Nick. "I told you not to, didn't I?" she chastised.

"And I told you that I wanted to do it, didn't I?" he responded. "So just let me, okay? It nearly didn't happen, I want you to know, your parents are busy people."

"Oh?" Sumire turned to her mother and Marcus.

"Well, I have to take the train back to Boston tonight because I have a meeting tomorrow morning, bright and early, with my department heads about curriculum changes," Marcus explained. "Some idiot scheduled it for eight AM, no way to spend the night and make it, so I'm afraid I'm off tonight, as soon as we're finished here, though I know how rude it is to eat and run," he added apologetically.

"No, not at all," Nick assured him. "Just glad you could make it, sir."

"And I'm headed to Washington first thing in the morning," Christine said. "You remember Aurora Jennings, darling? Yes, her daughter's getting married tomorrow, and you know how I hate to fly if I don't have to, especially alone. So I have to be on a train practically at the crack of dawn, though at least I will get to spend the night here in the city, which will be nice. I'm at the Plaza, actually, just like you," she said with a pleased smile.