RETAKE

Part 42

Everyone was so happy to see Matt. Susan couldn't help but cuddle her son most of the time they were in her apartment. Matt asked them many questions, and each answered patiently and made her happy.

Anne dreaded her colleague's assessment of her son's physical features the whole time. Though no one had commented that he resembled someone they had met, she was still weary. All they said was that she had a future heartthrob for a son. Upon hearing the new word, Matt let Susan explain what she meant. It was then the conversation became lively while they were positioning things.

They had finished arranging Susan's new sofa and decorated her living room at four in the afternoon. It was then they all laid down the food on the center table. Because of Matt's presence, there were no alcoholic drinks on the table. It was all juices and sodas, some cakes, a pizza Anne ordered, chicken and some salads.

Anne was not that hungry, so she took a slice of the pizza while Matt's plate was laden with a slice of cake, a piece of pizza, and chicken. When Susan wanted to add another piece of chicken, Anne stopped her. She knew her son would not finish anything on his plate, and she would eat it all.

Matt was not able to have a nap, being so excited to be a part of an adult party. Even though his eyes were watery and slow to blink, he refused when she told him to sit on her lap so he could close his eyes. He started to run around the sofa, only settled on a chair when Olivia asked him about the party he attended.

By five in the afternoon, Anne messaged Brent to pick them up, and after five minutes, he called to tell her to go down. When she told her colleagues, Matt was the one who voiced his objection to their delights. Then everyone's curiosity set in, especially when Matt told them it was his father picking them up.

"Anne, let him come up so we can meet him." The eagerness in Susan's voice and the look of anticipation on Olivia and Jean saddened Anne as she was going to disappoint them; however, she must.

"He was too shy; maybe next time." Her refusal was not due to her cowardice. She didn't ask him if he could meet them. Meeting the parents of Matt's classmate had already deprived him of relaxing and enjoying the moments of playing with his son at a children's party. She couldn't let him go through what had happened upon knowing who he was in the financial world. There would be another day for that.

She and Matt went down to where Brent parked his car. As she predicted, once she had belted Matt onto his car seat, he had fallen asleep.

While Brent was driving, she told him that Matt was so happy that he had attended an adult party without mentioning her friends' keenness to discover his identity. She also said how Matt tried to stay awake even though his eyes were almost half closed.

Once they arrived in Brent's apartment, she woke Matt so he could have a good sleep later on.

"Did you enjoy meeting Mommy's friends?" Brent asked Matt once they were sitting on the sofa.

"Yes, daddy, " Matt answered after a yawn and then turned to face her," Next time, mommy, you will bring me again, okay?" Anne nodded, making Matt smile, "Aunt Susan said I would come and visit her and Aunt Olivia.

"Okay, we will do that." She answered while reaching out her hand and touching her son's face to remove the fallen eyelash on his face.

"How about grandma? When do you plan to visit her?" Anne forgot the issue about Brent's mother if he didn't ask. She could only blame it on selective amnesia. Who would want a reminder from a situation or person that made you uneasy?

"Oh! Yes, daddy," Matt said with excitement as he faced his father, " I want to visit her too. Didn't grandma say she would come here?"

"Yes, she did say it, though I told her that Matt would decide when it would be. " Then Brent turned to look at her, raising her eyebrows. " Also, Mommy."