MARRY ME NOW

“What kind of a person would leave their child to suffer? I cried day and night, praying you’d come back and take me home… But you never did! You left me to die… You-”

“I didn’t Tessa, I promise I didn’t.”

“Really? Aunt did so many wrongs to me, but everything she said about you was right! You are a whore, a big liar, a-”Property belongs to Nôvel(D)r/ama.Org.

“Stop it, Tessa!” She cried. “I promise, I was going to come back. I left so you could have a better life! But my plan backfired against me. You can call me a whore, anything you want to call me but not a liar. A whore? That I am, I left you to be with a rich man, hoping to gain something so you would go back to school, if you recall, we had nothing and I did… I was going to come back but he wouldn’t let me. I was kept as a prisoner in his home, I cried and longed every day to see you. My communication was limited but I tried to call your aunt, I got her phone number from my old jotter but her line wasn’t going anymore. A month ago, he died from leukaemia and the instant I got my freedom, I began searching for you. I looked for every clue to where you could be and finally… I found you…” She said crying.

I broke down in tears. I did know she went to a rich man but didn’t it was for me. I remembered crying to her, telling her I wanted to go back to school, but she had nothing to send me back.

The pain was written all over her face as she cried harder, still on the floor.

I knelt in front of her. “I’m sorry, mom,” I said. She stretched out her arms and pulled me close.

“No, you have nothing to be sorry about, my child. I should never have left. I’m so sorry.” She said still crying.

With my shaky hand, I tried to wipe away her tears.

—–

Austin invited my mom into his home and made sure she was comfortable. As we walked in, mom engaged me in a conversation.

“I heard you had a child.” She said.

I nodded my head. She smiled gently.

She gasped as she entered the house. “This is huge.” She said. We walked for a few minutes until we got to the living room. She gasped again. “Oh my, this place must be really expensive.” She said.

“Hmm hmm.” I hummed. Austin had excused himself earlier to give us space to talk. She sat down on one of the chairs in the living room. I sat down next to her.

“Is the child his?” She asked. I knew she was talking about Austin.

“No mom,” I replied.

“Then… Whose?”

“It’s a long story mom.”

“I am not in a hurry.”

And I told her everything that had happened after she left. She cried.

“My baby, oh my child. I wasn’t here to protect you. I’m so sorry.”

“It’s okay mom… You’re here now.”

“I’d never leave you again, I love you.”

“I wouldn’t have believed my dear sister would become my greatest enemy.” She continued. “She should be in jail. She should be in jail with that monster!”

“Mom…”

“No, this is unacceptable. Something must be done. I would make she doesn’t go unpunished for what she did.” Mom promised.

From everything I told mom, she was thankful and praised Austin.

“I want to see my grandchild.” She said. I took her to my room, where Anne was. As usual, she was watching cartoons, stuffing her mouth with popcorn.

“Mom!” She screamed and ran to me hugging me.

“She’s so beautiful.” Mom said.

“Anne? This is your grandma.”

“What? I thought you said I didn’t have one.” She said.

Oh God, this child. I looked at mom, she was hurt by that but was quick to hide it.

“Well, you do.”

“Oh thank God! All my friends have grandmas and I thought I was the only odd one! Well, I’m not anymore!” She said. She wrapped her tiny hand around mom’s hand and dragged her along with her. Mom giggled.

—-

I spent the rest of the day with mom. “Are you and Austin together?” She asked. I had just put Anne to bed.

“It’s complicated.”

“He’s a good man, you know?”

——–

3 months later.

I continued my business and was making more money than ever. I bought a house. My mom, I and Anne were living together.

Mom stuck to her word. She had put her aunt in jail within a week after she found out all that happened. Honestly, I was relieved.

Austin and i’s relationship became stronger and everyone knew we were together. It all felt like a dream… Come true.

“Do you want to hang out tomorrow evening?”

“Sure,” I told him.

“Great. Uhm… Duty calls… See ya tomorrow.”

“Okay bye,” I said and cut the call knowing damn well he was going to call back.

My phone rang. I blushed and picked up the call.

“Say it,” Austin ordered.

Trying not to laugh, “say what?” I said.

“I love you, say it.”

As always he would keep on disturbing me till I say it. I sighed. “I love you,” I said.

“I love you too.” He replied.

“I love you more.”

“I love you more too.” He said.

Okay, bye… See you tomorrow.” I said and ended the call.

The next day, I prepared for my dinner date with Austin. It was at a popular restaurant in town.

“You have to look real good for him. Mom had said looking for a fancy dress for me. She was even more excited than me.

She ordered a dress from the best fashion shop in town. I sighed, she was so extra.

Austin was at my doorstep at exactly 8 pm that evening. He dressed casually and there I was with a gown and heels.

He smirked. But why does he have to be so good looking though? We walked to his car. He opened the door and I got in.

We drove for 30 minutes. On reaching the restaurant, I was surprised at how empty it was, it was never like this. We both walked in. “why is nobody around?” I asked.

“I booked this property.”

“Why?”

“It’s going to be too noisy with people around.” He said.

We took our sits and the attendant came and asked for our orders.

He came back without orders. I noticed Austin staring right at my face. I ignored him and downed my smoothie.

“You know, you and I are like nachos with jalapeños. I’m super cheesy, you’re super hot, and we belong together.” He suddenly said.

I spat out my smoothie, Laughing out loud. “What… What was that?”

He had a huge smile on his face.

He was so funny. He did lots of funny stuff to make me laugh to the point where my sides hurt.

“Enough please.”

I had so much fun with Austin and when I thought the date was coming to an end, some instrumentalists walked in and started playing. The lights dimmed.

“Ooooo, what’s this?” I asked.

Austin stood up and went down on one knee.

“Will you marry me?”

.

.

.

…….

THE END