Is this destiny?

Sophia's phone rang and she saw that it's Sarah. "I need to take this." Sophia took her purse and stepped outside in the waiting lounge of the restaurant. She found a large chair in the corner where she can have a private conversation. "Hi Sarah."

"Hi big sis! I want to let you know that we found some interesting things on Cox industries. It's on the share for you to review." Sarah chirped happily from other side of the line.

Sophia felt joy hearing a friendly voice. "Thank you for letting me know."

"OK. That's it." Sarah was about to hang up.

Sophia didn't want to stop talking to her sister. Friendly voice was soothing her anxiety. "Sarah..."

"Yes?"

"Can we talk a bit longer?" Sophia didn't want to go back inside.

"Sure..." Sarah didn't miss the strange tone from her sister. "Is everything OK?"

"I guess. I'm in Montreal, meeting Felix's mom... I think she does not like me." Sophia voiced her worry.

"You think? Or you know?"

"I think... she is speaking in French. And it's too fast for me to understand anything... but I know that in best case, she is ignoring me." Sophia remembered how Felix happily talked to his mom and it made Sophia's chest constrict. She hoped that this weekend will be about her and his mom getting to know each other. Part of her hoped that when she gets along well with his mom, their relationship will progress further. She dared even to think that Felix will propose to her. But this became an event where Felix is chatting with his mom, while Sophia felt like an accessory.

"What is Felix doing about it?" Sarah's voice pulled Sophia out of her thoughts.

"I'm not sure he noticed it." Sophia was ashamed. She felt that his fault is hers as well. 'Did I overestimate him as a person? Did I overestimate his feelings for me? He should notice that his mom is excluding me, right? How can he notice that I'm hurt and not do anything about it?'

"Hmph… typical for guys. You should let him know how you feel."

Sophia sighed. "I don't think it's worth it. If I tell him it will only be a reason for conflict. Tomorrow we are coming back home, and who knows when we will see his mother next time. I can hold on for a day."

"If you say so..." Sarah didn't sound convinced.

"Well, thank you for talking to me. I feel better now. I'm sure you should go back to your training. And I need to go back to my lovely lunch where I don't understand a word." Sophia really didn't want to go back, but she didn't want to stay too long either. Felix would worry, and then Sylvie could use that against her.

"Big sis, do you want to understand them?"

"Of course, I do." Sophia admitted. "I feel like an unwanted mismatched sock at that table."

"Do you have with you your recording pen?"

Sophia checked her purse. "Yes. I always have it with me."

"Turn it on and set it to send recording to the cloud. I will get Eve to translate French to English, and you will receive it on your phone. It will not be real-time, but you will still get to know what they are talking about."

Sophia's mood improved. "Thank you, Sarah. That would be great!"

"No problem. Turn it on, and you will get a text with translation on about every minute."

"OK..." Sophia was about to hang up when she heard Sarah speak.

"Sophia, don't let anyone bully you! You are an amazing person. No one gets to bully you, even if that someone is mother of the man you love. Do you understand?"

Sophia smiled. "Yes. Thank you."

...

When Sophia returned to the table, her mood was better. Her recording pen was in the bag, and phone in front of her. Few minutes later she started receiving translations. Seeing that Sophia's phone was making sounds, Sylvie gave her sour look every time that happened. Sophia put her phone on silence mode and kept it in her purse. 'I will read these later. I don't want to give her additional reasons to dislike me.' Sophia got her focus back on her lunch which she barely touched, and now it was cold. 'I can't eat this.' Sophia checked time. 'We should leave soon. We are here almost an hour.' For Sophia, it felt like forever.

Shortly after, Felix asked for a check, and Sophia felt a relief. 'I can't wait to wish goodbye to his mom and get my Felix back.'

"Sophia, my mom invited us for an afternoon tea at her place. Do you want us to go?" Felix's words crashed on her like an avalanche. She didn't want to go. She didn't want to spend a second more than necessary in this oppressive atmosphere. She wanted to say 'No, I don't want to go.' If she does not go, will he go by himself? Or stay back with her? Can she put him in such a situation where he needs to make a choice between his mother and his girlfriend? Sophia looked at Felix, and his excited expression, oblivious to internal suffering she is going through. 'I'm not enjoying now. If I say no, he will be sad, and then I will feel bad because of that... so then both of us will be in a bad mood. Like this, it's only me... I can take it.' Sophia forced a smile. "Sure, I would love to."

They stepped outside of the restaurant, and to Sophia's surprise, they didn't call for a taxi. Sylvie came with her car, and before Sophia could react, Sylvie was giving car keys to Felix and clinging onto his arm. "It's been such a long time since you gave a ride to your maman..." She was speaking in English. "I only hope that Sophia does not mind." Sylvie looked at Sophia.

Finally, Sylvie said something with intention for Sophia to understand. It was unfortunate that words spoken didn't sound kind at all. 'This will be more difficult than I thought.' Sophia faintly smiled and shook her head. 'How can I say that I mind?'

…

The ride to Sylvie's home felt like forever to Sophia. Felix was driving, Sylvie was next to him, clinging onto his arm and chatting with breaks only to catch her breath. Of course, she was speaking in French.

Sophia was in the back seat, struggling with her emotions. 'Am I this upset because that woman does not like me? Of course, not... I'm upset because of Felix.' Sophia could come up with only two options for his behavior. One is that he does not notice Sophia's suffering because of Sylvie, and other option is that he noticed, but does not wish to confront his mother. In either case, Sophia is on the losing side.

Sophia never felt this alone. She wanted to tell him to stop the car, so that she gets out. Or even better, she can open the door and get out of the moving car... any injuries she would suffer would not compare to the pain she is experiencing right now. 'What a ridiculous thought! Since when I have suicidal tendencies?'

Sophia remembered her phone, and translations that Eve was sending, but she didn't find mental strength to read them. 'What is the point? What possible can I find out that I already don't know?'

Sophia was at her lowest in a very long time. She knows that she is this hurt only because she loves him very much. She struggled to keep her tears from falling.