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“Let me call my driver,” said Gabriel and went closer to the door.
“How did you snag such a rich, handsome Romanian in a week?” Mom asked as she sat closer and elbowed me in the rib.
“Trust me, Mom, it felt more than a week,” I said, rubbing the sore spot.
“Does he treat you good,dovlecel?” asked Dad.
“He treats me like a princess, Dad.” And I wasn’t lying.
“Then, that’s enough for me,” Dad said and hugged me.
“Yeah, but getting engaged in a week seems rash, don’t you think?” Mom said.
“True. Why not date for half a year and see what happens?” Dad said.
Roger entered the house with two massive cases and handed them to Gabriel. He brought them to my parents and gifted one to each. Both cases looked somewhat similar. They were of a rectangular shape, black in color, and of sturdy material. Mom and Dad opened the cases at the same time, and to their astonishment, each discovered a set of tools for what they enjoyed the most.
“It’s the Sennelier watercolor brand. They make the most expensive paint in the world. But how? When?” Mom forgot to close her mouth and simply gaped at what, in her opinion, was more valuable than a Fabergé egg.
“I believe great talents must be expressed with the best tools. When I’ll open a gallery for great, living painters, I hope to have the honor of presenting one of your paintings, Sharon.”
Mom was so stunned she forgot how to formulate words. One down, one to go.
“I’ve never seen such an expensive fishing rod before,” said Dad, trying to contain his excitement. “Who’s the manufacturer?”
“They’re handcrafted in Georgia, and they’re called Oyster bamboo fly rods,” said Gabriel. “They’re one of a kind. This one also has your name engraved on the handle.”
“I’ve never had such a generous gift,” Dad said as his eyes began to well up. “Thank you, Son. I’ll make good use of it.”
And the second bastion fell under the charms of Gabriel.
“I like fishing myself,” said Gabriel.
Well, that was pushing it. Maybe Gabriel could hypnotize the fish to jump in his basket, but I’ve never heard him talk about enjoying fishing.
“What kind of fish do you like to catch?” Dad asked.
“Bass usually, but I always like to challenge myself,” said Gabriel. The man, indeed, has had too much time on his hands.
“I became a pro at catching salmon. Let me show you my collection of fishing rods in the garage. It’s not anything close to your gift, but they do the job,” Dad said, and they both went to the garage.
“He didn’t take time to buy food from the grocery store, but sure, let’s drag the new son-in-law to the garage and show him his useless pieces of––”
“Mom,” I interjected. “How about we drink some of that herbal tea you like?”
“That is a great idea,” Mom said. “I’ll pour some water in the kettle.”
Left alone for a second in my parent’s living room, I leaned back on the couch and let out a heavy sigh. For the past two years, I could only hope to return here. And now that I was back, I simply couldn’t believe it. In my parents’ world, nothing happened while I lived a whole new life back in time. My two worlds collided: Gabriel and my parents. It was mindboggling, to say the least.
“Will Gabriel enjoy some tea as well, or he’s a coffee kind of guy?” Mom asked from the kitchen.
“He’ll drink anything, Mom,” I said.
“Such an unpretentious guy,” she said and returned to the living room. “So, how did you meet him? You were always busy with school. I’ve never seen you interested in a guy before,” Mom said.
“We met in Târgovi?te. At the palace ruins where Vlad the Impaler ruled in Wallachia.” I was still not lying, but I also didn’t tell the whole truth.
“I never thought this obsession of yours with the vampire Count would lead to anything good but look at you now. Engaged to be married. What a treat.”
