Chapter 5
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Albert squeezes my hand gently. “Make sure to visit soon, okay?” he glances at Aaron “Without this silly boy of course, just you and me. I will like to know my future granddaughter-in-law better”
I manage a smile so that the anxiety wrecking the pit of my stomach will not show on my face “I will, Mr. Scott.”
He chuckles “Mr. Scott is something outsiders would call me. But you are family now Aurora, call me Albert.”
I glance at Aaron who is busy staring straight ahead, the only clue that he heard what Albert said is a tick in his jaw. I smile at Albert, “Sure, Albert.”
The name does not roll off my tongue naturally. Maybe it’s because of the guilt I am feeling at deceiving this seemingly sweet old man.
Aaron clears his throat. “We have to go now. I will see you soon
Candace giggles as Albert pats her cheek. Aaron clears his throat to inform me that I should already be out of the door.
“See you later.” I say to Albert, I turn towards Aaron and roll my eyes before walking out of the room. 1 lurk in the corridor as 1 wait for Aaron to finish up with his grandfather.
I wonder what they are talking about, maybe Albert is complimenting me more and Aaron is stiffly enduring hearing all of that
I chuckle at the picture in my mind of Aaron cowering under the weight of Albert’s praises for me. Finally, Aaron comes out of the room and gently closes the door behind him.
“Your grandfather seems nice.” I say as I walk beside Aaron.
Actually, I am struggling to keep up with his large strides, he doesn’t seem to notice that or maybe he just does not care. I am betting on the latter.
Candace buries her face in the nook of my neck, she is starting to feel sleepy. I pat her back gently as we walk into the elevator
1 stare at Aaron as I wait for his reply, he continues looking straight ahead. “I said your grandfather seems nice.” I repeat. He glances at me with a raised eyebrow “I am not sure what you expect me to say to that.”
I open my mouth to retort but I close it because he was sort of right, though a simple “okay” or “thanks,” would suffice.
“So, are we actually having a big wedding?” the elevator beeps to signal that we are now on the ground floor. Aaron matches out of the elevator leaving me to once again, struggle to keep up with him.
I try to walk quickly and carefully so I don’t wake Candace, I walk to the car to see him standing there with the back door open “Put her in” he says,
At least, he is considerate enough to notice that Candace has fallen asleep. I gently place her in the car seat that Aaron got her on the way to the hospital.
I open the door of the passenger seat, I put one foot in before Aaron beckoned at me “Not yet, let’s talk about this.” I close the door gently and walk over to his side.
He runs his hand over his face and sighs deeply. “If I could choose, I would rather not have a big wedding. It’s just not worth
1 furrow my eyebrows at his words. I should not feel hurt by what he said, even though he is Candace’s father. He does not know that and I am essentially a stranger to him but why did his words hurt?
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Chapter 5
1 grit my teeth “You have made it abundantly clear that this is just a contractual marriage Aaron, and I am all for it too. It’s your grandfather that wants a big celebration so good luck convincing him otherwise.”
“I can’t convince Albert if he has set his mind on it. You think if he was so easily convinced. I would be having this…” he points his index finger from me to him “…sham of a marriage?”
I can feel my annoyance growing at his words
“Well, there is nothing I can f***g do about that Aaron, I don’t want a big wedding too. I would love if I could do the 90 days and go back to my life like nothing happened. A big wedding is bad for me because then I will be linked with you longer than necessary”
1 move closer to him so he can see the ferocity in my gaze I am a private woman, I love my private life so I hate this just as much as you do Aaron.”
He smiles, a smile that does not reach his eyes
“It’s good that we are on the same page. We will have to do the wedding the way Albert wants it but you will be getting your money’s worth so try and endure it.” he says and enters his car leaving me standing there trying to calm myself from the heat of our confrontation.
Thate the fact that I am so easily rattled by him. I take a deep breath and enter the car “I was thinking I would have to wait all day he remarks snidely.
I ignore him and check in Candace, she is still sleeping peacefully. I smile at the innocent look on her face, I glance at Aaron and shake my head.
How is this insufferable a**le her father?’
He turns on the ignition, “Where do you live?”
I continue looking outside the window, “You can just drop us off at the intersection, we will find our way home from there.”
He chuckles humourlessly, “You are kidding right?” I turn to him with confusion written plainly across my face, “Why would I be joking?”
He turns off the ignition and sighs, “Aurora, we are supposed to be an engaged couple planning to get married in a few
weeks.”
1 shrug, “Su?”
He grits his teeth “So, I should at least know where you live. And you won’t be living there for much longer because you are moving into my place by the end of the week. I would prefer if you moved in tomorrow but I don’t want to seem inconsiderate.”
I snort at his words “This is you being considerate?”
It’s not like my apartment is somewhere I would miss but I guess have not thought about the part where Candace and I move in with him. He is right, we should play the part of a loving, soon-to-be-married couple.
He raises an eyebrow at my question “Yes, this is me being considerate. I could have people find out where you live and bring you and your luggages back to my place but 1 am not doing that. So, where do you live?”
I roll my eyes and tell him my address. The drive back to my place is very quiet but it’s not uncomfortable. I am thinking about the possibilities this ‘marriage’ could open to Candace.
Before now, all I wanted was a good roof over our heads, a balanced diet and a stable income. But now, I am living in a reality that offers me millions of dollars after a 90-day job.
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Chapter 5
Yes, that is what
Will call this, a job. Nothing more, he might be Candace’s father but he will never know that.
He has admitted that he doesn’t want children, I would rather Candace believe that she does not have a father than a father who will reject her once he knows about her.
“Are we in the wrong street?” Aaron’s question breaks me out of my reverie. I look up to see my apartment building.
I look back at Aaron and the look of disbelief mixed with disgust on his face makes me want to cower in shame. But I don’t, why should I be ashamed? I am doing the best I can for my daughter and I.
1 clear my throat. “No, you are not.”
His eyes widen in surprise.” You live here?”
I huff “Sorry Mr. Scott, but not everyone live in golden palaces.1
“I know that but that…” he eyes the building with disgust is an environmental hazard, it should be pulled down. I can’t believe you would raise your daughter here.”
As if on cue. Candace stirs in her seat “Mama?” she calls out sleepily. I turn to her “Mama is here, sweetie.” she groggily opens her eyes, she stretches out her hands and reaches for me.
I come
out of the car and open the door of the backseat. I unhook the belt of the car seat and carry Candace.
Aaron gets out of the car and looks around the environment. “Wait till you see the inside.” I call out to him and lead the way into the building.
I rummage through my bag for my keys. Ella comes out of her apartment “Hey!” she says cheerily, she tugs at Candace’s cheek and she giggles.
“Hey Ella.” I say with a smile but her attention is not on me anymore. She is staring at Aaron like he is a rare art in a museum. I look back at Aaron, he seems too tall in our cramped corridor.
He seems to not notice Ella gaping at him, he is too busy looking around with a displeased look on his face.
Well, it’s better than the look of blatant disgust he had in earlier.
I finally find my keys and open the door to my apartment “See you later.” I say to Ella but she does not seem to hear me. Aaron wordlessly walks past her into my apartment.
“You could have said hello you know.” I say as I close the door.
Candace squirms in my grip and I put her down. She immediately runs to pick her toy “Sario’ she runs back to Aaron and shows it to him with a proud smile on her face. He doesn’t notice that as he is staring at the apartment in disbelief.
1 wave my hand in his face “Aaron?”
He looks at me with a determined look in his eyes “You are moving out of this dump, today.”
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