One Meeting Wouldn't Do Much Harm, Would It?

Eight Years Later.

12 August 2017.

Sylvia was having her breakfast with her parents and grandmother. She trailed her hand around her neck, slipping her fingers in her straight, jet black hair that cascaded down her back. The aroma of her favorite ginger tea filled her nostrils as she lifted her mug and sipped it. It was just another day, with no unique happenings until her father fed her information about something that made her put down her mug quietly.

"I do not wish to marry," she said in a low voice, barely audible to the three people sitting around.

Her father, Harry Carter, looked up at his daughter who had fixated her gaze at her plate. "I know and I am not asking you to marry him right away. One meeting wouldn't do much harm, would it?"

Sylvia stayed quiet. It had been quite a while since her family was persuading her into meeting him – Xavier Walker. Xavier was the son of George and Amie Walker. George and Harry were business partners and owned the publication house named Talent Hunt. Talent Hunt was one of the most successful publication houses in Roeburg, a small town in Kiristan.

"Fair enough, I'll meet him," she agreed, upon failing to see an escape.

"I'll book a table for you in your favorite café for your first date, then."

Her eyes shot up at her father, who quickly covered up for his slip of the tongue. "Sorry. I meant, for the meet."

She sighed before rising on her feet and walking toward the kitchen. While cleaning her plate, she couldn't help her mind that was clouded with the thoughts regarding Xavier. She still thought that meeting him was a bad idea.

Why was she was supposed to see him? It was nothing more than a formality. She had already made up her mind. She was going to deny the proposal.

She had nothing against Xavier. Even if there had been anyone else in his place, her answer would not have changed. The very idea of sharing her life with someone was not appealing to her.

She paused momentarily before she moved out of the kitchen and walked straight to her room. Even though the conversation had happened earlier also, for some odd reason it unsettled her this time.

"Slyvie..."

Her head turned to the door. "Granny," she uttered, smilingly and rushed to support her to walk. Her grandmother, who was in her late seventies, had been having issues walking on her own lately. Her head would spin often and she would have the fainting sensations. Having suffered from a heart attack two years ago was more than enough to keep everyone concerned about her even with the mildest symptoms.

"Do you not like Xavier?" her grandmother asked, once they both sat on the bed.

"I have no reason not to like him, Granny." Sylvia was being honest. She practically had nothing that would make her say that she did not like him. "But I have no reason to marry him either," she added, wrapping her hands around her grandmother.

"You do have a reason and that's me... I don't want to die without seeing you getting married, Sylvia."

"Grannyyy." Sylvia got her head off her grandmother's shoulder, staring at her, hurt from her words.

Her grandmother acted to be surprised at her reaction. "What? Don't tell me that you think I am immortal."

"Granny," Sylvia's tone got firm while she fixed her saddened gaze at her grandmother.

Her grandmother instantly pulled her in a hug, softly caressing her hair. "Sylvia... I don't trust the world out there. Not for you. I want to make sure that you are in good and safe hands before I leave this world. I want to die with the satisfaction that... you are going to lead a beautiful life here. I don't want any miseries to touch you and that is why I have been finding the boy for you who would stand between you and anything that would dare to harm you."

"Granny," Sylvia sighed, "How do you know that he is the one?"

Several seconds passed. Sylvia felt weird upon not getting a response. She called her grandmother a couple of times and when even that did not get her a reply, she grew worried. Still holding her grandmother, she slowly pulled away only to see her worst fear coming true. Her grandmother had lost her consciousness.

"Granny. Granny?" she patted on her grandmother's cheek, her voice quavering in the desperation and terror. The desperation of knowing that her grandmother was okay. Terror of losing her.

She quickly but carefully laid her on the bed before she rushed to call her parents.

<>

"Don't worry. She is fine. Her blood pressure had dropped, causing her to faint. I don't see anything to be stressed about." Dr. Corbyn, their family doctor had reached as soon as he got a call from Harry Carter.

"Are you sure? I mean, is this related to her heart? Do you think we should do the tests again?"

Dr. Corbyn smiled at the anxious girl at the front. "No, Sylvia. I think she is fine for now. As far as her heart is concerned, we are regularly monitoring that but yes, being alert is important because you don't know when the next heart attack knocks her door if it does. Life is unpredictable. We do not know what happens when. All that we can do here is, react to the symptoms as early as possible. That really makes a difference."

Sylvia nodded with her paled face.

"Thank you for coming." Harry led him out while Sylvia sat beside her grandmother.

"You stay here. I'll prepare for lunch. She hasn't properly had her breakfast," Amelia told her daughter before she exited the room.

<>

Sylvia sat numb, holding her grandmother's hand as if terrified that she might disappear if she let go of her.

'I don't want to die without seeing you getting married.'

Her grandmother's words reverberated in her ears. Sylvia's mind was stuck there.

'I don't want to die without seeing you getting married.'

Sylvia's attempts of holding herself from breaking down were futile. They were resulting in nothing seeing her grandmother lying unconscious on the bed, with the evident paleness and sickness.

Though Sylvia hated the mere thought of losing her grandmother, she was not unaware of the fact that she would not be able to stop it if that was coming their way.

What if she got another heart attack and could not make it through it!

Lately, her grandmother had anyway been mentioning that a lot and it was unusual because the death talks did not happen often in their home earlier.

"You will be okay, Granny," she somehow managed to utter, gathering words while she brought her palm closer and lingered her lips on it. Her throat choked. Something was breaking inside her with every passing moment.

Even though Dr. Corbyn had assured them that there was nothing to freak out over, fear had already gripped Sylvia and refused to let her breathe in peace. All that she wanted to do was just tightly hold on to her grandmother and never let her go.

"Sylvia."

Sylvia's head immediately rose when the weak mumbling fell in her ears. "Granny," she called, visibly relieved. "How are you feeling now?"

Her grandmother blinked, assuring her that she was okay. She raised her hand to cup Sylvia's cheek but had to pull it back within no time as the weakness did not allow her to be much comfortable.

Sylvia had sat with her grandmother for hours. Just talking some random things... listening to her grandmother's random things... until Amelia came to call them for lunch.

"Mom, would you like me to get your lunch here?" Amelia asked. "Also... you scared us. You okay now?" She sat on the edge of the bed.

"Yes. Get my food here. I don't feel like getting up and coming out."

Sylvia got up before her mother could, stating that she would bring it instead.

A couple of minutes later, Sylvya's grandmother initiated the conversation.

"Tell Harry not to force Slyvie for the marriage. I do wish to see her getting married. Perhaps, it is much more than the marriage. You know it, Li, don't you? But... no, not this way. Not if she really does not want to."

Sylvia held her steps back and hid near the door.

"You know why I want what I do, Li, don't you? Dying without knowing that my Slyvie is in safe hands would be painful but I will bear it. Slyvie should not be forced, okay?"

Amelia nodded, blinking her eyes in assurance. "I will tell Harry. Don't worry."

Sylvia walked in and placed the plate in her hand on the bed before she looked at her grandmother first and then her mother. "I am ready."

Amelia's brows raised and the silent question was well perceived by Sylvia.

"I am ready to marry Xavier."