Chapter 1253 - Sarah's Birthday Party In LA (2)

Aiden was busy in the garden when he got a message from Sarah to come to the study as soon as possible. It sounded urgent.

He was about to enter the house, when he bumped into JoAnna and Jeff who just arrived.

It would be rude just to go in and ignore them, they saw him. So, Aiden went to greet them first. When they heard that Sarah is inside, and he is going to meet with her, Jeff and JoAnna decided to join Aiden.

Well, Sarah didn't say that he should come by himself.

After exchanging greetings with a birthday girl, Jeff handed her a big envelope. "Happy birthday, Sarah."

Sarah can do many things, but she was never good at accepting presents.

"Thanks", she said stiffly, unsure if she should open it or not.

"We hope you will like it.", JoAnna said while gesturing to Sarah to open the envelope.

Aiden perked up and peeked impatiently while Sarah got the documents out.

"Wow!", Sarah exclaimed when she glanced over the first page which summarized that she is the owner of the company which has eleven gemstone mines and two processing facilities.

Those are parts of 'Hanks industries' which Jeff acquired after Marcus' attacks failed.

Her eyes darted between Jeff and JoAnna few times. "Are you sure? This is a lot."

Jeff and JoAnna smiled and nodded happily.

"Absolutely.", Jeff confirmed. "It will take time for you to set it up and get your people in. If you have any questions, I am available to help but since you already have one mine, I believe you don't need a lot of guidance."

"I don't know what to say… thank you.", Sarah was really speechless.

Aiden nodded in approval and gave a thumbs up to his brother.

After they exchanged thanks and another round of hugs, Sarah told JoAnna and Jeff that Stella and Edward are here.

"Mom is outside helping with decorations or something, and dad said that he wants to rest. He is in one of the guest bedrooms…", Sarah explained.

JoAnna said that she will go and find Stella and Jeff said that he will join outside. Lunch is more than half an hour away, and he can be useful.

"Oh, right…", Aiden remembered. "Why did you call me here?"

Sarah's face lit up and she called JoAnna and Jeff who were at the door to stay behind. "Mom got something from gran and gramps, and you might find it interesting also…"

Sarah gestured toward the big screen where a second later was a photo of a huge oak tree, a swing hanging form the branch and little-Sarah sitting on the swing (with a grumpy face).

"I remember that tree… It's on some of my old photos.", JoAnna said absentmindedly. "The stable in the back… This is gran and gramps place on the East Coast. Did they have this swing?"

Sarah nodded enthusiastically, happy that JoAnna recognized the location and explained: "You were there in 2002, that is when you met Jeff. They set up the swing for the next summer with hope that you will come again, but you didn't. I was there."

"2003? You were like four years old…", JoAnna looked at the photo while taking in all the details. "Why are you sulking?"

Sarah shrugged. "I have no idea. But watch this…"

Sarah played a video file. Mary (aka gran) was recording, and they can see Sarah sitting on a swing (which is not swinging) and James (aka gramps) standing away from Sarah.

"Go and try again…", Mary urged James.

"No. She is always sending me away and she does not want to talk to me.", James pouted.

"She is a little girl. If it makes you feel any better, she does not talk to me either. In time, she will warm up to you.", Mary tried to pacify James.

"But she does not want to play with me now. Last time I tried pushing the swing, she fell and cried like it's my fault."

"Well, we put that swing with Anna in mind. Sarah is smaller and needs a gentler hand." Mary stifled a laugh.

"Why are you laughing?" James frowned at Mary.

"Nothing, nothing… It's…"

Mary stopped talking abruptly.

"Who is that?", James frowned before moving toward Sarah in quick strides.

Camera moved toward the swing where little-Sarah is and there was someone standing next to her. But it was only for a second before the video was cut off.

Sarah looked at Aiden, JoAnna and Jeff expectantly.

JoAnna snorted. "There better be more than this, because here we only see that you don't want to play with gramps, and he is not happy about it."

Sarah grinned and started the next video.

This one is taken much closer to the swing. Starts by capturing James.

"So, you are the younger Don's boy?", James grumbled. "Why did you come here?"

Camera moved showing a 7 year-old Aiden standing next to the swing and holding onto one of two ropes which are holding a plank where 4 year-old Sarah is sitting.

Sarah is not saying anything, but she is observing Aiden curiously.

"My big brother told me that here I can find good women. So, I came to pick one.", Aiden responded coolly (as cool as a 7 year-old can sound).

Mary laughed, making the camera shake.

"How old are you?", James growled.  

"I will be seven this year.", Aiden proclaimed while lifting his chin proudly.

James snorted. "Seven? There are no women here. Get lost!"

"My brother warned me about you and your nasty temper, old man. But he didn't tell me that you are a liar.", Aiden said with a straight face.

"Liar?", James asked in disbelief.

"How can you say that there are no women here? What about this one?", Aiden asked innocently while pointing at Sarah.

Mary burst into laugh again, covering the sound of James' cursing and making the camera shake.

"… You are a bigger rascal than your brother. Leave before I call your grandfather."

"Go and call him. That will give me more time to talk to my woman." Aiden grinned at Sarah and in the next moment dashed away when he saw James approaching him threateningly.

James was chasing after Aiden while cursing occasionally. After two circles around the massive oak tree from where the swing is hanging from, Aiden moved toward Sarah, cupped her cheeks in his palms and kissed her on the lips.

Aiden's action was covered by the sound of Mary's gasp.

"I have your first kiss and you have mine. So, you are my woman." Aiden told Sarah seriously and dashed again, because James was only few steps away.

When Aiden let go of Sarah, she lost her balance and fell backwards.

The camera shook as Mary hurried toward Sarah who was already weeping.

"Baby girl, are you OK?", Mary asked with a voice full of concern.

From who knows where, Aiden was right next to them, standing above Sarah. He took her hand and helped her stand up.

"My woman does not cry for this little thing."

Sarah's eyes full of tears blinked at him, but she stopped crying.

Aiden grinned and dashed away.

"What is your name?!", Aiden yelled while running toward the fence.

"What name? You will get a good whooping when I tell Don about this! You better keep on running because if I catch up to you…", James' voice drifted away as he ran after Aiden who already jumped over the fence.

"Sarah…", Sarah responded in a whisper while looking toward the fence before the video ended.

Jeff and JoAnna both laughed while commenting how James had headaches because of Jeff and Aiden when they were kids.

Aiden walked to Sarah in a daze and pulled her in a hug.

"I am so sorry I forgot about this.", he whispered in her hair.

Sarah smiled and leaned into his embrace. "How can you say that you forgot? Aren't we engaged? And I am your woman."

He hummed in approval.

Sarah cupped his cheeks in her palms, got on her toes and kissed him on the lips. "I have your first kiss."

He smiled with a smile which reached his eyes. "And I have yours."

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