Chapter 53

… Dickinson POV…

"Hi there," I said, trying to sound as confident as possible.

"Hi," she replied with a shy smile.

I took a seat across from her, feeling a little intimidated by her beauty. But as the evening progressed, I found myself completely at ease with her.

As I sat at my desk, trying to come up with the perfect way to ask Emile out on a date, I suddenly had an idea. I would take her to a Chinese restaurant! I had always loved Chinese food, and I knew that Emile did too. It was the perfect choice.

I started to imagine the scene in my mind. We would sit at a cozy table, surrounded by soft lighting and the aromas of delicious food. I would order all of her favorite dishes, and we would laugh and talk and enjoy each other's company.

Excited by this thought, I jumped up from my chair and started doing some research. I looked up the best Chinese restaurants in the area, reading reviews and checking out menus. I finally settled on a place called Golden Wok, which had great reviews and a menu that looked perfect for our date.

Feeling confident in my choice, I picked up the phone and called the restaurant. I made a reservation for two, and the hostess informed me that they had a table available for us that very evening. I was thrilled!

Next, I composed a message to Emile, asking if she would like to join me for dinner that night. I tried to sound casual and nonchalant, but I could feel my heart racing as I hit send. I waited with bated breath for her response, and I was over the moon when she replied with a simple, "Yes!"

With that, the date was set. I was eager to show Emile a wonderful time, and I was excited to experience all that Golden Wok had to offer. I was confident that this would be the start of something special between us.

"What do you recommend?" She asked me as she folded her hands.

"Szechuan chicken is always a favorite of mine," i replied with a smile. "And the dumplings are always a hit too."

She nodded, feeling excited about trying both. We placed our order and settled back in our seats, chatting about everything and nothing at all. The conversation flowed effortlessly, and I felt myself completely at ease with Dickinson.

As the dishes arrived, I was struck by the beautiful presentation and the delicious smells that wafted from the plates. I eagerly took a bite of the Szechuan chicken, and I was blown away by the explosion of flavors in my mouth. The heat of the spices mixed with the sweetness of the sauce, and I couldn't help but close my eyes in delight.

The rest of the meal was just as delicious, and before I knew it, dessert was being served. We tried the traditional egg tarts and sipped on hot tea. She looked at me with lowered eyebrows, it was like before the storm, all calm and suspenseful.

I sat across the table from Emile, my nerves jangling as we argued over dinner.

She was probably angry with me for not telling him that I was pregnant with his child, conceived through in vitro fertilization that I had undergone with his knowledge.

"How could you keep something like this from me?" Emile asked, her voice tight with anger.

"I'm sorry, Emile," I said, trying to apologize. "I just wanted to wait until the right time to tell you."

"The right time? You've been hiding this from me for months!" Emile's voice was getting louder, and I could feel my own frustration building.

Just then, the waiter approached our table, looking awkward and surprised as he took in the tension between us.

"What can I get for you?" he asked, glancing nervously from me to Emile.

"Just bring what he likes," I said, pointing to Emile.

"No, bring what she likes," Emile countered, pointing to me.

The waiter looked even more confused, and I could tell that he was trying to figure out how to handle the situation.

But before he could say anything, we both spoke at the same time, as we looked at ourselves waiting for him to leave so we could of course argue more.

The waiter stood there confused as he stared at us.

"Just make a choice!" I said. "Anything you choose", i waved my hand

We both said as we looked at him with a please-hurry-and-leave expression.

As we continued to argue, I could feel my own anger rising. I had made a mistake, and I knew it. But I felt like Emile wasn't seeing my side of things, that she was just focused on being mad at me.

The argument continued for a while, until finally, we both ran out of steam. We sat in silence for a moment, both of us breathing heavily.

"I'm sorry," I said finally, breaking the silence. "I never meant to hurt you."

Emile sighed, and I could see some of the anger leave his eyes. "I know," he said. "I'm just...I don't know how to deal with this. "You would be able to." I told her.

"I would… what? This doesn't make any sense! I suddenly realize I was pregnant due to a mistake? Without my consent? Oh gosh!" She said as she tapped her hands on the table.

"I didn't know how to break it to you, neither did I know how you would take it," I held my head in my hands.

"Now you know," she snapped.

" I'm sorry Emile, can you just stop all this?*

"Stop?" She scoffed. As she wanted to speak, a Chinese man approached our table. I couldn't help but take notice of his appearance. He was dressed in traditional Chinese attire, with a loose-fitting tunic and trousers in a deep shade of blue. The tunic was adorned with intricate gold embroidery, adding an extra touch of elegance to his outfit.

His hair was dark and neatly styled, with just a touch of gray at the temples, suggesting that he was an older man. He had a kind face, with gentle eyes and a warm smile that put me at ease instantly.

One of the most striking features about the Chinese man was his posture. He held himself with a grace and confidence that was impossible to ignore, and I could tell that he was a man of great wisdom and experience.

His skin was smooth and a warm tan, and he had a small, neatly trimmed beard that framed his mouth.

"Hello", he said.

"Hello", Emile and I both muttered half heatedly.

You know I could help you resolve your disagreement, he said as he placed his hand on the table.

How? We asked simultaneously.

"Pick a wrapped sweet from the basket and unwrap the paper inside," he said with a shrug. "It always helps with arguments."

Emile and I exchanged a glance, both intrigued by the idea. The man disappeared for a moment, and then returned with a basket of wrapped sweets. He placed it on the table between us.

We both sat there, staring at the basket, unsure of who should go first.

I looked down at the basket of sweets that the Chinese man had placed on the table between Emile and me. The sweets were wrapped in colorful paper, with shades of red, blue, green, and yellow, each one promising a different message inside.

The basket itself was woven from bamboo, with a natural and earthy feel that added to the charm of the game.

I reached out to pick one, admiring the delicate and intricate wrapping. The paper felt soft and wrinkly in my hand, and I couldn't help but wonder what message was waiting inside.

As I looked at the other sweets in the basket, I noticed that each one was unique, with its own pattern and design. Some had stars, others had flowers, and still others had swirls and stripes. It was like a little treasure trove of surprises, and I couldn't wait to see what message was waiting for me inside.

Was it a love message we would read to each other? or was… I couldn't think of anything else.

Finally, I reached out and took a sweet, and at the same time, Emile did the same. We both popped the sweets into our mouths and unwrapped the paper. Mine was a sweet with a swirl pattern and hers was one with a flowered pattern.

You don't tell each other what you saw the Chinese man said.

"You don't?" I asked.

"Yes you don't, you keep it to yourself." He replied. What was the essence I thought as I opened the paper with the sweet still in my mouth. I looked up and saw Emile opening her's.

I was pleasantly surprised to find that the paper had a message written on it: