IN LOVE WITH A SOLDIER - Season 9 Episode 80

Afraid that Fred’s anxiety might increase if he found out the full details about the woman in question, Greg didn’t tell his Dad everything. At present, he just wanted to bring his Aunt back home with his father. For Sharon’s safety, Greg was willing to go an extra mile as long as she agreed to come back home. He’d even apologize. But if that didn’t work, he had decided to find her on his own, make peace with her and take care of her, even without Fred’s support. By any means, he wanted to keep her out of harm’s way.

“So… So… umm… we ask her to get back now?” Fred faltered. He was feeling completely at a loss.

“Yes. We need to call Aunt now and ask her to come back home. Then we pick up from there, okay?” Greg replied. Looking at a distressed Fred, he thought, ‘Dad looks so distressed, which is not good for his advanced age. I really feel bad for him, ‘ Greg empathized.

“Okay. It’s a good idea,” Fred replied promptly. He put his shaking hand into his pocket and fumbled for his cell phone. “I will call your Aunt now,” he said.

The old man pulled out the phone and called Sharon.

He got through to his wife after a long time.

“Hello,” Sharon answered from the other end of line.

“It’s, It’s me,” Fred stammered. He was so nervous that he didn’t know what to say.

“What’s up?” Sharon asked in an overbearing manner.

Greg who stood close to his father overheard their conversation. Noticing that his father got tense, he grabbed the phone from Fred’s hand. “Where are you, Aunt?” he asked straightforwardly.

“Hello, Greg. What’s up?” Sharon replied, sounding as irritable as she had done to Fred. Bluntly she talked to Greg; you’d think it was a spoiled brat with one of those ‘I don’t care’ attitudes lashing out at street urchin.

Ignoring her needless emotional chatter, Greg interrupted her. “Dad and I have missed you,” he began firmly. “When are you coming back, Aunt?” he asked, sounding so genuine and disarming. The top priority on his mind was to get Sharon back. For that he was prepared to overlook all of Sharon’s past mistakes. Even now, he ignored her disrespectful chatter and provocations.

On hearing Greg’s sensible, firm and unpretentious manner on phone, Sharon was slightly moved. But her pride stood in her path to forgiveness. “I thought I meant nothing to you and your Dad. You two teamed up with outsiders and bullied me. Why do you want me back?”
she fired back, sarcasm and anger in her voice coloring every word she spoke.

Apparently, Sharon was still mad at Greg and his father for the humiliation she was subjected to at the party. Greg heaved a deep breath to reign in on his emotions. “I’m sorry for what you suffered at the party. I also know how I disregarded and went against you on other occasions. But while you are away, I’ve honestly had a change of heart. It not any different with Dad too. Ever since you left, he’s been a worried, lonely man.

At first, he thought he’d get over your love with time, but now he realizes it’s only getting worse by the day. Lately, he has been sleepless most of the nights.

And on the few occasions when sleep comes, he only wakes up from terrible nightmares. That’s how bad it is here. Please, accept our sincere apologies and come back home. We do need you here,” he apologized sincerely.

At long last, Greg’s flattery worked like a charm on Sharon’s heart. “So how is your father doing today? Did the nightmares interrupt his sleep again last night?” she asked anxiously.

That hint of interest from her, small as it was, allayed some of Greg’s fears. At least he knew that Sharon cared about his father. ‘They have been together for years, after all, ‘ he thought.

“Come back please, Aunt! Dad can’t live without you. In all honesty, he badly needs you, and so do I. You’re a part of the family, and our lives are not complete without you,” Greg persuaded, trying to speak as gently as he could.

Touched by his words, Sharon started sobbing. Greg was surprised by what he heard.

“I’m sorry, Aunt. I was so mean to you. I never put myself in your shoes. You have devoted so much to our family. Dad and I owe you. Will you please give us a chance to make amends? Is that okay?

We’ll never put you through the same things, I promise. And that’s Dad’s position well. Now that Dad is retired, the two of you can travel anywhere you want and enjoy yourself. At home too, you’ll always have his companionship seeing he now stays at home all the time,” Greg added with deep emotion. Through experience, he had learned how to cherish relations, both family and friends.

After a moment, Sharon now spoke with motherly affection. “Greg,” she began. “Driven by greed and ambition as I was, I also made mistakes. But time has taught me to be content. The fame, fortune, and glamour that I pursued like a maniac only served to estrange me from the people that loved me most. Besides…”

After a pause, she went on, “When Violet is back, I will sincerely apologize for all I did to her. I’m trusting you’ll meditate for me and help us find forgiveness and healing. I’ve been hoping and praying for a second chance with my family. Right now, I want to be a better elder. Someone that Violet, Fred and you would look up to.”

“I will Aunt! That’s my promise,” Greg nodded. He was glad to hear Sharon’s sincere confession.

“I got homesick too,” Sharon blurted out her real thoughts. Meanwhile, Sally came and sat beside her.

“Where are you, Aunt? I will come and pick you up,” Greg asked, eager to bring Sharon back home. It gave him creeps to imagine his Aunt staying with Sally one more day. He would only rest after Sharon was safely back home.

“I…” Before Sharon could unveil her location, she ran into Sally’s gaze. She stopped immediately for she could tell by the woman’s eyes that she wasn’t allowed to leak the apartment’s address.
“What’s wrong?” Greg asked apprehensively. He wondered whether Sharon was with Sally. But he didn’t dare to speak it out. If they were together, Sally could overhear their conversation, he thought.

“Nothing. Don’t worry,” Sharon faltered. “Well, pick me up at 8:00 tomorrow. I need to pack up my belongs tonight. See you tomorrow.”

“How about you get your staff packed now and I pick you up an hour later?” Greg requested. He could sense from Sharon’s tone that she was with Sally. At the thought of it, he couldn’t wait to take his Aunt away from that woman.

“I don’t think it’s a good idea. I have lived in my friend’s house for so long. If I leave in a hurry, she will get angry. You can understand me, right? But I promise you that I’ll be back tomorrow. So drop by here at 8:00 tomorrow. I will send you the address later. Don’t be late. You don’t need to worry about me, okay? So see you tomorrow!” Sharon declined his offer.