Chapter 29 - The bridge between us

"Um.." I hesitated for a moment

"Dad.. Liam and I want to see you and mom" Chloe informed before I could even make out the right words.

'what?!' I screamed in my head, looking briefly at Chloe from the corner of my eye as she casted a quick glance at me.

"Okay, then let's go inside so your mom and I can hear what it is you have to tell us" Her dad turned and motioned for us to follow as he walked into the house.

"Are you sure about this Chloe?" I used my left hand to clamp Chloe's right wrist in protest, bringing her steps to a abrupt halt. Then she turned halfway to face me and pulled her hand away from my grasp. "Let's just do this Liam... It's best if we tell them."

"Right --" I mumbled, clearing my throat as I followed behind Chloe who led me Into the house and down to their large, elegantly furnished sitting room where we both sat on the same couch, facing her parents who sat side by side on the opposite couch.

I couldn't help but rove my eyes in admiration, staring at the large flat screen TV to the artistic portrait hung on the wall and --

"So, what do want to tell us" Mr Williams voice drew my attention back to them. His expression was damn serious, rather than that of his wife who gave us a warm motherly smile that kind of eased my nervousness.

"Dad -- Mom..." Chloe slowly moved her right hand ontop my lap and held my left hand - squeezing it tightly with her gaze still glued on her parent who were giving her their undivided attention. "Um... I'm pregnant"

"What?!" Mr Williams edged himself forward on the couch with his eyes wide in shock. His voice high pitched in disappointment.

"Oh baby" Her mom gasped in a low voice, placing both her clamped hands under her chin as she glanced simultaneously at the both of us. I could hardly describe the look on her face, whether she was disappointed as her husband or pleased by the news! But I wasn't disturbed, atleast -- it wasn't a terrifying look as that of her husband's.

"And he's responsible?" Mr Williams pointed his left hand at my direction as he spoke to Chloe who immediately gave a submissive nod of her head.

Seeing Mr Williams close his eyes to rub his forehead with his right hand made me a bit guilty; like I'd somehow betrayed his trust. There's no doubt in my mind that he was feeling regrets for employing me in the first place.

So I quickly pulled my left hand from Chloe's grasp and pressed my hands together in a pleading manner as I tugged my butt forward on the couch and stuttered "Sir, I... I truly love your daughter and am willing to..."

"Goddam, what do you two know about love!" He fumed, bringing my words to an abrupt end before standing up from the couch. "And Chloe, you know damn well the arrangement?" Mr Williams growled, pointing his left hand at his daughter while his right hand remained fixed on his waist.

Chloe pulled her head back in a stunned manner after her father's frustrative growl. "Arrangements?... You mean getting married to Kelvin?" She retorted

"Yes!"

Her dad's response was cold and blunt.

"Honey, please... Can you try not be to hard on them" his wife pleaded with empathy in her voice as she remained seated, raising her head to look at him before glancing back at the both us.

"Dad please, this is what I want..." Chloe begged with her eyes moist and voice shaky.

"You don't know what you want." Her dad fired back in annoyance. Then he said to me. "And you, on what financial grounds do you want to use in taking care of my daughter?"

I straightened myself on the couch with my gaze slightly lowered in cowardice.

"Well sir, um..." I started to say, turning my head to glance at Chloe who sat quietly beside me before returning my gaze back on Mr Williams whose eyebrows knitted narrowly in rage. "I can look for a good job in a..."

"In a what?... Restaurant, auto repair shop or what!?" He cut in sharply, swaying both hands in the air as he interrupted.

His tone of voice was somehow like a mockery, making Chloe a bit annoyed that she stomped her right foot on the ground and groaned. "Dad!"

He pointed at his daughter and warned "Look, I won't risk you living up on some..."

"It's not what I want, it's always about what you want!" Chloe lost her cool as she interrupted her dad with tears beginning to trickle down her cheeks. "All this... So I can marry Kelvin for you to sustain your position in his dad's bank"

"Chloe!" Her Mom called out to her in a cautioning tone, as if reminding her that she was talking to her father and not some age mate.

"No mom..." She sobbed lightly with the air of annoyance in her tone, wiping off the tears on her cheek with the back of her palm. "Am tired of daddy making decisions for me"

"Decisions that got us this house, paid your tuition fee, funded your exams and other excess" her dad snapped back with his voice raised in anger.

I felt useless sitting in their midst, watching them quarrel for something that was a result of my carelessness.

Then i watched Chloe's expression change from a sober look into a furious frown as she lifted herself up from the couch to respond her dad, saying. "I love Liam and its final"

Mr Williams scoffed as though her words were a joke.

"And what do you have to say in all this, Liam?" Her mom's voice broke out in questioning, giving me a hard stare that made me a little nervous than composed.

"With all due respect Mr and Mrs Williams..." I started calmly as I raised myself to stand with my palms nervously pressed together. My expression became gloomy as I stood beside Chloe, glancing at the both of them -- especially Mr Williams whose left leg was slightly vibrating in impatience. "I truly love your daughter and it was never my intention to have gotten her pregnant... But all I ask is to give us a chance and I promise -- I won't do anything to hurt her but will try in the best of my abilities to take care of her. Please.."

"This is pointless and you know it" Mr Williams turned to face his wife in a frustrated tone.

"But we can't rule out the fact that these two love eachother" Her mom replied softly, looking up at him with reasoning in her stare.

Even her response seemed to lower her husband's rage as all he did was stroke his hair back in a pondering manner before turning to face our direction.

Then just as he was about opening his lips to speak, we heard the palour door open and close immediately - drawing all our attention towards its direction when we heard approaching footsteps of someone coming into the sitting room.

"Morning Mr and Mrs Williams" Kelvin greeted with a courteous smile as soon as he reached, halting his steps few metres beside Chloe.

Chloe's mom was the only one who returned Kelvin's greeting with a warm smile; but as for her husband, he was too boggled with contemplating thoughts to even utter a single word as 'Welcome' -- the only thing he did was nod at Kelvin's presence.

"Um..." Kelvin gave out a low confused hum the moment he turned to notice Chloe's sober look and watery eyes. Then his facial expression dwindled into a contemptuous look when he noticed my presence also - worst of all, that I was standing so closely beside Chloe.

He knew something was definitely up, with or without anyone telling him.

"What's happening here?" Kelvin turned instantly to face Chloe's parent before returning his inquisitive gaze on Chloe who sniffed and fixed her eyes on his.

"Am sorry Kelvin, but -- it's over" her voice was low in a serious tone.

"How?" Kelvin sounded confused by her response, turning again to cast a curious glance at her parents before returning his nervous look on Chloe. "What do you mean by it's over?"

"Because, I'm pregnant..." Chloe blurted out and paused to give me a quick glance. "Am in love with Liam -- not you" she added, giving Kelvin an unapologetic stare that left him stunned for a split second.

He became red with rage.

"Aren't you two going to say something?" Kelvin scoffed in growing annoyance as he turned to face her parents.

Mr Williams took a step closer and began to say "Look Kelvin, I'll sort it ou--"

"It's best if my daughter makes her own choice on who she loves" Her mom stood up, interrupting sharply in a stern voice that surprised everyone in the sitting room; well, not exactly everyone -- just me and Chloe smiled at her mom.

Having her defend us was the most refreshing feeling i felt since I stepped into this house. But as for Kelvin and Mr Williams, they looked pretty upset and disappointed by her defensive response.

Kelvin gave out a pained and spiteful chuckle, sluggishly retreating his steps back for the front door.

"You'll be hearing from my dad soon" He threatened to Mr Williams before looking at me with his eyes cold in rage. "And you... I swear to God, you'll surely pay for all this!" He pointed his left hand at me before dashing out of the house, leaving the four of us standing in the centre of the palour in torturing silence.

I had mixed feelings of relief, fear and guilt. Relief in the sense that Chloe's mom is in support of our relationship, fearful that Kelvin might make a move soon -- either on Shelly or my mom, and guilty by the fact that I'd be putting Mr Williams managerial position in Kelvin's family city bank at a big risk. All these weighed on me as I stood motionless; but if I was to say anything now, it has to be apologizing to Chloe's dad!

So I inhaled deeply and adjusted my stance with my eyes fixed on Mr Williams who was unconsciously passing to and fro in worried manner.

"Sir, I sincerely want to..."

"You're fired!" His loud angry snarl shut me up, causing my chest to ache badly from the weight of his words.

'fired?' I gasped in my mind with my eyes blinking continuously in doubtful shock. I'd not even received my first salary and I was getting fired! How on earth was I supposed to assist my mom pay the bills and how long before it takes me to find another job in the state?!

"Please sir... I, am sorry -- but please don't fire me.... I need -- this job" I stammered with a shaky sober voice, taking two tentative steps forward. Even my eyes were slowly becoming blurry from the tears that welled up.

"You would have thought about that before getting my daughter pregnant!" He yelled at me with his loud angry voice reverberating all over the house. "Now, leave my house -- and I don't want to ever see you near it or my daughter!" He pointed at the front door with a furious frown on his face.

"Honey!... Dad!" Chloe and her mom chorused together in disappointment; but he gave deaf ears to their outcry. He meant every word he'd just said and at this point, I was too depressed to even speak or plead.

So I clenched my jaw and turned around with my head sagged in sadness, trotting past Chloe in big stride for their palour door.

"No! Liam... Please wait!" Chloe's sobbed bitterly, running quickly to catch up with me from behind. "Please, please -- please don't go" she begged, pulling me to a sudden stop close to the door with hot tears rolling down her cheeks.

I looked away, bitting my lower lip to suppress the urge to cry and when I finally returned my gaze on hers, I moaned bitterly. "there's no point Chloe... I caused this, everything and am sorry... But I have to go."

"You -- you didn't do anything please. Don't leave --" Chloe moved her palms on my face as she wept, filling me with empathy and sadness.

"Am never going leave you --" I whispered to her face in a sad reassuring tone. "I just need to stay away for some time... Maybe till your dad sees reason for us to be together" I heaved with a wavery voice that expressed my emotions.

"We'll talk to him... Together, let's -- let's make him see reasons" she stuttered in between her cry and continuous sniffing, sounding rather desperate than logical.

I could see her mom and dad far behind over her shoulder. They were arguing with eachother with Mr Williams walking out on his wife into the corridor.

Then I lowered my gaze on Chloe's swollen crying face.

"Am sorry.. I love you -- but I have to go now" I pulled Chloe's roving hands down my face and went out of the house, jogging as fast as I could towards the main road to get a cab.

***AT HOME ***

"Liam, you're back so early -- did you forget something at home?" My mom expressed her surprised shock from where she sat in the palour, looking at me the moment I entered inside the house.

So I sluggishly moved forward and stopped behind a couch close to the one she was sitting on. "No mom... I um, I just got -- fired?"

"Good lord. Why? -- wha...what did you do?" My mom shot this question at me with a worried look.

I heaved a deep sigh and leveled my gaze on her worried eyes.

"I need to tell you something mom...