The Apple of My Eye
Chapter 549 An Odd Reunion

Although excited, Sheryl was also fidgety as she was waiting for Charlie in the parking lot of a restaurant. She was worried that he might get entangled in the middle of the same horrendous road traffic she had experienced the last time. She knew that with that kind of chaos, the possibility that Charlie would lose direction while on his way to meet her was huge. Little did she know that Charles accompanied and drove Charlie to their rendezvous.

Charles carefully drove toward the entrance of the restaurant's parking lot. As soon as he entered, he quickly spotted an open slot. He reverse-parked his SUV and pushed the 'Engine Off' button on the car's dash board. An hour before they headed to the meeting place, Charlie already showed him from his cell phone the photo of the woman they would meet. He was stunned to see that the woman that Charlie named Sheryl was his wife, Autumn. He was so intrigued by the coincidence that he was more anxious than Charlie to meet her.

Nervousness and extreme eagerness enveloped Charles. He tightly held the car's steering wheel for support. He was just seconds from finally seeing his wife. Ironically, his ever burning desire to be with Autumn again somehow eluded him.

Charlie scanned the parking lot with his eyes looking for Sheryl. It wasn't long until he caught a glimpse of her. Charlie excitedly got off from the rear seat of the SUV and rushed toward Sheryl who was patiently waiting for him. Charlie greeted heartily, "Sheryl, nice to meet you again."

Ecstatic, Sheryl lovingly hugged Charlie and chuckled, "Nice to meet you too, kiddo!" Sheryl and Charlie were not able to contain their happiness upon seeing each other. The pleasant exchanges of actions and words of affection were comparable to a mother and son who didn't see each other for a very long time. Charles who remained sitting in the driver's seat finally laid his eyes on the woman. At that moment and with a bit of a distance from both Charlie and Sheryl, Charles was greeted with a very familiar face: simple, refreshing and unforgettable.

'She is Autumn. Her face... her body... her voice. I can't believe it. She is my wife!' Charles wondered in his mind.

Charles was extremely jubilant at the uncanny reunion with Autumn.

But, he could not also deny that such an unusual reunion was not easy. It brought back a lot of memories about Autumn. The good and bad times they both shared filled his heart with melancholy.

In a pit of happiness, Sheryl briefly lifted Charlie up after the blissful greetings. She spoke to Charlie in a blaming tone,"Charlie, I really hope that you have informed your mom of your whereabouts lest she be very worried."

"Sheryl, I've found my dad," Charlie quickly responded in an effort to placate Sheryl. Charlie seemed pouring his childish affection to Sheryl. He held her hands, looked at her eyes and gleefully uttered, "Sheryl, you have nothing to worry about. It was my dad who drove me here."

"Really?" Sheryl was somewhat stunned and inquired, "Where is your dad?"

"There he is." Charlie, in an assured voice, pointed at the direction of Charles's car. He then dragged Sheryl to the parked vehicle to show her his dad. At that moment, Charles saw them as they approached. He then lifted himself from the driver's seat to straighten his suit. His hands trembled as he was seized with severe nervousness.

Charles decided to meet Charlie and Sheryl half-way. He opened the car door, and got out hesitatingly only to see Sheryl already standing in front of him. Her well-poised manner and elegant look splattered on a face of a perfect stranger like him. Sheryl disinterestedly gazed at him and nonchalantly waited for him to speak.

In Charles mind and heart, he wondered, 'How could my dear Autumn treat me like this? She treats me like someone quite irrelevant and insignificant?'

Charles awkwardly avoided being close to Sheryl. Charlie who was holding Sheryl's right hand quickly sensed his father's uneasiness, He decided to do the introduction for the two of them. "Sheryl, he is my dad, Charles Lu.

Dad, this is Sheryl Xia, my dear friend." Then, Charlie with a big smile on his face jokingly added," May both of you please dance?"

Sheryl burst into laughter at Charlie's humorous introduction. Actually, Sheryl and Charlie considered each other as best friends despite their age disparity.

"It's nice to meet you, Mr. Lu." Sheryl braced up to shake hands with Charles. "My name is Sheryl Xia, Charlie's friend."

"It's my pleasure to meet you too Miss Xia" Charles coyly stretched out his right hand to meet Sheryl's. The familiarly tender feel of Sheryl's soft hand brought Charlie back to his hallucination. He secretly vowed, 'I will not lose you again, my beloved Autumn.

My persistent efforts and undying commitment to you will soon be paid off.'

Charles was too lost in his reveries that he forgot to draw back his hand for a long time. He maintained holding Sheryl's hand. Sheryl already felt uncomfortable by the long hand shake. She candidly sensed an ulterior motive from Charles.

Sheryl surmised that Charles, for that moment, was treating her like a prey.

Charles suddenly read the discomfort on Sheryl's face. He was taken aback and instantly let go of Sheryl's hand and apologized. In a fleeting moment, he recovered and then smilingly questioned, "Miss Xia, are you a native of Y City?"

At Charles seemingly probing question, Sheryl's eyes twitched and her face visibly showed a growing suspicion. Sensing Sheryl's uneasiness, Charles immediately explained his good intention, "Please don't get me wrong, Miss Xia. I asked because you are Charlie's friend. I just want us to talk more and know each other better."

Sheryl nodded gently. "I perfectly understand it, Mr. Lu."

In her mind, she though 'I would also be suspicious and interrogate anyone posing as Shirley's friend. Particularly if he or she is a stranger.

A natural response by parents to protect the interest and safety of their children.'

Sheryl looked Charles in the eyes and then answered, "I have been living in America for years now. I just returned to Y City for a couple of business opportunities." Consecutively, Charles threw questions at Sheryl. His ardent desire was for her to stay as long as possible in Y city. "So how long do you plan to stay in Y City?

A week more?" Sheryl smiled and said, "I will leave the city upon the completion of my business agenda here."

She gave an indefinite answer because she was hesitant to part ways with Charlie.

Charles was determined to detain Sheryl with every possible means. So, he again inquired, "Why not settle down in Y City, Miss Xia?"

"Probably not. America is my home now," Sheryl replied with a gentle smile. She had to honor the promise she made to Anthony not to visit Y City again once she returned to America.

Ironically, Sheryl's thought about keeping that promise felt much less. She shrank at the thought of meeting Shirley's biological Dad.

Charles frowned and wondered what had happened to her in the past three years and why she became Sheryl Xia. But since he met her again, he would never give up on her.

Charles held his thought but was confident that Sheryl was being partially dishonest to him about something, and he intended to figure that out.

As they promenaded at a nearby park with Charlie in the middle, the three definitely looked like a happy and complete family. Charles checked his watch and then offered, "It is time for supper. Why don't you join us? It is my treat!"

After reflecting for a moment, Sheryl managed to give her consent, "That sounds good." She sighed and thought, 'Sue, anyway, will be out to attend a ball. I'll just stay and spend more time with Charlie tonight. I'll be leaving soon. I might as well take advantage of this moment, as I won't be seeing him in person again for... possibly forever.'

However, Sheryl found it quite embarrassing to stay along with Charles.

Charles selected a posh Japanese restaurant opposite the park. The fine dining restaurant was elegantly nestled on top of a carved, well landscaped hill. Inside, he booked the best corner with a full view of the entire park and the city. Charles finally regained his composure. He began to create a scheme on how to win Sheryl's attention. After ordering their food, his well-trained tongue started to weave interesting topics.

Even though Sheryl was seized with memory loss, she indeed found Charles so attractive, as she indulged in his flowing speech.

Totally absorbed in listening to Charles' prolific way of story telling, she gazed at him and gradually developed an uncertain affinity with the handsome man. As she was tossed in reveries about nothing, her expressive eyes were fixed on Charles.

"Miss Xia, a penny for your thoughts? Are you still with us? Am I boring you?" Charles awakened Sheryl from her seemingly state of soliloquy. She immediately made an apology, "Oh, I'm so sorry, please never mind." Charles replied with a smile. Charles' constant references to fictional short stories were intended to please Charlie. But it also unexpectedly drew Sheryl's full attention.

Charles' face showed a very naughty grin, and in an apologetic tone he told Sheryl,"Miss Xia, I'm so sorry. I think, I bored you with my stories."

"No... not really! I... I was actually hooked by the way you interpreted those fictional stories. It was definitely entertaining and rather... very engaging!" Sheryl replied with a smile as she tried to regain her composure.

The dinner food that they ordered took a little longer than usual to prepare. But Charles, who was usually known for being impatient, didn't complain about it. If not for Charlie's sleepiness, Charles would have sustained their lively conversation.

While Charles was carefully arranging his thoughts on a pretext of dating Sheryl again, Charlie blurted out,"Hey Sheryl, are you available tomorrow? My dad promised to take me to the amusement park tomorrow. I'd really love it if you could join us?"

Charlie's childish and very naughty request was hard to decline.

Sheryl was torn by indecision. She remembered a very important appointment she already finalized with Sue concerning a big client. With a pain in her heart, she tried to politely rebuff Charlie's request, "Charlie, You.. you know, I... I'd love to... but... I do have to attend to a business presentation rehearsal with Sue the whole day tomorrow..."