"Another Fiancee".

"Mom, am sorry late " she hugged her mother who was still looking up at the smiling man next to her daughter, Tatiana smiled, Traffic is bad at this hour," she said

"And who is this ?" she finally asked.

Jack extended his hand to her mother, "Nice to finally meet you mother, am Jack...Tati's boyfriend " he said.

Mark choked on his water.

She took his hand with a surprised smile, "boyfriend ?" she repeated the word.

He nodded, "Yes, am sorry I didn't get to come sooner, Tati kept saying to wait and today when I got to know about this dinner I forced her to bring me along ".

"His Mark, my childhood friend " Tatiana introduced the still coughing Mark to Jack.

"Nice to meet you Mark " he shook his hand too.

They took their seats.

Her mother kept staring at the handsome man next to her daughter, he gave her a sweet gentle smile.

"Mother, is something wrong ?" he asked.

"No, you're just so handsome, I can't believe you fell for my ordinary lazy daughter " she let out.

"Mom..." Tatiana restored

Jack chuckled, "To me, she's more than ordinary that's why am glad she even fell for me ".

"How long have you been together ? " she asked.

Tatiana sighed, here came the embarrassing questions .she had been a string them in her head the moment they took their seats to cause she knew her mother would ask such questions.

Before she could answer, Jack did.

"Two years now, I wanted us to meet you sooner so she would move in with me but Tati refused. Am hoping now she says yes soon " he said.

Her mother smiled, "Tatiana you should not make your boyfriend wait too long or he will grow tired of begging "

Tatiana frowned, "Mom, please don't say that or he will propose instead " she smiled glancing at the silent Mark. She wanted him to hear that so he would stop forcing her mother to tell her into marrying him. If he knew she had a boyfriend who wanted to marry her then maybe he would back away.

"Oh that wouldn't be bad either " her mother laughed, Tatiana smiled at her too... still peeking at Mark. She didn't notice Jack get up from his seat and pull it aside.

She heard murmurs and her mother squeal in happiness while Mark seemed to keep blinking nonstop. She turned to see Jack kneeling in front of her. She moved back looking around in question. What was this stranger doing now?

"What are you doing ?" she whispered. He smiled and slowly pulled out a small box from his pocket.

"Tatiana Kennel, will you marry ?" he said.

She froze filling her brain short-circuit, what was he doing ...AND WHERE DID HE GET THE RING ?....she felt so confused, all she wanted was to get out of an arranged marriage and now she was getting into another! Who was the stranger?

"What are waiting for, say yes " she heard her mother say.

They had attracted the attention of the other customers in the restaurant. She breathed trying to control her emotions, wanting to stand up and scream no while running away but then Mark will still be on her tail and her mother would never forgive her for that.

"YES," she answered.

"Yes, yes, ...she said yes " her mother clapped.

Jack smiled as he slid the ring onto her finger. He got up and she followed his lead, as he hugged her.

"Let's celebrate, " her mother said.

After a few glasses of wine, Tatiana and her boyfriend had to leave.

She needed to leave for her second job and she could not risk leaving him there with her mother.

"Mother, let's meet again for lunch," he said hugging her mother.

"I would love that, and maybe talk about when to meet your parents," she said.

..

"What the hell happened, all I wanted was to stop this arranged marriage and now you land me into another " she yelled at him the moment they left the restaurant.

"Am sorry, I just went with the flow?" he said.

"What flow? my mother was just saying that so she could put it in your head and where did you even get this ring from ?" she said pointing at the diamond ring on her finger.