Chapter 20
About two weeks later, it's Chris mom birthday and she decided to have a get-together and told him, he wanted to go alone without Laura since his family don't really like her and although they don't have a written contract the are still in a contract marriage but she somehow find out about it and ask him
"Why didn't you tell me it's your mom's birthday?" She asked him after getting back from work
"How did you get to know?" He questioned also
"From Mira, she was bragging about the gift she bought this morning" she answered and start to walk upstairs
"I just thought it's unnecessary, just a normal celebration" he replied and she nod her head sluggishly then exit to her room
Chris noticed her after what he just said and felt somehow that she wasn't pleased, he wanted to return to his room but find himself going towards her room instead
He knock on the door twice without any response from her and waited for her to open the door but she didn't. He knocked again and when he didn't get a reply he opened the door and went in.
She was changed to another outfit, she wore a green round neck top and white miniskirt with it and bond her hair up messily. He stood and admire her neckline for a few seconds till he heard a movement from her walking towards him and looked away
"Why are you here?" Laura asked him causally and walk past him outside the room
Chris followed her out not saying anything till they got downstairs
"Do you have a stressful day at work?" He asked guessing why she's moody although she looks beautiful even with a sour expression
"Did you want me to have a bad day?" She asked throwing the question back at him
"I meant you don't look very good" he said seeing that she's offended
"Am I making you uncomfortable?" She said answering him with another question
"No, not at all" he replied and sat down while she entered the kitchen to get some cereal to eat
She came and sat a bit away from Chris crossing her legs and eating the food without interest in it, Chris wonder what was going on with her, since Mira left she usually sit beside him and watch the Television but she is sitting away this time
Laura start to make a noise with her spoon after some seconds and it was disturbing what Chris is watching, he cleared his throat to talk but Laura gave him a stare that made him shut up
"Why? Am I disturbing you? Should I leave then?" She asked provocatively but Chris just shake his head to tell her no and increase the volume of the Television a bit.
"So what gift did you and Mira get your mom?" She asked after a few more minutes and Chris quickly lower the volume of the Television
"Am planning to get it on my way to dinner tomorrow" he answered
"And what about Mira?"
"I don't know" he responded and she was silent for another seconds
"I know she is close with your family but isn't it a bit improper for her to go over to your house to help with the dinner preparation" she said criticizing her action
Chris was surprised by her complaint and even more amused that something like that is what is making her angry
"How did you get to know something even I don't know?" He asked to tease her
"What nonsense? Did you think am concerned by whatever it is between you both, Mira told me" she answered more pissed off that he finds what she asked funny
"I didn't know that but I guess my mom called her over" he explained but his answer seems to annoy her more
"Oh!" She said sounding sarcastic
"Then you are going to meet her alone tomorrow" she continued and stood passing the aggression on the cereal with her
"Have a great time anyways" she added then walk towards the kitchen but Chris stood up and stopped her blocking her way
"What is it!" She yelled at him totally pissed off
"Are you angry because I didn't tell you about my mom's birthday or because Mira was bragging about going?" He asked grinning trying not to burst into laughter. He never knew that she gets jealous so easily
"What rubbish are you saying? I told you I just happened to find out" she replied and wanted to walk away but he stopped her again
"I didn't want my mom to insult or make you feel bad that's why I didn't tell you" he explained and took the cup from her then held her hand.
"How about we get a gift together on our way there tomorrow? I will let you choose what to buy" he said and Laura lighten up a little
"I will have to check my schedule for that" she replied pretending
"But tomorrow is Saturday"
"Okay, let me think about it" she said and left to the kitchen taking the cup back from her
"Did she not want to attend with him?" He thought after hearing her reply but he knows that Mira won't give him a breathing space tomorrow and will try to act like his wife so it's better to go with Laura instead…
… Chris helped Laura to pick the best gift he knows his mother will be very happy to get and they both set out when it was four in the evening, the drive took them about thirty minutes.
Laura followed behind him as they made their way inside and Laura was flabbergasted to see that everyone from the family was invited, she thought it will be a dinner with just his parent and a few close friends, she turned to Chris to give him a look but he also seems not to be aware about it
The both of them walk hand in hand and after exchanging pleasantries with some relatives who keep giving her weird looks they finally got to his parent and Laura put on her very best smile
"Good evening aunt, good evening uncle" she greeted cheerful, Chris's dad nod his head gently to acknowledge her greetings but his mom scoffed instead and turn to face another guest who just entered, Laura act indifferent and smiled as she took some few steps backward from them
Chris wasn't very pleased with the way his mom reacted to her greeting but was excepting that so he decide not to say anything to avoid arguing with her on her birthday.
He move closer and hugged his mom then handover the gift Laura bought to her which she accepted happily
"Son, you got me this" she said excitedly as she opened the gift, its a set of brush for painting. His mother is very bad at painting but she always want to paint and took a whole room in the house just for that
"Am glad you like it" he replied
"yes I do, this is very good. I tried getting this same set but it was no longer on for sale"
"Laura got them for you" Chris revealed and turned to Laura for her to come forward
Chris's mom stopped admiring the gift immediately she heard Laura bought them and placed it on the table
"I asked one of my friends to sell them to me because Chris told me you want it" she explained glad to see that she likes it but Chris's mom threw them away instantly and the smile disappeared from her face
"Why are you getting me a gift? You are not even a real daughter-in-law" she blurted out
"mom!" Chris cautioned but she hissed instead and before he could say anything further Mira came out wearing a long pink dinner gown and held two bags in her hand
"mom!" she shrieked annoyed to see her with Laura and charge forward, Chris's mom stood to meet her and push Laura out of the way but Chris was quick to catch her
"My child, you must be tired from working all day" she said acting cosy and hugged her
"mom, I bought your gift" she said as they both sat down and hand over the bags to her, she bought out the gift and its a fur coat and muffler with the other bag containing a black dinner gown
"you should change into this for the dinner, I heard old people love black" Mira told her and she nod her head looking disappointed while Chris looked on grinning
Laura wonder why and lean in to ask him
"why? The gifts are nice and expensive" she whispered
"My mom hates fur clothes and black is her least favourite color" he answered whispering back and they both shared a silent laugh
Mira noticed the look on her face and felt a bit embarrassed that she doesn't like the gifts
"you don't like them? This cost me a lot of money" she grumbled
"what are you saying? Of course I love it, its the best gift I've ever received tonight" she replied forcing a smile
"Did Chris get you these? They look expensive but you cant paint" Mira comment when she noticed the brush in Chris's hand and took them and Chris looked at his mom excepting her to flare up, she hates it when anyone tell it to her face that she cant paint especially in front of people but surprisingly she didn't
"why don't we go outside now, the food is almost ready" she said instead and quickly stood up putting the gifts there and hurried out
Going there with Laura is really not as Chris had thought at all, he knows that his mother doesn't like her but everyone also act hostile to her and after eating he didn't see her again but got busy with a lot of people talking to him about business…
…Laura sat down at a corner looking extremely tired after working her butt off cleaning, she has no idea that having a birthday dinner could be so demanding.
Its usually the waiters that take care of things like this and she doesn't know why foods like this is being served, all her makeup is messed up and the fancy cloth she wore to make an impression is ruined by one of Chris's aunt son who poured juice on her by mistake.