Until We Met Again ( Rowan and Johnson )
Chapter 29

Chapter 29

Karla tossed and turned in her bed, a restlessness that thwarted any attempt at sleep. Every time she closed her eyes, the image of Rowan’s face surfaced in her mind–eyes brimming with tears, looking so lost and pitiful that it tugged at her heartstrings.

A sudden thought struck her. At this hour, Rowan would usually be hunkered down with his language studies. The tongues he wrestled with were complex and tongue–twisting, Karla never could remember them. Each time Rowan quizzed her, she’d cleverly jot down the phrases in English. Rowan couldn’t help but chuckle every time she recited them.

After witnessing his extraordinary ability to learn, Karla often felt like calling him a freak.

Rowan was nothing short of a genius. They could read the same book, and he’d pinpoint a specific dialogue on the exact page. His memory was nothing less than phenomenal.

The more Karla thought about it, the more her heart was in agony. The thought of him reverting to his reclusive ways without her by his side was unbearable.

“No!” Karla sat up abruptly. “Sleep is the last thing I need right now. I have to see him as soon as possible, and I need to explain to him that I never meant to leave him behind.”

Karla hadn’t realized the extent of her influence on him. He had been sick for over two months, and upon awakening, he suffered from aftereffects. She owed him an explanation.

Firing up her laptop, she typed in Nicholas‘ name, hoping to replace some lead. After a fruitless search, she feared the worst.

Karla did the math. If Nicholas was in his thirties back in 1967, he would now be well into his eighties, perhaps even nudging ninety. She wondered if he’d even lived to see such an age.

“What are you up to? Come and have some food.” Sophia peeked in, noticing the door was unlocked. Spotting Karla scratching her head in front of the computer, she thought perhaps it wasn’t body nourishment Karla needed but something for her overworked brain.

Karla, dispirited, floated over to the dining table and sat down. She spooned up whatever was in front of her, not tasting a thing, while Sophia watched her with a look. “Enjoying the air, are we?”

“Huh?” Karla blinked, realizing her bowl was empty.

Sophia shook her head, “You’re so out of it. What’s on your mind? I thought you were too stressed from work, so I tried to set you up on a date, and you didn’t give the guy a chance.”

“Since when does having a date mean work isn’t tiring?” Karla muttered under her breath. Sophia shot her a sharp look, and Karla quickly zipped it and resumed her ‘meal.‘

Glenn gave Sophia a look, signaling her to stop talking. Sophia didn’t want to nag either, but the blind date she had chosen for her daughter was really a catch. “What exactly are you looking for in a husband? Blake is such a catch, and you’re not into him?”

Karla retorted, “It’s not about that. You can’t force feelings, right?”

Sophia rolled her eyes, “The guy’s a looker, you know. He’s no Hollywood star, but for an average Joe, he’s quite the prize, and you’re still not satisfied? What, you holding out for a movie star?”

Karla’s head throbbed at the incoming lecture.

“Don’t say I didn’t try for you. Blake isn’t just a great guy. His family background is impressive. His grandpa Nicholas is a legend.”

Sophia’s offhand comment made Karla leap to her feet. “Mom, did you just say his grandpa’s name is Nicholas?” Karla urgently sought confirmation. Though puzzled, Sophia complied.

1/2

18:34

Chapter 29

After confirming it was the same man, Karla was ecstatic. She grabbed her mother’s face and planted a kiss on her.

“Mom! You’re a lifesaver, I’m off to replace Blake!” Karla dashed out, but at the door, she paused and turned back. “Wait, Mom, what’s Blake’s number?”

Sophia sighed. Karla hadn’t even kept the number of the perfectly good match Sophia had picked out.

Karla got in touch with Blake and when she tried to arrange a meeting, he mentioned he was heading to an auction and suggested meeting another day.

“Where’s the auction? I’ll come to you.” Karla had no time to wait.

Blake, though replaceing it odd, gave her the location. “Ms. Karla, you need an invitation to get into the auction. If you get there before me, just wait a bit, and I’ll take you in.”

Karla had no objections.

Arriving at the auction site, it was as strict as Blake had described; no invitation, no entry.

Karla wasn’t there for the auction; she needed to see Blake.

Before long, Blake arrived with an assistant, but he seemed in a hurry. He mentioned that if she had something to say, they could discuss it inside.