Old picture that resemble me
Sadie's pov
If I remember right, I started getting ready to go to the Royal Hotel at 2 pm. I took a long shower, hoping to pass the time quicker, but the day felt like it dragged even more. Time sure feels slow when you’re waiting for something. I sat down at my makeup table and took my time, making sure every part of my face looked perfect. I decided to tie my hair up in a ponytail.
You’d think I’d know better since the man I was going to meet wouldn’t even see me, but I still wanted to look my best. Maybe it was because I hoped to get his phone number and name so we could meet up again later. Besides, it had been a long time since I’d felt any real excitement in my life, and I felt like this man at the hotel could finally give me that thrill I was missing.
After a while, my mum came into my room, all dressed up to see her boyfriend.
“How do I look?” She spun around, smiling, waiting for my opinion.
“You look amazing!” I replied. She wore a white dress with silver details that really showed off her figure. My mum is still young-looking; I think it’s because she only had me, so her figure and beauty didn’t change much. She noticed I was dressed up too, even without my full outfit on, and asked, “Going somewhere special?”
She wasn’t wrong to think that. My plans were obvious, especially with three gowns lying on my bed.
“You didn’t mention you were going out. Or, if you’d like, you could join me and my boyfriend,” she offered, thinking I had only planned a simple city outing.
I just smiled and shook my head. “I just want to go out and not feel so bored today.” As she was about to leave, I asked, “Which dress do you think I should wear?” I pointed to the three gowns on my bed. She came over and pointed to the one in the middle.
“That’s the one I was thinking of,” I said. It was a red, off-shoulder gown that hugged my hips and showed off my curves just right.
An hour later, I heard my mum calling out, “Sadie! I’m about to leave!” I walked out of my room and saw her boyfriend’s car pulling into the driveway. She hugged me goodbye, and I couldn’t help but notice her lovely perfume.
The thought hit me: maybe the man I’d be meeting would notice my scent, even if he couldn’t see me. I asked, “Mum, can I borrow your perfume? It smells so nice.”
“Of course,” she replied, but before she could go back to her room, her boyfriend honked, signaling her to hurry. “Just use my key. I have to go,” she said, handing me the key as she rushed out.
After she left, I planned to use her perfume just before leaving for the hotel. Around two hours later, when it was almost time to go, I got dressed and went to her room. Spraying the perfume, I noticed an old photo of my mum from high school. She was holding hands with a young guy around her age. I’d never seen this photo before and felt curious. There was something about his face – the shape of his chin, his smile – that looked strangely familiar.
“Who is this guy?” I wondered aloud. The resemblance was odd, so I pulled out my phone and called my mum.
“Hey, Mum, who’s that guy in the picture in your room?”
“Oh, that’s Jack…”
“Is he my dad?” I interrupted. I could hear her laughing before she answered.
“Why would you think that?” she asked, amused.
“But he has a similar chin to mine.”
She sighed. “Sadie, he was just a close friend from high school. He’s not your father.”
“Okay, I just wanted to be sure,” I replied, still thinking about the resemblance.
“Jack would never do what your dad did to me,” she said, and her tone became serious.
“What did Dad do to you?” I asked, my curiosity growing.
“Sadie, it’s not something I want to relive. Please, drop it,” she said, sounding distant.
“But, Mum, I need to know. Hiding these things from me only makes me want to find out more about him.”
She paused, and then in a quieter tone, asked, “Do you even know if he’s still alive?” Her words struck me like a shock.
“Mum, I have to go,” I said, frustrated.
“Don’t run away from this, Sadie. You started the conversation, so finish it. Do you know how painful it is for me to talk about him?”
I went quiet, trying to gather my thoughts. Part of me wanted to press for more details, but another part knew it wasn’t the right time. After a moment, I replied, “I understand, Mum. I just thought you might want to share it with me one day.”
“Maybe… someday,” she said, sounding tired, and we ended the call.
With a sigh, I closed her door and went back to my room, still thinking about the photo and the sadness in her voice. I couldn’t shake the feeling that there was a lot about my dad’s story I didn’t know – things my mum wasn’t ready to share. It left me with more questions than answers, and I felt a strange mix of excitement and worry about what I might uncover someday.
Finally, I grabbed my purse, took one last look at myself in the mirror, and headed out to meet the man my nerves were excited about.
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