Chapter 393 - Sarah's birthday celebration (3)

JoAnna, Sophia, Sarah and Aiden were sitting on a 'S' shaped sofa in the playroom when Felix joined them.

"Did you see Jeff?" JoAnna was getting nervous. He was missing for some time.

"No." Felix shook his head and seated himself next to Sophia and held her hand in his.

JoAnna sighed. 'Where did he go? I will give him ten minutes. If he does not show up, I will call him.'

Sophia looked at Felix hoping to hear details of his chat with Edward. Felix smiled and kissed her hand. "Some man-to-man talk. It's all good." He assured her and didn't speak more about it. Sophia decided to let it go, she will ask again when they are by themselves.

They chatted when Sophia nudged Sarah. "See those two?" She gestured toward two young men, identical twins. They walked through the crowd with their arms away from their bodies and chins held high, like they own the place.

"Wow... I don't think I could tell them apart!" Sarah observed. "I didn't see them before."

"They are new neighbors. Moved into Peterson's house." Sophia said in a hushed voice.

"That was quick. Usually takes weeks or months for new neighbors to show up." JoAnna pointed out.

"After their company went... down..." Sophia smiled maliciously as she remembered the team-of-six adventure where they acquired and sold off their company. "Peterson family members who didn't end up in jail went to stay with their relatives... somewhere in Midwest. All their properties were seized by the bank and sold off. This was a quick transaction, in less than a week Dodson family moved in. As you can see, they like to show off in order to be noticed in the neighborhood."

"How do you know all this?" JoAnna thought that since Sophia stays in her apartment, and works, she does not have time to come to family home.

"Mr. Joe keeps me informed about what is going on here." Sophia smiled cockily.

Sarah just glanced at two young men and didn't seem very interested in the rest of the story. She heard that Petersons are not in the area, and that these guys are occupying their house. Everything else was irrelevant for her.

"Anything to drink, birthday girl?" Aiden nudged her cheek with his nose.

She smiled. "Yes. Give me True Love."

"Always." Aiden smiled and got up to go to the bar.

"Be careful. The Klark sisters are there." JoAnna told Aiden while rolling her eyes at Sarah. "You two are too much."

Sarah grimaced at JoAnna. "You say that only because you don't see yourself when Jeff is here."

JoAnna was reminded of Jeff's prolonged absence. She got her phone and texted him.

There was some commotion next to pinball machines. Sarah sighed. "Let me go and check."

"Wait for Aiden to come back." Sophia urged her.

"Don't worry. It's nothing violent, otherwise Eve would let me know." Sarah smirked and pointed at her earpiece before walking away. 'Even if it's violent, it's not like I can't handle it.'

When Sarah got there, she saw those two identical twin brothers playing pinball while cheering loudly. Few other guests were around them, joining them in the cheers. It was nothing worrying, they were only loud. Sarah paused for a second to watch the game, before returning to her seat.

As Sarah walked back, two Dodson brothers glanced toward her.

"Who is she?" The one watching his brother play pinball asked a young man next to him.

"Sarah Hill, the birthday girl." Young man responded.

Dodson brothers exchanged glances and smirked.

Just as Sarah reached the sofa, she heard male voice from behind. "I hear you are the birthday girl. Happy birthday! I'm your new neighbor, David."

Sarah turner around and faced one of Dodson brothers. "Thank you."

"I was wondering if we can have a pinball match. Friendly one." He smiled.

Sarah glanced at the bar, and saw that Aiden is talking with the other Dodson brother. Her eyes shifted and she saw that Klark sisters are on the other side of the bar, chatting with few other people. 'As long as those two are not trying anything funny, I can be at ease.'

Sarah observed David, he looked friendly, but not too friendly. She liked that. It didn't seem he has any other intentions than to be a friendly neighbor. "Sure." She glanced at her sisters. "Tell Aiden where I am, when he gets back."

Two long games later, Sarah was focused on the metallic ball that bounced around inside glass case when familiar scent enveloped her, and she felt a warm breath on her neck.

She smiled. "What took you so long?"

"I was hoping you will come back by yourself. But it seems I need to fetch you." Aiden spoke in her ear.

Her body tingled, and she closed her eyes for a second. When she opened her eyes, she saw that the ball dropped. Sarah sighed and turned to face Aiden. "You made me lose the ball."

He smiled. "Yes, I can do that." He tilted his head toward the sofa. "The drinks are getting warm."

Sarah glanced at David as they walked away. "Thank you for the game. See you later."

"Anytime", David responded with a smile.

"You are friendly." Aiden observed.

"As long as he is friendly and does not try anything funny, I don't mind playing a game or two of pinball." Sarah explained. "I saw you talked with his brother?"

"Yes. Derek." Aiden confirmed. "Friendly guy."

They reached sofa and Sarah observed that JoAnna is nervous. "What happened?"

"Jeff is not responding to my text or calls." JoAnna was so anxious that she was biting her lower lip.

Sarah tapped her earpiece. "Eve, where is Jeffrey White?" Two seconds later Sarah told JoAnna. "He is in your room."

"Thank you." JoAnna nodded and headed out.

"I hope all is OK." Sophia was concerned as she watched JoAnna leave in a hurry. She leaned on Felix.

"Are you tired?" Felix asked with urgency.

"A little bit." Sophia admitted.

"Let's go. After you take some rest, we can come back." Felix helped her stand up and supported her to walk.

Sophia laughed. "I'm not disabled or collapsing. You don't have to carry me. I'm just... Ahhh!", she let out a scream as her feet left the floor.

Felix lifted Sophia up and carried her princess style.

"You said that I should carry you." He said with a serious expression.

"That's not what I said, and you know it!" Sophia protested, but her arms wrapped around his neck.

Felix smiled. "I heard what I heard."

Sophia laughed. She gave up on arguing over something that she likes anyway. "We will be back later." She told Sarah and Aiden as Felix carried her outside. Sophia hid her face in Felix's shoulder, trying to avoid gazes of people at the party.

Shortly after, Sarah and Aiden were on the sofa, chatting and observing people. Some came to wish happy birthday to Sarah, but they didn't linger. Aiden was giving them sharp looks, letting them know that they should not stick around too long. Sarah didn't mind. She didn't like these people anyway. It was mostly people from neighborhood that her mother invited. Stella was always trying to get them to be friendly with neighbors.

"Master, trouble in the area with consoles." Sarah heard Eve's voice.

"I will be right back. Just to check on something." Sarah stood up.

"Let me join." Aiden was about to stand up.

Sarah placed her palm on his shoulder. "Watch the drinks. I will be back in a minute."

Aiden obeyed. "One minute. Then I'm coming to fetch you."

Sarah nodded and rushed to the area with consoles which is in the opposite corner. Aiden tried to see what is going on there, but too many people were in the way, blocking the view.

"Hello!" Dodson brothers said in unison as they took a seat next to Aiden, one on each side.

"Hi." Aiden didn't chase them away. He remembers that one of them was friendly with him at the bar. He just can't figure out which one of these two was it. "Can I help you?"

"You are dating Sarah, correct?" David smirked.

"Yes." Aiden responded. He glanced left and right at Dodson brothers, and he felt that they are too close to him.

"We were wondering if we can have her for tonight?" Derek grinned.

Aiden felt like someone turned off the lights, and dark fell over his eyes. "What did you say?"

"Sarah... we want to have her for tonight." David said cheerfully.

"We are not asking. We are informing you. Because we are nice." Derek added.