Chapter 5

Ellisande stood quietly behind her husband while they watched the elder Kincaid’s getting out of the car. She clasped her hands in front, gripping them lightly while trying to calm her nerves. She heard SJ greeting his mother softly.

“Hello, Elli,” Mrs. Kincaid greeted with a warm smile.

“It’s nice seeing you again, Mrs. Kincaid,” Elli replied formally with a smile.

“Don’t you think it’s time for you to call me Mom?” Mrs. Kincaid asked gently. She turned to her son and gave him a light frown. “Are you disallowing Elli to call me Mom?”

“No, he did not…, Mom,” Elli quickly answered to prevent any anger from SJ. “I just presumed that it’s more formal. My apologies for assuming wrong.”

“Oh, dear,” Mrs. Kincaid stated with a smile. “I gained another daughter and I’m not regretting it. And, so does Mr. Kincaid. Your dad.”

“You’re family, Elli,” Mr. Kincaid assured gently. “And, so is your father.”

Elli nodded with a smile. Without waiting for her husband’s reaction, she carefully guided Mrs. Kincaid towards the house, while she could hear both men behind them discussing about an apartment being prepared back in the city.

“I will have some tea ready for you, Mom,” she said gently when the elder woman took a seat on the couch inside the spacious living room.

“Let William take care of it, child,” Mrs. Kincaid responded as she tapped the space beside her. “Why don’t you seat here with me and we can talk? How is that painting of yours that you’ve been doing when I was here the last time? Have that one reserved for me, okay? I have this wall back at home that will suit the painting perfectly.”

“Just a few remaining touches and it’ll be ready,” Elli answered as she smiled at the maid who served them their tea. She carefully handed one to Mrs. Kincaid. “I will find time later or tomorrow so you can take it with you when you go back to the city. Please send me a picture of it once it’s up.”

“You can take a picture of it when we go back,” Mrs. Kincaid said.

Elli looked at her for a while, don’t know what to say.

Mrs. Kincaid noticed the look that crossed Elli’s face and she turned to her son. “You haven’t told her yet, have you, SJ?” She asked calmly, placing her cup on the table after taking a sip. She clasped her hands on her lap and looked at her son. “Are you trying to lead me on again?”

“I will tell her today, Mom,” SJ answered tightly.

“Then, tell her now,” Mrs. Kincaid insisted. “I assumed that you went ahead here to arranged everything on what we had talked about.”

“What do you mean?” Elli asked politely as she looked back and forth at the mother and son.

“You’re coming to the city with us when we return,” SJ said firmly as he looked at Elli straightly. “It has been discussed that we will be presenting you as my wife before you turn 21. But, prior to that, you will work with the ranks in the company to learn the system for a few months. Your employment has already been taken care of as well as the apartment you will be staying in has already been furnished and just waiting for you to move in.”

Elli remained silent for a while, absorbing the news.

“It’s just a few months, dear,” Mrs. Kincaid assured as she reached out and squeeze her hand. “After the press release, you will be staying with SJ, then. We’re just taking precautionary measures and let you adjust for a few months.”

“No,” Elli finally stated. She pulled her hand away and stood up. “I don’t understand. Don’t I have any say on this?”

She then turned around and run out of the room, clutching her head at the shocking news she just heard.

I’m not going there, she thought over and over in her mind. She walked towards the pool by the garden, calming her nerves. This is not right.

“How dare you run out from my mother?!” SJ scoffed angrily behind her. He grabbed her upper arm and turned her to him roughly and gave her a slap on the face. He grabbed her by the chin tightly and tilted her face up with one finger pointing at her. “I warned you, Ellisande. You’re going to regret by disrespecting my parents.”

“Let go of me,” she begged with tears in her eyes.

Elli was roughly pushed away and she tried to regain her balance, which she did. However, she took a step back to get away from him only to feel nothing but air. In a flash, she fell into the deep part of the pool, making a loud splash. With her arms flailing, she shouted for help, fear creeping up to her.

“Help me!” She shouted.

“Ellisande!” She heard Mrs. Kincaid’s voice screaming in fear.

“Sir, madam cannot swim!”

Two hours later, Elli remained sitting on the upper corner of her bed, wrapping her robe tightly around her as she stared out the window blankly. Her husband had dive in and saved her, but it didn’t made her feel better. It only made her remember a lot of bad memories she wanted to forget.

She pulled her knees up and hugged them as tears streamed down her face. The incident a while ago made her remember how her mother, who doesn’t know how to swim as well, unselfishly saved her after she was pushed down the pool by a boy, who keeps on bullying her when she was ten years old. Her mother died while saving her.

She remembered the look of the Kincaid’s when William told them the reason on why she doesn’t know how to swim while the town doctor checked on her vitals.

“Elli?” She heard Mrs. Kincaid’s voice outside her door along with a soft knock. “May I come in? I have Cherry brough some food for you. You need to eat.”

The knock finally subsided a few minutes later.

Ellisande touched her cheek where SJ’s hand had touched, and she could still feel the pain. She closed her eyes as she recalled what her father said.

“He’s going to treat you well, Elli,” he assured as he gave her a kiss on the forehead on the day of her wedding. “I know SJ and he’s a very good man.”

She finally stood up from her bed and went to her desk, reaching for her journal and started pouring out her emotions. She stopped from time to time, looking at the family picture of her and her parents as well as the square painting her mother had given her on her 8^th birthday. It was a painting of a tree with a swing in winter season and the reason for it was because Elli was born on the first day of snow.

It was early evening when she heard a firm knock on her door and she stood stiffly when it was her husband’s voice that came from behind. She quietly opened her door and stepped outside the hallway, stood in front of him quietly, her eyes on lowered.

“They’re waiting for us downstairs,” he gruffly said and started to walk towards the stairs.

Ellisande followed him quietly up to the dining room where his parents, especially his mother looking at him expectantly. She greeted them formally before taking a seat beside SJ. She thanked Cherry quietly when her food was served.

“Would you like some wine, Elli?” Mr. Kincaid asked gently.

“No, thank you,” Ellisande replied with a smile. “But, thank you for the offer.”

“William did say that you never drink,” Mrs. Kincaid commented with a smile as she placed down her glass. “Anyway, I’m heading towards the town tomorrow morning to check and buy some local goods to bring back home. I would really love for you to come with me.”

“Yes, I will go with you,” Ellisande answered.