CHAPTER SIXTEEN
"Any of you want to explain to me why my daughter is being forced to marry a man she doesn't know?" my mom wasn't one to beat around the Bush. She is a very proud woman who beats to her own drum.
The couple sat quietly both not uttering a word. Mrs Keys had her eyes cast downwards which was weird for her because she wasn't one to be intimated.
" I guess l am talking to myself." she said exasperatedly
"It was never our intention to put Aurora in the middle of all this mess but she was our last hope" said Mr Keys
"blah blah blah. I am tired of hearing that lame excuse. What l don't understand is why you both didn't have the decency to at least ask for our permission. Not that it was ours to give anyways. But you had the audacity to call me filling me in on what l had missed in my daughters life. How despicable can one be " my mom was oddly calm all of a sudden which scared me more than her being loud and vocal.
" We both realise now that we didn't have the best approach to this whole ordeal and for that we humbly apologise. Nothing we say or do can change that. But we do hope you give us a chance to rectify our mistakes. We will call a meeting with her future in-laws then we will all have a talk " that was the longest stringed together sentence l have ever heard Mr Keys utter.
" And who says this farce of an engagement will continue " my father challenged. Mr Keys excised himself saying he will be back. We all assumed he was using the restroom
" Aurora agreed." spoke Mrs Keys
"She may have agreed but we don't. There are many ways to overcome bankruptcy that don't involve getting peoples daughters married without the parents permission" my mom said
Mr keys came back with a document in hand and handed it to my father whose face turned to face me. My mom grabbed the paper from his hands and they both looked at me disappointed.
"what's going on?" l asked
"it seems like you already permitted to this, eight months ago" my mom said and now both my parents wrath was directed to me
" I only found out a week ago. And l didn't sign anything, l just verbally agreed because l wasn't given much choice" l said, my voice pleading with them to believe me
"Then what is this?" my mom said shoving the paper in front of my face. I took it from her hands and read the document and l was more shocked than they were. Those were part of the stack of papers Keira made me sign days before she went into labour.
"Those are documents that Keira made me sign. I obviously didn't read the contents because l trusted Keira, l still do"
"I should have known that your daughter was rotten as you are. She tricked my daughter into signing the contract" my mother was seething but so was Mrs Keys
"Don't you dare utter any disgraceful thing about my child. She isn't even with us anymore. Didn't your mother teach you not to speak ill of the dead. Shameful woman" Mrs Keys said
"Mom, Mrs Keys.... Your anger isn't helping the situation. I thought that both of you could handle yourself like adults but l guess l was wrong. You two, you need to calm down, if not then leave so that the adults can discuss this in a civilised manner" l said
They both looked at me like l had killed their puppy. My mom was about to say something when Mr Keys spoke
"Darling, she is right. Please calm down. You are even scaring Akai" and ladies and gentlemen, that did the trick. Akai was my mother's weakness.
"I apologise for stepping out of line. Keira was a good person. I let my anger get the best of me" my mom said but even a blind person could tell how much it killed her to apologise to the Keys. Mrs Keys scoffed, turning to look at at her husband who looked at her expectantly
"Oh for crying out loud. I am sorry" she said like a temperamental child
"Are there any loopholes in the contract so that maybe, just maybe she can get out of it" my dad asked being the voice of reason
" I can give you the contract and your lawyers can do through it but no, there aren't any" Mr Keys spoke, you could tell that he was feeling a bit down about the whole situation. After all l was their last resort
"Dad, if Keira wanted this then l will willingly do it. It's only for two years. What's the worst that could happen. You raised a fighter. Don't worry about me" l was honestly trying to reassure myself more than him.
This had to be one of the only times that l felt such anger towards Keira. She willingly trapped me in a loveless marriage all because she didn't want to do it
"If that's what you want. But l will still go through the contract. They may be other ways of getting out of it with everyone winning"
"Would you all like to stay for dinner?"
"No"
"yes"
My parents answered simultaneously. They looked at each other before giggling like love sick teenagers. I felt a stinging in my chest at the realisation that l couldn't have this. Not in my first marriage at least.
My parents at times made me believe in love. They had come a long way to get to where they are. I guess that's why my mother was so livid that l was going to be trapped in a loveless marriage. Just like her parents had done to her. What is worse is that complete strangers were the ones to organise the whole thing. But luckily for her after months of marriage, her and my father fell in love.
That was the hope l had, when l realised that this was my fate. But now that l know that Hilden's heart belongs to another