Chapter 11 THE DATE IS FIXED

I tell Cyril about Ron, he also thinks that Ron is a good guy. Then, I tell him about my wedding dress and also about the rings that I have customized myself. He looks thrilled after I show him my idea about the wedding rings.

“So, the wedding date has been fixed, or is it being delayed because of me?” Cyril ask me, poor Cyril, the date is not fixed and I really have no idea when it will be. Not without knowing what Dad and Miss Swan had decided about my education.

I think I should ask Dad about it, but didn’t it feel inappropriate. A bride to be asking about her marriage date. This is an arranged marriage Tess, not a love marriage, I remind myself but what about my scholarship, Dad didn’t even mention it.

I look at Cyril, “The wedding can wait, you just focus on your health,” I tell him, and then handing him the medicines, I finally leave his room.

I was climbing down the stairs when I hear my mother and father talking, or I say bickering. Before my proposal, my parent never really bicker but since the proposal has arrived many things has changed in our house.

I sigh and then eavesdrop on their conversation.

“Dylan, how could you say like this? Has your Madam’s heart turned cold? How could Tessa marry without her brother? She will never agree to it. Cyril is her everything.” My mother’s voice comes and I frown with worry.

What does it mean, marriage without Cyril, but why?

“Dany, try to understand, Miss Swan wants this marriage to happen as soon as possible. Who knows if we make her wait, she will cancel the wedding.” My father’s anxious voice comes as he tried to convince my mom.

“If Tessa is fated to Andrew then no one can break this marriage and if she cancels the wedding, then maybe it’s God's wish.” My mother says firmly and for a moment my heart drops, Oh no, what I am gonna do if Miss Swan cancels the marriage.

No… After a long wait, finally, I got the chance to make my dream come true but now looking at the circumstances, I think I need to break this dream and accept the reality of my life.

I sigh sadly and then climb up the stairs to my room while my parent still bickers in the living room. I feel disheartened and locking my door, I lay on the bed crying terribly. My dream, my marriage, my fairytale, everything is going to be finished now.

I know mom is stubborn and she won’t listen to anything dad will say. Also, mom’s point is fully justified after all without Cyril I won’t accept this marriage too.

KNOCK… KNOCK… KNOCK…

There is a slight knock on the door, I thought it would be mom, but, no surprisingly it was my father’s voice, “Tessa?”

I get up and quickly open the door, frightened, is the marriage cancelled?

“Dad..” I greet my father and with a stern face he walks inside my room, “Tessa, dear, I want to talk with you about something.” He says after carefully locking the room door. He walks and sits on the bed and then pats the place beside him for me to sit.

I sit while holding my breath, I know some bad news is going to come.

“I have talked with Madam Boss, it wasn’t Andrew Sir but…” He pauses for a moment in hesitation, “It was Madam Boss’s decision not to let you continue your studies… After all, she needs you to focus on the family, not on studies.” He says righteously and I frown sadly.

“But Dad,” I try to protest but Dad cut me off, “Tessa, please don’t… Don’t do anything that would harm your brother. You know Madam Boss is paying for his medical… We can’t afford his expenses for even a month. Would you like to get the degree over your brother’s blood?” My father asks and I look at him shocked.

“Is she helping us just because of this reason, this marriage? But I thought she liked me, no, Dad?” I ask my dad in doubt.

“Uhmm… No, Tess… It’s not like this… I am just afraid that something bad will happen if we don’t listen to her.” My dad explains worriedly and I nod my head in understanding.

The biggest disadvantage of being poor is that we cannot make our own decision we always have to rely on others’ happiness. “I need some time to think, Dad.”

I tell my father tiredly, I really want to complete my studies and achieve something in life but this marriage will nearly crush my dream of achieving something in my life so that I would be able to help my parent and also afford Cyril’s treatment.

“Ok, dear, I know you are a good daughter. If this marriage happens, I promise you I will help you in completing your studies, if not now we can apply for the scholarship after some time.” My father says with determination and kissing my forehead, he leaves my room.

I lock my door and cry at my miserable luck, my mother comes to call me for dinner, but I refuse, I never leave my bed just keep weeping silently. I never knew that my love for Andrew was too deep that only knowing that there is a chance of him going away from my life forever makes me feel suffocated and my heart is in so much pain that I can’t stop trembling and weeping from the pain.

I really can’t live without Andrew but crushing my dream to live in another doesn’t seem fair to me. But what about Cyril? Would he get affected by my decision?

Before I had known that the only way of us being together was in my dreams I was happy but since fate has brought such a huge blessing of sending Andrew into my life permanently, and making my dream come true. I started to live in my dream and now leaving this dream is very difficult for me.

Another night passed not with any dreams or worries, it was a night of silence and sadness.

The next day, my father enters my room in the early morning probably waiting for my answer, I look at him and with a heavy heart, I accept the marriage, if it’s about saving Cyril then why not I can sacrifice 1000 scholarships for Cyril this is only one.

My father leaves the house happily and somewhere in my heart I also feel happy for this marriage to happen but my mother, I don’t know if she allows the marriage or not?

I climb down the stairs late in the afternoon because my stomach is growling from hunger. Thankfully, no one is in the kitchen as I walk inside and then start making my coffee without my coffee I can’t start my day and today I desperately need my cup of strong coffee.

As I take a sip of my coffee and enjoy the bitterness of it in my mouth, my mother’s voice startles me, “Tess, you’re awake…”

“Ahh…” The coffee spill on my shirt and I look at mom, displease, “No, my ghost is roaming around, mom.”

“Why such a bad face, huh? Have you been crying all night?” My mother hold my face immediately when she noticed my swelling eyes. F**k, no.

I try to turn my face away from her grip but she has successfully captured it with her both hands. “Tess, what happened dear? You haven’t even joined us for dinner.” My mother asks anxiously as she scans my face with her worried eyes.

“Mom…” I try to slide away from her but her next sentence made me freeze.

“You heard everything yesterday.”

BOOM

I want to deny but no, even if I try I couldn’t lie to her as I nod my head in embarrassment.

“Tess…” My mother takes a deep sigh and then asks, “Do you really want this marriage?”

I look at her blank for a moment, I don’t know If I should tell her what Dad has told me last night but no, I purse my lips.

My mother takes a deep sigh and then asks straightly, “Do you like Andrew?”

I nod my head and then look away from her. My mother steps away from me while my gaze is still lower on the ground and I feel like mom is going to inform me that the wedding has been cancelled but no, instead my mom says something that shocks me out of my wits.

“After three days, Madam Boss is holding the wedding. I hope it’s not too early for you.”

BOOM

Wedding? So soon? But I just told my father my decision in the morning.

Does that mean the wedding day had already been fixed without my approval?