The Embarrassed Parent.

(KAIRA'S POV)

"Oh my God. I want to disappear." I heard Mum gushing from the room.

"As you should." I called from the bathroom. I gave my face one last towel pat and then came out in my Mickey Mouse nightgown and my hair tightly in a bonnet.

Mum's face was covered in her hands, her perfect hair updo was now a pretty mess of hair clips, pins and a lot of loose strands and she was wearing Tom's suit jacket over her beautiful ivory wedding dress.

To be honest, we looked very much alike when we walked up the stairs and to my room together. Similar physical descriptions, oversized tux jackets, messy hair and a red-dipped embarrassed face.

I looked worse with a broken heel, drenched dress and streaking makeup. Yes, I don't want to talk about how similar to a clown I looked and the front row seat I gave Slade Horton to that.

"I feel so embarrassed." She said in a muffled tone, still not lifting her head up.

"The word you should use is ashamed, Mum." I wagged my finger at her.

She lifted her face up wearing the most sober expression as she said. "I feel that too."

My face fell and I hurried to sit beside her on the large bed with my arm around her neck.

"I'm sorry. I was just joking and that's not nice." I apologized.

"You should not be joking. You should be really scolding me for doing that." She palmed her forehead. "What was I thinking? Anyone could have walked in! And I told Tom but he said that Erica said you both were at the pool house. I shouldn't have listened."

"Well, we were at the pool house, Mum." I said with a shrug. "Then I had a little accident and Slade brought me back."

Mum turned to me. "That's true. And it's the reason why you both looked like that, right?"

"Yup!" I said, remembering that Slade was dripping wet when we came in too. Now that I think of it, there was no reason not to drop me down.

I pushed the warm thought away.

"I fell into the pool and he jumped in to save me." I explained.

Mum straightened her back immediately and her eyes widened. "Really? That's so sweet."

I frowned. "You know I hate water."

"Yes but you've been careless around it recently." She said and her lips tugged into a smirk. "Or have you been falling because you know someone will catch you."

I gasped. "Eww!" I answered immediately.

Mum frowned. "What?”

“He’s arrogant.”

U paused. “And annoying.”

Another pause. “Insufferable!”

Then— “And unfortunately very handsome.”

“Mum!!”

She shrugged her shoulders. “He is handsome.”

"I don't care. He's a jerk and he annoys me." I spilled, folding my arms.

Mum peered at my face in surprise. "That's very… that sounds deep." She said with a nervous chuckle. "You really don't like him, I mean as a friend? Has he been mean to you?"

More than mean! I wanted to say.

"He's just annoying and we don't see eye to eye." I explained.

Mum's eyebrows creased in surprise. "I thought you both were getting along." She said sadly. Then a smile climbed her lips. "Your dance was exceptional. I forgot how good a dancer you used to be until I saw you on the dance floor. The first guy, Tom's rude nephew." Mum pulled a face as she described Van. "He was so full of himself and not even such a great dancer. But when you danced with Slade. Oh so perfect."

I rolled my eyes but I could feel the heat on my cheeks. "Erica said we had to dance." I was looking down at my fingers.

"You and Slade had to dance? Why?" Mum wanted to know.

"Well because—" then I realized, I wasn't supposed to tell Mum that we ran away from some rude relatives. I didn't want her to be worried or sad.

"She just thought it was proper. You know, best man and chief bridesmaid dance." I lied.

Mum broke into a grin. "Erica is so smart. That was so beautiful to watch. Tom and I loved it." She clapped with a huge grin.

I smiled and touched her cheek lightly. "You look so happy and you looked so beautiful today." I said.

Her grin faltered into a smile, then she took my hands in hers.

"You looked so gorgeous. So stunning." She said. "And I… I really want to say I'm sorry, Kaira. For not telling you about this on time."

"That's okay, Mum. I really understand." I gave her hand a squeeze back. "I can see how happy you are and I love it for you."

"Thank you." She pulled me into a hug that lasted for almost two minutes.

Then she pulled back, biting her lip.

I sighed. "What is it?"

Her fingers found each other and started to fiddle idly. I let out another sigh.

"Tom and I wanted to meet with you and Slade tomorrow morning but I don't think we can." She said and stared down at her hands. "After tonight, we are too embarrassed."

"What did you want to meet about?" I pressed.

"Our honeymoon." She said with a wide smile that looked too suspicious.

"Okayyy." I said.

She sighed in resignation. "We could leave tomorrow, Kaira."

My shoulders dropped. "You mean you are leaving tomorrow." I concluded.

"It's the best time to go to Fiji and he—"

My eyes widened. "Fiji? He's taking you to Fiji Island?"

Mum nodded, unable to suppress the grin.

"You've always wanted to go to Fiji?" I purred.

"I knowww." Mum agreed.

"Aww." I pouted. "That's so sweet."

She nodded. "So Tom wanted you and Slade to get to know each other in the meantime, so maybe go for a few outings together." She said and I tried not to roll my eyes.

That sounded ridiculous! Why would Slade and I go out together?

"Come on, Kay." Mum urged softly. "I would really like you both to get along."

"We aren't good friends, Mum. Slade doesn't even like me."

"Well what if he surprises you?" She asked, staring into my eyes.

I felt my throat dry.

What if I just don't want to be near Slade Horton?

I withheld a sigh. "How long is your honeymoon?"

Mum smiled.

Too innocently.

That smile alone terrified me.

"Three weeks."

My body went cold immediately. Three weeks. Twenty-one days. Five hundred and four hours. Alone with Slade Horton.

This just keeps getting better.