Is this destiny?

Ellie remembered what Lisa said and pointed at the photo she just kept back. "Jasper\'s grandfather?"

"Yes. They were very close. It was hard on Jasper when he passed away.", Lisa sighed and gently touched frame of the photo with Jasper and his grandfather.

"I like to keep the photos arranged like this because it shows me how happy Jasper used to be, and like this I understand how much he loved his grandpa. See?" Lisa pointed at the photo which is two photos away in line. "This one is taken after he lost his grandfather. And he lost his smile as well."

Ellie came closer and observed photos. True. After that one where Lisa pointed, Jasper is not smiling anymore. On every next photo he is mostly serious, aloof and that visible childishly-adorable innocence is gone.

Ellie paused and looked at Lisa. "You said… YOU like to keep the photos arranged like this?"

Lisa smiled. "Yes. I personally took this one… and this one… and these legs here, those are mine. Why do you look confused? Is it so strange that I took these photos? They are rather good, right?"

"Lisa, what is your relationship with Jasper?"

Lisa smiled and announced proudly: "I am his mother."

Ellie was confident that her mind exploded. She actually knows Jasper\'s mother!

Lisa (aka Melissa) is coming to Seattle for appointments with Ellie for more than six years! What the…? Ellie cursed herself internally, how come she does not know Lisa\'s last name? She probably introduced herself when they met, and since then Ellie is calling her \'Lisa\' and she forgot that her last name is Kiani! Well, even if she knew, it\'s not like there are no other Kiani families around. And even if she figured out that they are related, Ellie would not give Lisa any closer role than an aunt, because she was confident that woman is a Seattleite. What the…?

"I see you are interested in Jasper?", Lisa pointed at the photos.

Ellie blinked few times unsure how to respond, still overwhelmed by the fact that Lisa is Jasper\'s mother. "You can say that."

Lisa happily bobbed her head. In her mind, scenarios are building. How she sees it, Ellie is a perfect daughter-in-law material. Pretty, classy, kind, easy to talk to, smart, successful… what else can she wish for? Oh, is she single? Lisa decided to leave that question for later.

Lisa cleared her throat before she started pointing at the photos and giving more information on each of them: "This one is taken on his first day of college. It was such a mix of feelings for me, but he went happily. He was always a brave boy. And he did great… He kept stellar grades while being a bowman in the rowing crew representing his University. Daily trainings, I have no idea from where he got all that energy. Here is a photo from a competition, first place. This is the medal…"

Lisa is on a mission to make Jasper look good, and maybe, just maybe Ellie gets interested.

While Ellie was engrossed listening to Lisa\'s stories, Jasper was on a verge of a full-blown panic attack. He can\'t find Ellie. Did she leave?

He asked few girls if they saw Ellie and they only shrugged while ogling at him. And the group of guys he approached about Ellie gave him weird looks while asking how can he lose a girl so quickly, when one hour ago he announced that he is serious about her.

All those people are useless!

He took a deep breath to calm down and reached for his phone. Right, he will call her. How come he didn\'t think of that earlier?

"I hear you lost something.", Lily\'s sweet voice came from the side.

"Get lost!" Jasper was anxious, and not in a mood for this woman.

Lily\'s pleasing demeanor transformed into a sneer within a second. "How rude. Just like your little slut."

Jasper paused. "What did you say?"

Lily can sense danger coming from Jasper, but she doesn\'t care. Ellie humiliated her and she needs to vent. "I said that your little slut is rude. Making me look bad in front of all these people. Well, now at least everyone knows that she is the one who came to your office to seduce you..."

Fury surged inside Jasper and he pushed Lily before walking away. If he stayed a second longer in Lily\'s presence, he would punch her.

Jasper didn\'t push Lily hard, but she didn\'t expect it. She stumbled backward and fell (butt first) in a large pot which has a tall neatly trimmed topiary tree surrounded with cacti and succulent plants. Lily yelped and then released a miserable howl when she felt thorns from cacti poke her buttocks and back of the thighs through thin fabric of her dress.

…

Ellie is sitting next to Lisa on a sofa and watching photos in an album while listening to Lisa\'s detailed explanations about anything relevant to the photo they are looking at.

Lisa pulled out three massive photo albums and she is happy that Ellie is interested. Ah, it seems that it\'s working!

Ellie\'s phone rang and she saw it\'s Jasper. Poor guy, he must be looking for her.

"Excuse me.", Ellie stood up and took the call.

"Where are you?", Jasper breathlessly asked as soon as the call connected.

"I am… just a second." Ellie muted her phone and faced Lisa whose gaze didn\'t leave her.

"How do you call this room?"

"Memory room.", Lisa responded.

"I think this is called a memory room.", Ellie told Jasper after unmuting her phone.

"I\'m on my way.", Jasper ended the call.

Based on the fact that Ellie told that other person her location within the villa, Lisa connected the dots. "Someone from the party?"

"Yes."

Lisa swallowed with difficulty. "If your absence was noticed then... that person must be important?" Lisa held her breath.

Ellie confirmed. "My boyfriend."

Ellie did her best to keep a straight face because Lisa was unable to hide her disappointment.

Lisa sighed and looked at Ellie. "Is it serious?"

Ellie\'s nod made Lisa\'s mood drop even further.

The door opened and Jasper paused at the sight of his mother and Ellie on the sofa. Are those photo albums on the table in front of them? Why does his mother look like a child whose pet fish died? Well, at least Ellie is happy to see him.

"Why are you late?", Lisa asked Jasper.

"What?" Jasper didn\'t know what kind of a question that is. Late for what? Did something happen? His mother is not happy, but Ellie is in a good mood.

"What were you doing so far?" Lisa frowned while thinking that if Jasper is not wasting his time with who-knows-what-girls he would have a chance with Ellie. She is definitely interested in finding out more about him. But because he is nearsighted he missed his chance. Ellie has a boyfriend… and it\'s serious.

"I was out there…", Jasper gestured down the hallway.

He looked at Ellie, hoping to get some hint of what is going on but she only smiled. He frowned when he realized that Ellie is enjoying this current confusion.

"Why are you wasting your time? Such a sweet girl is right here, and what are you doing?", Lisa sighed and looked away from him.

\'Sweet girl\', Ellie mouthed and pointed at herself.

Jasper understood that his mother likes Ellie! But why did she say that he is wasting his time?

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