13. Marriage proposal
Lucas was busy admiring Marina’s apartment. Honestly speaking, it was better designed than his penthouse. It was beautiful and one could tell that the designer responsible for decorating the house was a topnotch one.
Marina was preparing a cup of coffee for both of them. She realized that she didn’t ask for his preference but decided against doing that. She’ll just make it bitter with one cube of sugar just like she loved her coffee. She hoped he would like it.
Holding a tray in her hands, she walked towards the sitting room. She found Lucas holding a picture frame she had placed at the table. It was a picture of her and her parents. In the picture her Dad and Mom were seated while she stood between them. They were all smiling in the picture.
She didn’t find him intrusive, it was a picture of her family afterall and he seemed acquainted to her father.
” Your coffee is ready.” She said successfully announcing her presence in the room to Lucas whose attention was concentrated somewhere else.
“Your mother is very beautiful.” Lucas said.
The woman in the picture was truly beautiful. She had clear bright eyes and a glowing skin.
” Yes, my mother was very beautiful. She was a beauty to behold. Even my father always teased her that he fell for her beauty. She was the sweetest woman I have ever seen.” Marina said longingly.
When her mom was alive two of them were inseparable. Her mom would take her out every weekend. She would take her shopping and also to the park to play. Interms of childhood experience, you could say that her Mom gave her the best.
Her absence in her life created a huge void which nobody could fill. She often cried whenever she missed her Mom.
” Atleast you got to spend time with your mom, you should be thankful.” Lucas said putting down the frame and walking to receive his cup of coffee.
He said his thank you for her hospitality.
” Yeah, I am very much grateful that I got such a loving mother. She was my everything. I can proudly say that she’s the best mom I can ever ask for.” She said. You could feel the pride brimming in her voice.
” What about you, how was your Mom?” she asked cautiously.
Lucas wasn’t expecting her to ask that question. Those who know him well will know that he was orphaned at a young age.
” My parents, they died when I was very young. I don’t even remember if they loved and pampered me or not. I only know them from pictures but my grandparents would always remind me that they loved me alot.” Lucas said sadly.Property of Nô)(velDr(a)ma.Org.
” I am very sorry to hear that, I didn’t know.” Marina said guilty.
” It’s okay, no offense taken.” Lucas replied and the room was engulfed in a pin drop silence.
Marina decided to break the silence after a few minutes. They need to discuss about the lie they said to her father. She was very much grateful for his help throughout the day but this didn’t seem nice. She was never taught to tell lies and the guilt was gnawing her heart.
” Lucas, I am grateful for your help today. I know you had your busy schedule but still you left it to indulge me in my whims. I know you know how important that dinner was to me and my father but I still feel guilty lying to my father’s face. It won’t surprise you if he does what he said and I am not ready to see my father disappointed either.” Marina said.
” Get straight to the point.” Lucas said his voice emotionless but he was smirking inside. She was slowly falling for his plan.
” Okay, I never knew I’ll do this but what choice do I have? so Lucas, can you be my boyfriend?” Marina mustered all the courage to ask that simple question.
Her heart was beating erratically. What if he turned her down? Where will she hide her face? most importantly what will she tell her father later on?
“Ain’t I your boyfriend already?” Lucas casually asked.
Marina was dumbfounded by his question. Why can’t he be serious at Once? She asked a question not caring about her pride, how dare he not take her question seriously.
” Am being serious here. I am single you are single. We can try and see if things work between us. I just don’t want to keep worrying my father nor do I want to disappoint him.” Marina seriously explained.
” So what’s there for me?” Lucas asked. Even though he was happy she asked him, he still had to pretend so that she thinks that he’s doing her a favour.
” What’s there for you? Ain’t you going to get a girlfriend even without sweating?” Marina asked.
” I can get any woman I want.” Lucas stated sounding disinterested.
” Okay, what do you want?” Marina gritted her teeth and asked. She couldn’t help but wonder what request he was going to make. What if she couldn’t accept it?
” We will follow the arrangements made for us, you are never going to back off.” Lucas stated with finality.
” You mean we get engaged?” Marina asked just to be sure.
” Not just that, we’ll get married and live like a married couple. What I simply mean is, if I accept your request, we have to get married in reality.” Lucas said.
” Don’t you think that’s going too fast. We don’t know each other that well, how can you ask we get married?” Marina asked perplexed.
Marina always believed that marriage was something sacred, not something you rush to do. Marriage was meant to be for eternity afterall.
” We can get engaged first, then take time to know each other before getting married later. Think about it and answer me when you make your choice. No need to rush, I’ll wait to hear your reply but don’t take long or else I’ll change my mind.” Lucas said plainly still wearing that expressionless face of his.
Looking at him, Marina could feel her head threatening to hurt soon. Why does he make it sound like he’s doing her a favour by accepting to marry her. Does he think he’s that great? But Marina knew that agreeing to Marry him will solve all her problems.
Since she wasn’t in love with someone else, she might as well just agree to it. That way, she’ll have a husband to help her . She was getting old just like her dad said and she needed to settle down.
” okay, I’ll think about it.” Marina conceeded. She had nothing to loose afterall.