My loving parents

When Jordan told me that preparations for our wedding was already ongoing, I never knew that he meant it literally. I was shocked that when we got back to California, my parents were actually in charge of the preparations.

The wedding was slated to hold in two days, and my parents had been informed about it before Jordan even came to me. The most surprising part was that they had accepted Jordan's proposal on my behalf and had begun preparations, without even reaching out to me, to inform me of any development. I had been living with them for nearly over a month ever since I returned to the house after Daren started stalking me, and all that while I never mentioned to them that I was dating anybody, or engaged for that matter. When I traveled out of the city for a shoot, I didn't tell them anything about a wedding, or a planned any visit. And yet, they jumped on the instructions of a complete stranger to begin preparations for the wedding of their only daughter, without even talking to me first. As if they couldn't wait to get rid of me!

I admit that my relationship with my parents had not been very rosy. I always had a rocky relationship with my them, ever since I was I child. We didn't really develop any bond among us as a family, while I was growing up, and this was because my parents were often away and I barely ever got to see them around, awake, that is. It wasn't like they were always away because they were rich and always on business trips. No. They were often around, but never present.

My father was a construction worker who traveled wherever his job took him, and when he wasn't working, he was spending most of his free time getting drunk at bars, or when he was home, he was drunk and unconscious most of the time. My mother was a nurse, and she was often working extra shifts for extra pay. She too was mostly asleep whenever she was home. I remember my childhood filled with memories of my parents passed out at every corner of the house, either knocked out with fatigue or alcohol. I had to take care of myself for most part of my childhood, so that I became an adult without being a child. This severed my bond with my parents. When I grew into a teenager, my parents started being more present, but we didn't have any bond and my parents felt like strangers to me. I also still couldn't forgive them for ignoring me when I needed them the most, so we were often clashing, until my parents concluded that I was problematic.

I moved out of the house the year after I graduated highschool, and I had no plans of ever returning, if not for the Daren incident. When I returned to my parents house, they weren't very welcoming, and they practically tolerated me. We barely ever talked. We didn't even eat our meals together.

Yet, it couldn't excuse how hurriedly they were willing to give me away to a complete stranger. The least I had expected of them was to have the decency to at least seek my consent before giving me away. Even if they didn't need me anymore, or were eager to get rid of me. It was simple courtesy.

When Jordan and I arrived, I was irritated by how familiar my parents acted towards Jordan. They greeted him fondly as if they had known him all their life, when they had only just met him. Funny enough, they didn't even pay me any attention. Me, their daughter who they were marrying off! They didn't notice that I was in a state of shock, nor did they notice how weary I looked. My father was too eager to update Jordan on how far the preparations were coming, and my mother was curious as to how his flight had been. None of them glanced in my direction. They were busy acting like ass licking employees to Jordan.

"I would get caught up on all that later. For now, I need to take my fiancee up to her room. She is still very weary from our flight." Jordan said, smiling broadly like a benevolent gentleman.

"Oh! I see! Yes, yes! She should get some rest." My mother said, smiling like a teenager, talking to her crush. "You too! You should get some rest too. You look exhausted." She suggested. I glared at her with disbelief, but she ignored me completely.

"I will do that for sure. I just want to make sure she is settled in first." Jordan said, maintaining the unrealistic smile.

"Oh, right. Right. You can take her to her room. I cleaned it up myself." My mum said. I wanted to scream, but I was too tired to even open my mouth. My mum had cleaned my room? She actually entered my room and cleaned it up? I couldn't believe it! Ever since I returned to the house, my mother had not ever come close to my door! And now, she had cleaned out my room?

I wanted to know what kind of charm Jordan had used on them, but I didn't have to think too much of it. It was glaring! Jordan was a wealthy man, or at least he was posing to be one. He had told me so himself, so it was not surprising that my parents were worshiping him. They had abandoned me as a child on their quest for money, and once again they were abandoning me even as an adult, for money. I felt hurt, more hurt than I could express. And if I wasn't still in shock, there was a lot I wanted to say. But I remained quiet as Jordan led me up to my room, away from the charade of my shameless parents.

"What did you give to them?" I asked Jordan as we entered my room. I went ahead to the bed and flopped facedown onto it wearily.

"What do you mean?" Jordan asked. He remained standing beside the door.

"My parents. What did you give to them or promise them to buy their soul like that. I know they are not worshiping the sole of your feet just because you made a good impression on them as the perfect so in law. So, tell me. What was I worth?" I said without looking up at him. I heard Jordan scoff, then I heard his footsteps as he crossed the wooden floor of the room. I didn't turn around when I felt the edge of the bed sink. I knew Jordan had sat down there, I could feel his nearness strongly, and all the hair on my body rose as I felt a chill run through me. I didn't dare move or turn around.

"You know your parents well. I mean, why won't you? You took after them after all." He drawled. Once again, I felt the urge to argue, but I didn't. I was still too tired to try. What was I even going to argue about? The fact that Jordan had called my parents gold diggers, or the fact that he was being smug about it? He was right. My parents had sold me out, they were indeed gold diggers. And maybe he was right about me too. Maybe I was a gold digger after all. Maybe if I admitted it, that my greed had nearly cost Daren his life, maybe if I admitted it, then I would feel less guilty. Maybe that way, I could finally forgive myself.

So I laid there, not moving and not attempting to argue, as tears rolled down my face.

"Rest up. You should regain your glow before the wedding." Jordan said, then he stood up and walked away.

I waited until I was sure he had gone far, then I broke down and cried to my heart's content.