CHAPTER TWO

I headed to a nearby bar to cool off my head. I needed to go away from my parents because I felt cheated, I felt robbed of my happiness, and I felt disappointed in my parents.

How would they do this to me? I thought about it until I got to the bar and took a seat in a corner.

“Please give me an alcoholic drink,” I said to a bartender. He delivered it instantly. I finished that and ordered another.

My phone was ringing while I was taking my drinks. It kept ringing until I had to check the screen of the phone to know who was calling, but to my amazement, it was my mother. She kept calling nonstop, then she dropped a message that I should please pick up my phone, or rather, I should come home and see her because she has an explanation for everything.

I picked up my phone and called Aaron. “Are you home? I will be coming to your place tonight”. He asked if there was no problem and I said no.

I got to Aaron's house around 9:00pm, and my phone was still buzzing from calls that I didn't want to pick up.

“ Why don't you pick up your calls?” Aaron said when my phone kept ringing.

“I don't want to speak to anybody, that's why I am here in the first place,” I said and he gave me an unexpected look.

Why? He asked, took my phone to check who was calling, and discovered I already had thirteen missed calls from my parents and three missed calls from an unknown number.

I don't have any other option than to tell him everything.

“Aaron, my father wants me to get married to Lawson, his boss in the office. I confronted him and declined, but when I went to the hospital, I overheard my mother telling Lawson to exercise patience, that I would come around, so, that makes me understand they planned it together. I left home to a place to cool off, and I don't plan on going back home, that was why they kept calling me, probably to talk me into coming back home”.

Aaron was surprised after I narrated everything.

“Did your parents say I did anything wrong? Or why would they decide to do this to me after all the years we had been together?” He was devastated, broken, and lost, but I kept promising him to take it easy, that I wouldn't marry Lawson.

The next morning, I told Aaron I would be going home to take some things and he offered to follow me. When we got home, I told him to wait outside while I rushed in to take whatever I would be taking without anyone noticing. I quickly sneaked in not wanting anyone to notice I was home. I entered my room, quickly picked some things, and on my way out, I met my father waiting outside my room with a pleading face.

“Please, my daughter, don't do this, let us have a dialogue,” my father said.

I was surprised by the tone my father used for me.

“ I don't think I can do this, I have made up my mind. I can't get married to Lawson”. I said

“I heard you, but let's sit and talk about it”, said my father.

I looked up and saw my mother wheeled in by Grace, my younger sister.

“I caused all this, if not for me, you wouldn't be in this situation. I was diagnosed with kidney failure some weeks back. I needed money for surgery as soon as possible but didn't want to inform you and your sister so that you won't be disturbed. We tried all means to get the money, but all efforts proved abortive. 

That was what led your father to Lawson, his boss at the office, to lend us the money, as we couldn't waste more time because my condition was getting worse, and we needed to act fast.

Lawson agreed to give us the money, but on the condition that you, being our first daughter, would be married off to him without any delay.

We don't have time to reminisce on the matter but to accept immediately because my life was at risk.

My daughter, we are very sorry for the decision we made without your consent, it wasn't intentional. Please have a rethink about the whole situation. If you don't marry Lawson, we would have to look for five thousand dollars to pay off the money we borrowed from Lawson. Where do we get such an amount of money? “

My mother said all these long epistles with teary eyes.

“ I have been working with Lawson for almost ten years now, and I know him to be a good man, although he has his lapses, but I am certain he will take very good care of you, and you won't have any regret marrying him. Please think about it very well before you decide". I heard my father say.

I know my father only wanted to gain my heart to make me make the decision that will save him from being a debtor and save him the stress Lawson would make him go through, because I have seen how Lawson talks to my father and other workers as he likes.

My father, my mother, and my sister Grace are all looking up to me to make a decision that will change our lives; they are not forcing me against my will this time to do what they want as usual, but are all pleading to gain my heart.

They all wanted me to say something, but I didn't. Then I remembered Aaron is still outside.

“Please excuse me, I need some time alone, and I will be heading out now”

“What kept you inside”? Aaron said immediately he saw me, but I didn't reply to him.

“You need to go now, as I would like to be alone”. 

I said and I noticed how perplexed he was from his facial expression. He stood there f

or like two minutes without any words, turned back, and left.