Alice Hughes’ POV
We went inside it and it was the best feeling that I ever had. It was an architecture that I never see before. I felt like I was home.
‘come, my mother and sister were waiting for you,’ Connor said as he took my hand.
‘Sister?’ I asked him.
‘Yeah, the person that served you at the restaurant, remember?’ He said as he was smiling at me. I smiled back before I remembered that waitress. I thought she was someone that worked there!
‘Ah! There they are! The new couple! so, how’s the drive here?’ Connor’s mom asked us. Connor gave the necessary details including our engagement.
‘She said yes, mum. I guess you have a new daughter now,’ he said as he looked at me. I was smiling at Connor before someone came inside the room. It was Ethan!
‘Ethan? What are you doing here?’ I asked him out loud. Everyone was looking at me and him.
‘Do you know him?’ His mum asked me. I nodded.
‘yes, we have Architecture class together,’ I said as I looked at his amber eyes. It was shining with mischief before someone came inside the living room.
‘Finally, you brought her back,’ the voice that I never forget. His sister!
‘wow, she even better when we’re not in the restaurant lights,’ she said before she pulled me into a hug.
‘OMG, I have always wanted a sister,’ she said as she looked at my left hand.
‘And I guess my prayer has been answered,’ she said before she kissed my cheeks.
‘my name is Ophelia,’ she introduced herself.
‘well, my name is—‘
‘Alice, I know. Connor seems cannot forget you the first time you guys met,’ she whispered to me before I looked at Connor. He was talking with Ethan. I blushed as he caught me staring at him.
‘well, now that we have known each other. Let me show you your room,’ she said as she pulled me to go upstairs. I was dragged by her. For a small woman, she was quite strong.
‘So, how come you don’t go back to your home for this holiday?’ She asked me before she opened the door. It was cozy yet dark. I guess I would like it here.
‘well, my parents are out of town, so, I might as well stay at the apartment,’ I said as I went to put my handbag on the bed.
‘This is nice,’ I said as I looked around. Ophelia was watching me as I was wandering around.
‘well, I’m glad you like it. I let you settle down then,’ she said before she went outside the room. I can finally let out the breath that I dont even know I was holding inside me. I went to look at the decorations on the drawers. It was some photos and when I looked closely at it, it was Connor’s.
‘Like what you see?’ A voice startled me from behind. I put down the photo and when I turned around, it was Connor at the door.
‘i don’t know you’re here,’ I said as I steadied myself with my hands on the drawer. He chuckled.
‘well, I could say the same for you,’ he said as he went toward me. I looked at the ground as I wanted to avoid his eyes. His rubies were glistening on me.
‘what are you doing here?’ I asked him when he went to look at his photos.
‘well, I just wanted to know if everything was according to your needs,’ he said as he looked at me with those eyes. Oh my, I don’t know what to act in front of him.
‘well, everything is well. So I guess I am comfy,’ I said as I laughed at him. He was looking at me, unlinked.
‘well, glad to hear it. Let’s go, mum’s making spaghetti tonight,’ he said before he took my hands before I pulled it away. Connor turned back to look at me.
‘i need to freshen up a bit. I see you down there,’ I said as I was smiling at him. I don’t know why I was nervous, especially with a bed close to us.
‘okay, I see you later then,’ he said before he kissed my forehead. It was tender, not like the one that we first shared in his car.
‘Right, okay,’ I said before I saw his silhouette gone out the door. immediately, I went to search for the bathroom. With the first door I guessed, it was the bathroom. I went to look at myself in the mirror before I splashed some water onto my face. I looked at me and I took a deep breath before exhaling it.
‘right, you ain’t nothing but a fighter. You’ve got this,’ I said before I went outside the bathroom and went toward the kitchen.
I went downstairs after I convinced myself that I don’t need to be afraid of Connor’s family. I already said yes and I will be a part of his family soon. The sound of laughter was coming from the kitchen. I was suddenly afraid to go inside there.
‘Alice, you’re here. Come I want you to meet my family,’ Connor said as he went to put his hand on the lower of my back. I smiled at him, even though my heartbeat was beating so fast that I cannot break at all.
‘i don’t know if I can do it, Connor. It seems that I was an outsider to join you for the holiday,’ I said as I stopped him. We were a few inches before we hit the kitchen through the closed door.
‘what are you saying, my love?’ He asked me when I was fidgeting my hands. I don’t think that I would be brave enough to go inside now.
‘come on, you might like it,’ he urged me before I stood my ground.
‘Connor, you don’t understand. You might be easy to talk to people, but I…I was afraid that people might judge me when I said yes to you. We’re not exactly alike, you know,’ I said as I smiled at him. The tear was dying to get out. I cannot, I couldn’t. What if that memory came again when I was trying to erase it?
‘hey, hey, shh..’ Connor said as he pulled my face and I looked at him. He was staring at me like I was the only girl in the world.
‘nothing, okay, and I mean nothing will hurt you anymore. I will be there to protect you and you know I mean it,’ he said before he pulled me closer and our lips touched. It was incredible and I was happy for now. I licked my lips after he kissed me. It still lingered with his kiss.
‘now, come on. You can do it. I know you can. I believe in you, Alice,’ he said before he offered me his hand and I gladly took it. We went through the door and he was greeted by everyone that was in the kitchen.
okay, to say it was a kitchen was underrated, it was a massive dining room plus with the kitchen for people to cook. There were lots of people. I don’t even know how many but I know it was large, a very large family.
‘Connor, my garmhac. How long has it been the last time I saw you in the country?’ His grandmother was calling after him. He went to her like a happy grandson as he dragged me with him as well.
‘Mhamó, you looked well. Have you been eating right?’ He teased before his grandma slapped him on the arm.
‘Ow, you know I was sensitive,’ he said before he rubbed his arm. I stood there as I was him with his grandma, teasing each other. He then turned to look at me and introduced me to her.
‘Mhamó, I would like you to introduce to you my fiancée, Alice Hughes. Alice, this is my Mhamó, Clara O’Sullivan,’ he said before I went to bow at her. She then roughly pulled my hand from Connor as I stumbled in front of her. Everyone was curious to see what this old lady will do to me. I was afraid but I kept a stoic face to show that I was not afraid of her or anybody.
‘Say, child, do you like to cook, I don’t know, perhaps playing with fire when your mother was not looking?’ She asked me as her red eyes were training on me. Now that I realized, Connor must take his eyes from his grandma.
‘No, I don’t,’ I lied. How can an old lady spot that burns from 15 years ago? I thought the scar vanished as I usually put concealer over it.
‘Hmm,’ she said as she looked at my hand. She was reading my palm before she looked at me. Sweat was dripping over my spine as her sharp cat-like eyes were training on me before she smiled at me. I smiled back at her.
‘well, you’re welcome here, since Connor had asked your hand in marriage,’ she looked at my ring finger. The ruby was shone in the light.
‘Come, why don’t you take a walk with me?’ She said as I went behind her wheelchair and I pushed her toward the backyard.
Phase 1-engaged. Checked.
phase 2-being interrogated by the oldest family member. In progress. We’ll see how it went. I gulped as I looked at Connor before I went outside the backyard with none than the other, Grandma O’Sullivan.
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