After a quiet pause, Mark brings up another aspect. "What else does it say in here?" He skims through the pages and inquires further. I join him in reading. "They talk about weekly dates, going out formally every couple of months, and even planning for a baby in five years?" I blurt out, my face showing both surprise and annoyance. "Do they seriously expect us to stick to such a rigid schedule for having kids? Shouldn't that be a decision we make together? I mean, I do want to have children someday, and I'm not ancient, but turning it into a requirement makes it seem like a chore. And I'm not a fan of chores."
John jumps in, saying, "Well, it seems quite reasonable. It's not too demanding," seemingly relieved that we're not arguing about more fundamental aspects, like the marriage itself.
I continue reading. "They're not asking for excessive public displays of affection," I add, scanning the document further. "We're supposed to get to know each other's families and friends, and they expect us to introduce ourselves as an engaged couple, husband, or wife." The rest appears relatively manageable. We're basically expected to spend a lot of time together. I contemplate this. I'm worried that if we stick to it too strictly, I might start disliking him. "Can't we add something about spending time with friends or having some personal space? I'm pretty sure I'd start disliking someone if I'm around them this much. And just to be clear, Mark, it's not you specifically, but anyone, really. I think we should have some personal time."
Out of the corner of my eye, I notice Mark grinning. His mouth conveys pride, but his eyes seem surprised. What's caught him off guard?
The next hour is devoted to finalizing the contract, outlining the weeks and years ahead.
"It's getting late. Why don't you both stay in the guest rooms?" My dad suggests. I'm so exhausted that I can't even muster a refusal.
Mark is already dozing off, and John also seems pretty tired. "Thanks, we'll probably take you up on that offer," John says.
"Mark is already asleep. How about you wake him up and show him the guest room? It's the hospitable thing to do," my dad suggests. Again, I'm too worn out to decline, so I simply nod.
I gently wake Mark by shaking him. If he doesn't wake immediately, I give him another shake, but it doesn't make a difference. Since Dad and John aren't present, I decide to do something unconventional. I sit down on the couch next to him and whisper something. "Mr. Hernandez, your wife is ready." It sounds odd and amusing at the same time.
Mark stirs slowly. "Okay, you'll have to wait. Wait for what?" he asks.
"Go to the guest room so she can sleep," I say, standing up and heading to the guest room. "Do you prefer the couch or the bed?" I ask.
He gets up swiftly and heads over. "So, what are your thoughts on everything? How are you feeling about it?" he asks.
I'm uncertain about what to do. "It doesn't seem overly burdensome. My dad won't lose his entire business, I might get to see my mom again, and you appear to be a decent person," I say, speaking my truth.
"If you really knew me, you wouldn't say that," he responds, his tone carrying a hint of secrecy.
We arrive back at the room just as the guests are leaving. "This is your room. I'll bring something more comfy in a while," I say before heading out. When I return, I'm dressed in a T-shirt and loose sweatpants. "Here you go," I offer.
"Thanks," he mutters, facing the door. "I'm sorry for how I treated you. You seemed like you had it all figured out."
"It's okay," I reply. "Well, I guess I'll see you in the morning," I add, with a pause. We both part ways after he nods. When I reach my room, Charlie is already asleep. He goes to his own room.
I try not to wake Charlie up, but it's inevitable. He jolts awake as if he hadn't been asleep at all and asks, "What happened?"
I sigh. Exhaustion makes me reluctant to explain, but I do anyway. "Let's just say I'm engaged," I say, climbing back into bed, not even bothering to change.
"What?" He exclaims. What a mess. I get out of bed and change, knowing I can't escape this situation, so I might as well be comfortable.
I dress and return to bed. "My dad wagered my inheritance. In two months, I'll be married. I have to uphold my end of the deal. And in five years, I'm supposed to have a child. Regular date nights, public displays of affection," I ramble.
"Wait, let me make sure I've got this straight. Your dad bet your inheritance with John, and the only way he can claim it is if a member of his family marries you, and that's his son?" I nod. "Wow. Your life just took a turn."
"What's your take on this?" I'm frustrated, so I ask.
"Sorry. Why are you so edgy?" He responds defensively.
"I just finished reading the contract, and it took me five hours!" I take a breath because this is crucial. "I started today. Specifically, an hour ago."
"My bad. What do you need?" Charlie asks kindly.
"I'm not sure. Just some sleep."
"Alright. Goodnight, Yanna."
"Goodbye, Charles."
...
I woke up in a lot of pain from cramps, and the only thing that helps is baking and eating. Even though it's just Mark here, I need to bake to feel better.
After using the bathroom, I go downstairs to the kitchen. "Let's see, what should I make?" I say to myself. I look in the cupboards. "Breakfast or cookies, hmm. I think breakfast is a good idea. That way, everyone can have some," I keep talking to myself. It's something I do.
I gather all the things I need, put on my headphones, and decide to listen to music. I get so into my music and cooking that I lose track of time. Someone comes into the kitchen, and they tell me it's been an hour. Mark has to clear his throat to get my attention.
I jump. "Oh my goodness! You scared me. Please don't do that when we're married. Ever!" I say, and he just smiles. He's not wearing the shirt I gave him. Actually, he's not wearing anything else.
"I promise," he says and sits down at the bar island. "I have a question," he says.
"What is it?" I ask as I make a plate for him.
"When do you want to go ring shopping?" He takes a bite of bacon. Before I can answer, he adds, "Wow, this is really good. Did you make it?"
I nod. "Yep, I did. How about Wednesday?"
"Sure, but could you get out of school a bit early? I have an appointment," he asks.
"What's the appointment for?" I try not to say too much about school.
"Nothing really. And you didn't answer my question either." Darn it. I thought I could avoid getting caught.
"I don't mind missing my last class. Besides, calculus is a breeze," I say while getting myself a plate, turning away from him.
When I look at him again, his eyes are wide. "You find calculus easy?" He sounds both amazed and shocked.
"Yeah, I finish all the work in the first 20 minutes, then I doodle and let my mind wander for the rest of the time," I say without much thought, then sit down next to him.
"Wow, there's a lot about you I don't know and wouldn't guess. I'm excited to learn more," Mark says.
I'm trying hard to hide the redness on my neck. "I feel the same way, Mark."
"Mommy!" I hear yelling as well as loud running footsteps. Kara, Kyle and Willow come running into the kitchen. "Can you finish the story?""Not yet, we gotta wait for daddy and Milly." I dry my hands and lean down to pick up Willow. "Where's Landon?" I ask to go into the living room. I sigh when I see him sitting in front of the TV playing video games. Just like he's been doing with every minute of free time he gets."Come on, go outside and run around, get dirty." I put Willow down next to Landon."But this level is really hard and I can't-" I cut him off by turning off the TV and giving him a no arguing look. "Fine, I'll go outside.""Be a good brother and take your sister to the swing set." I say handing him Willow."Really? It's bad enough I can't finish my game." I put my hands on my hips. "You know what? I have a sudden urge to push my little sister on the swing." He says picking up Willow and walking to the front door."Smart." I call out with a chuckle.Kyle and Kara follow t
"At this same time in 2018, on July 18th, we exchanged our vows and became husband and wife." I'm saying that while Mark is cooking, I should be strolling around the island in our brand-new kitchen and bugging him."I am familiar with the functioning of the calendar." Mark is using his smart mouth in an attempt to convince me to take a seat."Yeah, but today marks our anniversary of being together for a year." I would recommend coming to a complete halt right next to him and displaying him some images from the wedding.I want to reiterate that I am familiar with the operation of the calendar. This time, however, he lets out a chuckle. "OK, go ahead and have a seat. After supper, I'd want to take you somewhere special." Mark tells me that he is putting a plate in the seat next to mine.I get up and make my way over there before sitting down. "Oh, I'm so excited to find out where you've planned our anniversary celebration!" I smirk."This comes as a complete shock to me." He appears to
My birthday is on the first of June, which means that it is only a day away at this point. My hair has now grown out to be almost one inch long. Although there isn't enough to show just yet, it's still there. Mark and I have become even more close recently, and in light of this, we have increased the number of dates we go on that take place outside of the venues we previously attended.We packed a lunch and had a picnic at the highest point of our hike. We went to a community pool with Abby and Charlie, where they gave Lexi her first swim lesson when she was six months old. It was adorable to see how she reacted when she got into the water. We've had a lot of quality time together, both with just the two of us and with our respective friends and families.I've already told Mark that I don't want a party, so instead we're just going to go on a short bike ride around the area and eat lunch somewhere along the way. I instructed him not to get me anything, but he insisted on getting me at
"Ooh look a fortune teller." I can't help but crack a grin as I take a seat with the stuffed elephant I'm holding in my arms.It is not necessary for us to get our horoscopes read at this time. While he is saying this to me and attempting to drag me away from him, he grabs my hand."Yeah, we are now seated." I issue this command. He acquiesces with a rolled eye expression and does what he is told."Get your fortune told for just five dollars," the ad read. The fortune teller cracks a wry smile as she circles her hands around the crystal ball in her possession. Mark removes a five dollar bill from his pocket and places it in the container that she is using. "Each." The female contributor continues. Mark makes an expression of rolling his eyes before adding another five. "Well, right...," the speaker said."There's a chance that we shouldn't even go in there." Turning around is something that Mark objects to."Nope! We didn't drive all the way here simply to turn around and head back ho
"I've made up my mind about what course of action I want to take." When it's time to clean up after supper, Sophie is the one who makes the announcement.The question then was, "And what is that?" I put the plate I'm washing down and turn my attention to her, asking her to pay attention to me instead."I am aware that winter is in full swing, but despite this, I have the urge to participate in some sort of carnival." She withdraws her presence gradually. "I am aware that it is somewhat childish, but I would really like to do it before I become a teenager.""It does not have an infantile quality. I have a feeling that we are going to have a lot of laughs." I'm heading towards the desk where my computer is located right now. I'll investigate whether there are any indoor carnivals in our area. This is what I am saying while I type."Really?" She asks with a grin as she makes her way over to me to keep an eye on what I'm looking for."Absolutely, we're looking forward to the fun. We are a
"Mark?" I stammer out while turning my head to look at him."Alyanna, you have to make sure that you get enough rest. It is currently two o'clock in the morning." Mark utters these words while setting his book down to the side."I just can't shut my brain off. It is imperative that I convey the following information to you." I say blinking slowly.The question is, "What is it?" He requests that you move in a little bit closer."I had a dream about Maya being in this place," the narrator said. When I make an effort to swallow, however, it causes more discomfort than it solves. It had been ten years since I had from high school, and my wife and I were taking our four children with us to attend the reunion. I smile."Really? Were Milly and Landon two of the names that you were considering?" He inquires while straining his eyes slightly to the sides."Yeah, and the other two were a set of twins by the names of Kara and Kyle," she replied. I pause for a moment before asking, "Are you fond