29 Dinner Meeting

Now they will both have to prepare for Mj's upcoming dinner meeting with her mom tonight.

"Mj, I know you can do it to make a deal with your mom. I believe in you. If in any case should you need my help, I'll be around in the near corner."

"Thanks Karl. I might need your help so please just stick around the corner."

"Don't worry I'll be around within your reach," Karl then gave her a quick smooch.

They then proceeded to a prestigious restaurant where their dinner meeting is arranged.

Since they arrived early, Karl seated on the table by the corner, while Mj seated on the table at the center.

Once her mom would arrive, she can be easily spotted on where she's sitting.

They waited a little bit and soon enough momsie Mione arrived. Mione walked inside the restaurant gracefully and proud. And upon seeing Mj at the center, she then proceeded and seated in front of Mj. Little did she know that Karl was just around the corner.

"I'm here Mj, let's talk."

"Mom, let's order food first and let's eat. Then we can talk after, okay?"

"Okay"

"Which food do you like? Make an order. My treat," Mj giving the menu to her mom.

Looking at the menu, she began ordering "Hmm, this and this and this and this and this, one order each," the waiter was having a hard time to take note of how fast and many she was ordering.

Mj was stunned too and complained, "Mom, are you sure you can finish it all, since you ordered many dishes? There's just the two of us you know."

"Whether I could finish it or not is out of the question. I wanna taste each of it all. Besides, it's your treat right? Might as well do it since I have not enjoyed your money for a long time," with a smirked comment of Mione.

"Okay," retreated Mj. She then ordered fried rice, baked scallops, and iced tea for herself. While Karl ordered for his own food at the corner too, not wanting to catch the attention of mom Mione to him.

After seeing Mj finished her dinner, Mione, even if she could not finish all her food, she began talking then.

"Hmm their food here is deliciously good. But that's not what I'm after for. Mj, I'll be frank and direct with you. I didn't appreciate that I didn't get my share of your dowry on your first marriage. So I have decided to demand from you to double my share this time that you are gonna marry the second time."

Mj was shocked by such a greedy demand from her own mother.

"Mom, I didn't got dowry from my first marriage, and so will this second marriage that I will soon have. We are not pagans of the old times, we don't practice dowry like pagans do!" protested Mj.

"Even so, I'm sure you have lots of money from your first husband. And then you were working at New Zealands Embassy too these past 2 years. I'm sure, you have been paid a high salary rate then. Plus, this fiance of yours named Karl whom I know is a famous rock star, I'm sure he has gathered much wealth too. It won't hurt much if I ask like a 10 percent of it all." retorted Mione.

"Mom, am I just an ATM machine for you, that you can just easily demand a percentage of my income just like that? You're shameless!" Mj exclaimed in disbelief.

"Don't be rude to your mother Mj. Don't forget, I am the one who bore you in my womb for 9 months and took care of you when you were young."

"And just how did you took care of me, mom? The moment I was born, I was nursed and taken cared of by my grandmother and by your maid, but not by you. And when I was growing up with my brothers, as young as I was 8 years old, I was the one who was nursing my brothers and took care of them like a mother should, while you were just going around to our neighborhood to have all day talks, intrigues and the likes. Which part of my life have you been a real mother to me? And now, you have the audacity to demand such and such dowry from me? How shameless you are!" Mj was infuriated already.

Mione was taken aback. She did not expect that Mj would face-slapped her of the truths that had happened in the past.

"Well, it happened in the past and I can't bring it back. Past is past. Regardless of what happened in the past, you cannot deny the fact that I am still your mother!"

"That's so easy for you to say mom. You are just my biological mother but you didn't really function as a real mom to me and to my brothers as well. We don't actually owe you anything other than bearing us in your womb for 9 months."

"Sad to say, but it is. I have my own financial needs too that's why I'm demanding for your dowry," Mione with teary-eyes.

"Regarding that I might be able to spare you some amount of money, but on one condition.."

Mione was taken aback. "W-what condition?"

"I can give you 10 percent of my annual income for this year as lump sum. But after you recieve the money, you shall not ask for any financial help from me in the future and ever. Unless, if there's really an emergency, and that's for me to decide."

"How much is your annual income and how much will be my 10 percent then?"

"Equivalent to 5 Million Philippine pesos annually, so your 10 percent lump sum would be 500,000 Pesos."

"O-okay then. It ain't that much but that can probably hold me up then."

humbled Mione.

"Are you sure? Anyways you still have your monthly pension from Dad's and allotment from my brother right?"

"Yes I have."

"Okay, its settled then." Turning around Mj look at the corner where Karl was seating and called "Karl, you can come out and meet my mom."

Mione was shocked. "K-Karl is here? He overheard our conversation?"

"He knows everything mom. I have not hidden anything from him."

"O-okay" trembled Mione a little bit though she is trying hard to hide her guilt and shame feeling inside.

Karl immediately came over to their table with a smile.

"Mom, this is Karl, my fiance. Karl this is my mom Mione." introduced Mj.

"Glad to meet you momsie Mione."

"Glad to meet you too Karl. You two are a good looking couple. I'm sure you would compliment each other. Please take care of my only daughter, would you Karl?"

"Dont worry momsie, I will take good care of her and I would love her forever." assured Karl.

"Good, good. Well it's getting late I should be get going now. If you'll excuse me from the two of you?"

"Okay, I'll send you the check tomorrow. And please take care of yourself, mom."

"Bye."

"Bye."

"Bye."