Semua Bab A Marriage Deal To Remember : Bab 51 - Bab 60

THIRD PERSON'S POVThe scent of ginger bread drifted faintly from the kitchen, clinging to the air that filled the sitting room. Willow rested her arm on the sofa, staring at her head maid, Alora. Her knuckles were red, worn from the cold, but her posture remained straight.It hadn't started snowing but Willow felt like she had been submerged in the cold for too long. The snow wouldn't have any effect on her if it came. “You should go home for Christmas,” Willow said, her voice soft, but not unsure. She had made up her mind to celebrate Christmas with Derek. It would be the first Christmas with him as his wife. She wanted it alone. Alora shifted uncomfortably on the sofa. It wasn't every day she got to talk to her long time boss like this. “Ma'am, I don't…”“You should,” Willow interrupted, her hands smoothening the edge of her blouse sleeve.. “You have three daughters, right? And a grandson now?”Alora nodded slowly, unsure of what to say. “They will want you home, Alora.”Willow

JENSYN The silicone spoon fell, clattering to the floor for the second time. I growled, picked it up and dropped it into the sick. The cooker hissed loudly while a kettle and pan sizzled behind me. The counter was scattered with chopped onions, garlic and ginger. A trail of spilled oil laced the table and eggs I probably wouldn't use, sat whisked in a small bowl. Why did I think I could do this? I couldn't cook for fuck’s sake. The fridge door was hanging open, mocking me for my dilemma. I glanced at the recipe on my phone—this thing was meant to be simple. According to what it reads, I was supposed to make roast potato and herb skillet. But somehow, I had used six pots and still hadn't achieved anything. Dinner would be skipped with the way I was doing. I could have Andrea take cereals but Linden might not want that. The kitchen door creaked and I didn't need to turn to see who came in. “What in the world?” Linden's voice broke the sizzling noise in the kitchen and I t

JENSYNCinnamon scent drifted through the air and hit my nose. It was too strong and I had used scented candles to mask the burning smell rising from the oven, but that didn't help at all. The kitchen smelt like cigarettes and burnt wood. I had yet another disaster in trying to make bread. In fact, what I made was not edible in any form. Andrea sat with her legs dangling on the kitchen counter, a lollipop was trapped in her mouth like a vice. She had been home since the beginning of this week and all I could say was that: I love Andrea too much to let her go. “If it’s Christmas,” Andrea said between her licks and I turned my attention to her, “then I want mashed potatoes. And turkey. No chicken. No, wait. Turkey and chicken. And the fluffy bread. The one with butter inside, I think that'd make a difference because we've always had chicken. The two would make sense.”I wiped my hands in the apron, which was now covered in oil and flour. “You're talking like I'm one mighty cook here.

JENSYN The tinsel stuck to my wrist again and I winced. I sighed, untangling it from the gingerbread ornament. The Christmas tree stood beside the side table next to Mama's bed, two feet tall and added a cheer atmosphere to the white walls in the room. Mama kept looking at me like I was doing something foreign. “Jensyn, why did you bring all these here?” she asked, watching me through tired eyes. “It's too much of a thing to drag from your place here. The folks here are going to their children's house for Christmas.” “You’re getting a Christmas, even if you’re stuck in here,” I replied, stepping back to study the lopsided tinsel. It was just how I wanted it to look. I got more ornaments for Mama than I did for myself. It was as if I wanted to bring all the brightness in the world into her room. I twisted the strings of red tinsel garlands around the bottom of the tree and smiled when the vision I wanted came out nice. “Mama, doesn't it look good?” I asked, smiling. Sh

LINDENThe restaurant booth smelled of roses and scented candles. The lights, warm and dull, hung from the ceiling that adored the small space. I adjusted a red throw pillow on the velvet couch, then adjusted it again when it fell. I wanted the arrangement to be perfect, too perfect to have been set up by me, and I hated how much I cared about it.I was about to make a lifetime decision with Jensyn, and I didn’t know what the hell I’d say to her.This wasn’t supposed to mean anything.It was still Christmas. Jensyn had gone to pick her mother up to stay with us. I didn't want to talk about this issue bothering me in the house with her mother there. I wanted us to have a private discussion. This was all I could think of. Jensyn and I were married—only on paper. Twelve months of no attachments. I had nine months left to get what I needed from my father and move on. Jensyn had nine months to claim three percent of my shares, amongst many things I promised her. If any of us broke that y