I WON'T MARRY HER.

Jane sat on her painting stool after three days. She stayed back at home to clear her mind, she was still annoyed with Mr Bruce- each time she remembers his comment, a burning rage flares inside of her. Who is he to decide her future? Who she should get married to?.

She never discussed the incident with her parents, her daddy might like the idea if she should discuss with them. Since Chris came to their house her father seemed to talk about him all the time, and it really gets on her nerves only because he's a Rock star but she knew her mom won't like it, giving out her daughter to man who didn't love her simply because he's a rock star.

She has called Chris's dad so many times telling him she wasn't interested in his son talk more of marrying him. She wants to marry him quite alright but the fear of him bringing too many girls to their homes troubled her mind. Simply because he's a rock star and can do whatever he wants.

Why marry a man who won't love you?. And she had seen his reaction which means he clearly don't want to be with her. She was still in her thoughts when someone interrupted her.

"May I come in?." The woman asked.

She looked up and saw Mrs Gwen standing on her doorpost cause her door was always open. She clutched her black designer purse with her hands and wore a red patterned gown, she always look beautiful.

She wondered why she was here, if she has come to talk about marrying her son. She will have to tell her she wasn't interested.

"Yes you may." she replied and smiled. "I wasn't expecting you and how did you know this is where I work?."

"May I sit down before answering that." Mrs Gwen said.

"Oh sorry for ill manners, sit." She gestured her to sit on the bench opposite her. "I was just surprise."

  "I know and my husband did." Mrs Gwen answered looking around the room staring at the painted works and graphics works done by her.

"Where is he?." She asked looking out of door for a glimpse of Mr Bruce.

"He didn't come, he only give me the address."

"Oh...."

"You did all of these?." Mrs Gwen asked, marveled at the wonderful works she did. Painting of a pregnant lady, a woman nursing her baby, a landscape, nature. And graphics works like, cartoned portraits of people and other things.

"Yes".

"You really got some talent." Mrs Gwen commented. "They're all nice."

"Thanks."

"I'm going to buy that one." She pointed at a framed graphics work of flowers.

"Alright Man but what brings you to my humble abode? " She didn't know if she asked the right question.

Mrs Gwen looked at her and touched her hand with hers, Jane wondered what's wrong with her and was moved by her compassion.

"I'm sorry for the way my husband took you unawares, he shouldn't have. I know you must be angry with us."

  "I'm not but truthfully I was a little but not anymore." She cocked her face into a smile as she brought her hand which was beneath Chris's mom's own on top of hers, ( Chris's mom ).

Chris's mom smiled. "And I didn't know beforehand, if I had known, he won't have done it. You are the only one to say who you want to marry not him, I'm really sorry."

"Stop apologizing, I said I'm no longer angry."

"I know you are not interested in my son talk less of marrying him."

Who told Chris's mom she was not interested in her son, that she don't want to marry his son?. In fact that was her greatest heart desire to be with the  man her heart beats for but she was just scared. Scared of many things she can't point out.

"But I'm telling you to do me this favour and marry him." His mom pleaded. Why would she tell her that?. Why is she begging her to marry her son like she was selling off her son to marry her.

"I know you will make him believe in things, believe in God and love. He lost all hope and stop believing in things since the woman he loved dearly hurt him."

So that's why Chris has been pessimistic when it comes to love and marriage. He lost faith in women.

"He stopped believing in marriage." Chris's mom continued. "But I want you to draw him back to his old self. The world might see him as a cheerful person but he went through a lot to achieve where he is today. Some might think of him as a saucy arrogant musician but Chris is such a nice person if you get to know him better."

Why is everyone telling her he's nice cause the Chris she knew is too grumpy.

"But what if he doesn't want to marry me?." Jane asked, doubtfully. "You saw his reaction and he said this marriage won't happen. He believes I'm after him cause of his fame and money."

"But you are not. And I believe you will bring him back to the loving Chris I knew and he will listen to me, he listens to his mom. I just want to see my grandchildren before I leave the earth."

The thought of being with Chris alone in their room, on the matrimonial bed flashed in her mind, it will be so awkward to be touched by him, suddenly her body burned with desire at that thought.

"Please think about it and I will love to have you as my daughter in law and I believe my son will learn to love you. Any man will cause you are such a beautiful person." Chris's mom smiled.

She was happy Chris's mom and dad likes her, they never behaved as Rock star parents. They are nice and she had made up her mind to bring their once cheerful son to them even it means sacrificing herself to achieve that.

"Don't worry Ma, I will think about it." She said earning a smile from Chris mom.

***************

Jane was becoming too moody and absentminded both at her place of work and at home. Once she almost forget she was cooking and her food nearly got burnt luckily her mom was around to save her, the other day at work she spilled colour on her dress cause her mind was in so much chaos.

Will Chris be willing to marry her?. As a musician he got so many female fans and friends to get married to but why did his parents choose her?.

She had always wanted to make him believe in so many things, she wanted to make him hers and her heart always rejoice whenever the thought of being Chris's wife flash into her head. But the question was will Chris be willing to marry her?

That's the huge question she still don't have an answer to but Chris's mom had assured her that Chris will be hers, he listens to his mom.

One night when she and her family had eaten dinner, she went straight to her and sister's room. She didn't talk to anyone or joke like she used to before instead she kept a straight face, her parents and sis noticed this and wonder what was tormenting her.

She laid on the bed facing the ceiling, Fortune was not yet inside the room. She was still with her parents downstairs in the dining area telling them how she went touring with her fashion teacher and some other students at jentro fashion company and how the manager and other staffs loved her designs saying they love her taste and ideas of designs. But was sad cause she didn't got to meet the owner.

But Jane's mind wasn't there whether she met with owner or not is none of her business. She was paranoid thinking of what Chris's mom said, she haven't discussed with her parents or her sister. She just don't know how to break the news to them. How will her parents react and how will her sister react?.

She knew her sister will love the news in fact she will broadcast it to the whole world. She laid on the bed deep in thought when her mother came inside her room and sat on the bed beside her.

"Jane I've been watching you closely, you seem lost. What is the problem?." Her mom asked with a worried look.

She sat up on the bed, didn't know how to tell her mom that Chris's parents want her to marry their son.

"I'm fine Mom, nothing is wrong." She lied, afraid of how her mom would react when she tells her the truth.

"Something is wrong." Her Mom said not believing her words. "I'm your mother, I know when my child is in a bad state. You have been wearing a gloom face since you came back from delivering that work to ..... What that man's name again. Mr Bruce."

"Did something happen?." Her mom asked, worried. "Talk to me. your mom, what is the matter? What's troubling you?."

"Mom I'm fine there's nothing wrong with me and nothing happened at Mr Bruce's house. I'm fine." She lied again.

Her Mom stared deep into her eyes, she knew something was troubling her daughter and wondered why she's lying to her. She knew her daughter and when she was lying to her and she must find out what the truth is.

You're lying. You are not even looking at me when you said that, I know when you're lying and when you are saying the truth. You seemed to lose focus, you barely touched your food and the other day you nearly burnt the food you were cooking if I wasn't there. The food would have been a waste."

"Talk to me. I'm your mother, no one knows you better than I do, tell me what is the matter." Her mom insisted.

She guessed she had no other option but tell her mom what was troubling her and she didn't care how her mom reacts to it. She needs to let a member of her family aware of what was going on. Her mom knew something was wrong with her, mothers and their suspicion natures. And her mom was the right person to talk to. She haven't even told Hailey, she wondered how Hailey will react to that.

Mom." She began. "I don't know how you are going to react to this news but don't get the wrong impression about him, he's just doing all he can."

"Who is he?." Her mom asked suspiciously. "Or are you pregnant?."

"No! No way! Mom? How can you say a thing like that?." She asked bewildered at her mom's outcome.

"I don't know,I'm just stating a fact. Why would a he be first in a sentence if not pregnancy."

"Of course not mom, you know I'm not the kind of girl to get pregnant outside wedlock. Don't you trust your own daughter?".

"Of course I do, you are just making me nervous." Her mom said curtly.

"Mom, Mr Bruce wants me to marry his son?." She said,finally letting the cat out of the bag.

"What!" Her mom asked, eyes bulging out of it's pupils. "How could he? You only met him once."

"Mom don't you want to know who his son is?." She asked, searching her mom's eyes.

"Who is he?." Her mother asked, still not believing Mr Bruce had the nerve to tell her daughter to marry their son without talking to them first.

"Chris is his son." Jane almost squealed. "Chris the rock star. He wants me to marry him."

"You are lying right?. Her mom asked, skeptically. "How could he tell you that? You and his son are not of the same status and I won't allow my daughter to get married to a musician."

"He didn't even talk to me and your dad to know how we feel about it. He just proclaim you his wife to be." Her Mom added.

  "Mom please I know what he did was wrong but he had apologize and his wife too. They are not forcing me to marry their son. In fact they'd say if I don't like it, they won't force me."

"So what was your reply?".

"Mom, I want to be with Chris. I love him, I accepted to marry him."

  "How long have you known Chris?." Her Mom asked, disappointed at her daughter's respond. Her once little daughter has now grown into a beautiful lady and was now making decisions for her self without including her parents.

"Over 5 years." She replied, simply.

"Over five years and you didn't tell your parents?." Her mom questioned.

"Mom what's the point, we only talked on social medias and besides he was still an upcoming star. I never believed I will meet him one day talk more of being his wife. Mom it has been my dream to get married to him."

"What was Chris reaction in this, Was he happy with it?. Was he willing to marry you too?." Her Mom asked,calmly.

Jane's face turned sour at that question. Chris wasn't happy at all, in fact he'd say he won't allow this marriage to take place. Her mother noticed the change in her countenance.

"He wasn't thrilled right?." She asked staring at her daughter's gloom face. How can she allow her daughter get married to a man who wasn't willing to marry her simply because his parents forced him into it.

"Daughter do you know getting married isn't that thrilling,you know getting married is like going into battle especially when the man in question doesn't want to marry you. He will only see you as a desperate one and that type of marriage fails. When the love and care is one sided."

Her mom was right, but she also believed in the power of love.

"Mom don't you believe in power of love?. Love can break any chains and it conquers all."

"This is not about power of love." Her Mom said, irritated by her daughter's response. Who taught her everything was about love. "Look we are talking about your self respect,your self dignity."

"But Mom I want to be with him, I really do."

  "You are blinded by the love you have for him and what if what you feel for him is not love but infatuation?".

"How can you say that? I harboured my feelings for him for over five good years. Its not infatuation but love but he's just too blind to see it."

She knew this was how her mom will react, her mom was the same person who told her to keep on loving and helping people, love can make the hardest heart soften.

"Mom you always say love conquers all, what about now?".

"This is not about love conquers all, you just.....tttt...don't understand."

"What don't I understand mom?. She asked staring into her mom's eyes to find clues.

"Never mind, all I know is that you will not marry him and that's final." Her mom stood up to leave.

"Mom?." She called after her mother as she stormed out of her room, upset.

She sat there thinking of how to convince her mom to accept Chris as her son in law. What is she gonna do to get her mom accept Chris as her son in law?. She knew her dad and sister will love the idea but her mom is the problem. But the question was even if her mom finally agrees, will Chris agree?.

********************

"There's no way I'm getting married to that girl mom, never." Chris screamed, pacing up and down in his bedroom. His Mom sitting was sitting on his bed.

Mrs Gwen wondered how she's going to convince her son to marry Jane. She thought her son would be thrilled with the idea since he and Jane are very good friends.

"But I thought she's your friend?. And you will love to be with her."

"Of course she's my friend but not as the one I want to spend the rest of my life with, I mean I don't love her, how can I marry someone I don't even love?." He yelled raising both of his hands up in gesture.

"I thought you never believed in love?." His mom asked, with an amusing tone. He wondered what was amusing in what she asked.

"Why is everyone asking me that?." He asked, with a rhetorical tone.

"Cause everyone know you don't, you have given up on it a very long time ago. But I'm happy she's succeeding in rekindling that belief." She said smiling.

"It's not funny mom. I can't marry her, I just can't." He said as he ruffled his neat dreadlocks with his hands in frustration.

"But why?." His Mom asked, wondering why his son doesn't want to marry Jane.

  "I simply can't. I can't imagine spending the rest of my life with her, I only see her as a friend nothing more. I don't think I'll  ever fall in love with her." He clenched and unclenched his jaw.

"My son love grows from the heart, gradually. You may not love her now but you will love her soon, you may see her as a friend now but one day you will see her more than as a friend."

He was getting sick of his mom's sermon on love. His Mom hasn't known Jane quite long but already likes her.

"Mom you don't know her, what made you think she's the one for me?."  He asked, staring deep into his mom's eyes.

   "Like your dad said, a day is enough to know someone. And the moment I laid eyes on her, I knew she was the one for you. Like they always say first impression matters."

"Still I'm not getting married to her. And that's final."

  "Son I know how you feel." His mom stood up, taking him by the hand and leading him to sit beside her on his bed. "I know you think we're pressuring you with this whole marriage thing but we're doing it for your own good, we want what's best for you and I believe you'll learn to love her one day. Just do it for me, for your mother."

Chris saw the pled in his mom's eyes. He would go to any extent to please this woman, if marrying Jane will make her happy so be it. If loosing the battle between him and his dad for this woman, so be it. This woman has done a lot for him and he will forever be grateful and indebted to her.

   "OK mom, I will get married to her." His Mom's face crooked into a smile at his respond. "But." He raised his index finger in the air. "Only because of you. I'm doing this 'cause of you, I'm going against my wish 'cause of you."

"I know son. I know you won't let me down, you will always be that loving son I knew." She hugged him.