Chapter 2 - Skandar's Test

The white and blue house was in a luxurious residential area in Northbourne Avenue, it looked busier than usual, and many servants were bringing lots of dishes. They put them on the long table in the dining room. A waiter brought a new plate and arranged it, after that, another plate would be come and arranged beside others, and so on. Even though they had prepared it since two hours ago, but they hadn't finished yet.

A man just stared their activities lazily from the first floor’s balcony. He deliberately put both hands into his trousers’ pockets. His red shirt looked great with his tan skin. He had hoped that only one of his family members would behave normally, but his hopes seemed being useless at all. All his family seemed to conspire for torturing him tonight.

Skandar Alexander Hemingway, the man was waiting for his mother. However his mommy deliberately avoid him some time, she could read his mind certainly. Even though she took a long conversation with his grandmother. His mother was really annoying, Skandar groaned in annoyance to the woman whom had given birth to him into the world. Skandar was not in good mood to greet anyone, it caused his younger sister approached him cheerfully.

"Are you waiting for your future wife, bro? You look impatiently!" Teased his sister, Nancy Hemingway.

"I can't wait to end mom’s silly drama!" Fizzed Skandar to his younger sister.

Nancy laughed to her brother's answer, it was not surprised if her frigid brother would talk vividly in this situation. Skandar was male version of their mommy, he was so frontal and outspoken. Skandar's younger sister was playing with her cell phone, as if she was looking for something on her cell phone.

“Do you know your future wife’s face? Mom said that she is very young." Nancy said to her brother, she was remembering her mom's words the afternoon.

"Do you know who she is?" Expressed Skandar fast.

"Sure, she's even younger than me." Nancy answered honestly.

Skandar blinked his eyes confused, wait for a moment... If his younger sister was only twenty one years old, how old was she? It’s impossible for him to marry a girl whom was younger than his sister's age. Skandar exhaled his breath, he seemed choked.

"How old is she?" Asked Skandar carefully to his younger brother.

"She’s seventeen years old, I think."

"WHAT!!!??" Skandar's jaw felt as if he had fallen it on the floor while he was listening his sister's tweet. "Mommy should match a junior high school student with me, it would be great disaster!"

"Mommy said, the teenager is easier to be managed... and-" Nancy did not continue, the girl only grimaced and laughed.

"And what?" Asked Skandar impatiently.

"She has not had much experience yet, she is still innocent inside and out and the important thing is that you can teach her from the start." His sister said, her cheeks flushed red, but she continued to look at her brother's face, which was as red as a boiled crab.

"My Mommy has been crazy!!" Fizzed Skandar.

The conclusion, his Mommy had lost control. Losing control of her sanity! If his sister laughed continually to tease him, Skandar would pull her hair exasperatedly. Please, Nancy should feel how to be matched with person who had far gap age than herself. Matchmaking had made you headache crazily, and marrying a childish girl whom would make you turned into crazed and deranged.

The Hemingway family heir went straight from the balcony to the living room where his mom, daddy and his grandmother were seriously waiting for their 'honored' guest. When she reached at the living room, how shocked he was! The guests who had been invited by their family had arrived, she was very young. His mommy saw his attendance directly, she smiled gently to him. Skandar thought that his mom was very clever to hide her guilty toward himself.

"Ahh come here, dear.... Your future wife has come." Narcissa Hemingway said, and she immediately grabbed her son's arm.

“This is my eldest son, Skandar Alexander Hemingway. And dear, this is Mr. Noah Davis and his wife, and this lovely girl is Charisa Zwetta Davis, your future wife, son." Replied his daddy.

Skandar almost shed tears, his worst nightmare seemed to be turning into logic. The Hemingway man looked horrified when he saw a teenager, so young. She had been asked by his mommy in order to be closer towards him. Skandar gave his grandmother and mommy a warning look, but the two Hemingway women seemed not to find Skandar's warning.

"Sista, Charisa doesn't want to...." The young girl whispered and squeaked at the woman who was older than her, Skandar raised his eyebrows when he heard that.

"It is okay now." The other woman replied to calm her down, and pushed her sister-in-law forward a few steps.

Skandar Hemingway finally greeted Davis's wife, then his eyes turned to the young girl in a long blue dress. There was no need to ask for her identity card even to test whether the girl was young or old, because Skandar even doubted if the girl had already had an identity card. Skandar threw a cold gaze on the girl. Charisa Zwetta Davis was shorter than him, the girl looked away from his gaze.

Ckk, See, even though we had not married yet, we had been in a cold war like this!

"Ahh... They may be still clumsy... Let's have dinner and talk then." said his mommy who didn't take care about her son's fate.

His mommy invited them all to come into the dining room. Skandar walked on the right side of his grandmother. He helped her to walk patiently. His grandmother gladly accepted his favourite grandson’s care. No matter, how annoyed Skandar Alexander Hemingway was, he would not be able to ignore his family. Noah Davis discreetly watched his future brother-in-law’s attitude. The man elbowed his wife's arm who had been watching his little sister. Amanda followed his gaze, and she knew her husband's intention, at least they were not very wrong in making decision at the time. They found right guy for their sister.

"Let's have our usual dish, feel yourself at home, Mr. Davis." Mr. George Hemingway, the head of the Hemingway family, opened their dinner session.

"Thank you for your welcome, Mr. Hemingway." Said Noah Davis politely.

"Don’t mention it, we are glad to welcome you. Please, assume all of us as family from now on."

Soon, the family dinner contained with Mr. Hemingway, his wife, Mrs Hemingway, and Noah Davis. Several times, a girl who was introduced as Skandar’s sister participated in their family’s jokes. Another side, Skandar just got silently, the mature man just answered his family’s chirp by his distinctive mutter.

The dining room of the Hemingway family house was indeed large, there was even enough space to place several large cabinets containing a collection of expensive porcelain and ceramics belonging to Mrs. Hemingway, where as their dining table had been very long too. The main course had been already served, Amanda took a white porcelain bowl for her sister-in-law, and then she poured a few spoons of pumpkin soup. However the young beautiful girl, Charisa, whispered her in a low voice.

"Sista... Charisa feels scared on the uncle." Whispered Charisa innocently, but her statement was caught by Skandar’s sharp eyes.

The tall man had already watched over the young girl on purpose, if he couldn't step back anymore, after that he had to know what kind of girl whom his mommy had flattered, she was really good or even she had just pretended to everyone.

"Which uncle do you mean?" Amanda asked in a whisper too, she didn't want to be considered rude if Charisa meant the head of the Hemingway family, Mr. George Hemingway.

“The Uncle, he is in front of Charisa, he seems to have fangs. Is he vampire?"

Amanda smiled stiffly. Did Charisa not realize that the uncle and the vampire who had fangs she meant was her future husband? They had told Charisa about arranged marriage. An arranged marriage was between her with a man because of her father’s testament before he passed away. A will in order to Charisa got married with his friend’s grandson. Amanda would not blame her sister-in-law who immediately cried. Charisa did not want to leave. Which girl would obey if she found out that she would get an arranged marriage soon?

Charisa Davis even sulked on her sister directly, the young girl also asked if her father had a debt to the Hemingway family and took Charisa as their hostage. Noah and Charisa even had to speak personally for two hours to persuade Charisa, the reasons as namely her fathers’ will and her brother got job mutation to New Zealand for another weeks were one of them. Charisa couldn't move her high school quickly if she wanted to graduate this year, nor she should be allowed to live alone in Canberra. It caused this matchmaking was the only way.

"Is this mango sticky rice pudding?" Charisa chirped loudly. Then the young girl ate her pudding greedily.

“Yes, it's mango sticky rice pudding, a Thai dessert, honey! Does Charisa like it?" said Narcissa Hemingway gently.

Skandar’s mommy even asked one of her housemaids to get one more portion for Charisa. When she saw a whole serving of mango sticky rice pudding in front of her eyes again, the girl's eyes widened even more. Please, noted that Charisa Zwetta Davis never failed to be bribed with sweet and delicious foods.

"She is still alike a kid." Skandar scowled from his chair. Nancy who heard her brother’s wheezing got chuckles from her chair, she assumed all matters concerning her family later, and it would be funny surely.

"Do you like Thai foods, Mrs. Hemingway?" Asked Amanda as a bit curious.

"Ahh yes, this is because my husband whom has a resort business there." Said the mother of a couple of Hemingway's son and daughter.

"Thailand is a beautiful country, especially the beaches." Noah responded.

"That's right, Mr. Davis, that's why I have invested my many assets there this year." Skandar’s daddy replied enthusiastically.

The "unusual" dinner didn't feel over either. Furthermore, Skandar knew if both of his dad, mom, or grandmother seemed enjoying conversation with Davis family. Especially his mom who looked so impatient to make her as 'daughter-in-law'!

"Ms. Charisa, can we talk only the two of us?" Skandar said suddenly when they had finished their dinner and they would go back to the living room.

Charisa was still loading. She was digesting the words of the man whom she had called the vampire uncle, the young girl had just frozen, Skandar immediately grabbed her arm and invited the girl to the garden behind his house. The two families stunned to see Skandar Hemingway’s heroic behaviour. Skandar was the man whom seldom spoke, but once more he had a talk, he immediately kidnapped his future wife. Their startled family was immediately melted by the ridiculous behaviour of anyone else if the person was not Skandar's mom.

"Ahh my son is really cunning and brainy." Praised Skandar’s mommy reflexively, she smiled broadly after that.

"Mom..." Nancy rebuked.

“We can go straight to the living room then. Dear Nancy, can you take grandmother?" Asked Hemingway's grandmother to her granddaughter.

Meanwhile in the back garden, Skandar had ordered all his servants away from the area. Skandar had closed his house’s back door, he had confirmed that no one was there except for him and the young girl, Charisa Zwetta Davis.

The man, whose surname was Hemingway, then returned to the place where his future wife was waiting for him with curious eyes. The high school girl was standing near his daddy's koi fish pool. Her blue dress was blown several times in the evening breeze. With the light away from the shadows, Skandar could observe her more freely, Skandar recognized inevitably if the young girl had naturally beauty. He would have a beautiful young wife as her.

"In brief, I dislike small talk now, you have already known me, right? I'm Skandar Alexander Hemingway." Said Skandar in his usual cold tone.

"Aa... Uncle is my future hub-" Charisa, who was still a high school student, didn't think that she had to face a situation like this. The girl stuttered about it.

"Yes, your future husband." replied Skandar, His jaw line slightly hardened as he was saying those. He could not still believe if he had to get arranged marriage finally. "I wonder, what is your motive for accepting this matchmaking?"

"I have no motive whatever, I'm also a victim here, uncle!!" Shrieked Charisa, she was panic. She could feel if the man was judging her and her family. Tears started to flow on her lids, after all she was a victim in this situation, and her youth was not even allowed to bud and bloom.

"I know that you are also a victim in this matchmaking, I just want to know why you agreed for this matchmaking!?" Exclaimed Skandar in an increasingly high voice.

"Because it was my father's request, my father’s last will. I couldn't even meet him when he died last time… Huhuhu....” The girl started crying at the time.

"HEY!!! Don't cry, I'm not scolding you!" Skandar said quickly.

Skandar did sympathetic when he heard the young girl's answer, the next question that he wanted to ask, it seemed caught in his throat. Without even asking, he knew that the mawkish girl in front of himself was a good girl. From the beginning, the Hemingway man did not want himself to make a wrong choice, therefore as much as possible before marriage even if he was forced to, he would make sure that his future wife was not a hussy or a bitch like a girl out there.

“My second question, do you mind if you marry me later? Do you know the duties of the Hemingway family's eldest son's wife?"

"Is uncle asking for me?" Charisa asked Skandar innocently.

“No, I'm asking for the koi fish behind you! How silly you are! Yes, I must be asking you, who else?"

"Hey, I'm not silly!!!" The girl shouted, making Skandar's ears hurt excruciatingly. The Hemingway man rubbed his ringing ear after that.

"If we get married, I shall make sure that our marriage is real, I'm not a person who will be playing sacred thing and a marriage is consecrated thing for me. As the eldest son of the Hemingway family, I must have children. That means that I must make babies with you during our marriage. ”

"How to make babies? Like reading in biology books?" asked Charisa, she forgot about the contents of the textbook that made her remedy for second times.

"What biology book do you mean?" Asked Skandar by his eyebrows raised up one side, a sign if he was surprised. But the girl just stared back at him by her two round eyes, she did not extend her words back.

"I assume you don't mind. And one more thing, I want to know your response to me, especially your body language!"

"What!!?"

Charisa never understood the man's actual question in front of her, starting from continuing Hemingway clan’s name, making babies, to which response the dumb man meant. That stupid uncle got closer to herself. She walked even further backwards. She could enter into the pool if the man continued to get closer to her.

“Hey, what are you doing? Back off!!? Come forward or I shall hit you." Shouted Charisa who was already panicked first, actually the young girl's words were more like just a scolding for Skandar. Because she was not a match for Skandar who kept just walked over. Skandar Hemingway only smiled disparagingly.

"Uncle!!!" Shrieked the young girl. She had almost fallen into the pool if Skandar didn't pull her for the next second.

He was pulling her up into his hug. Charisa, the girl still closed her eyes. The Davis’ youngest daughter was shivering, she thought clearly that she was going to fall into the fish pool. Seeing the frightened young girl, Skandar smiled amusedly, he did not expect his future wife being innocent as her before. Skandar relinquished his hug.

"Open your eyes! You have passed, you have passed from the water and my test!"

"Hah? Am I still dry, uncle?" The girl opened her round eyes and felt her entire dress.

"Don’t call me uncle, I'm not your uncle! I'm already going to be your husband next week!"

"HAHH!!"