Days After You's

Chapter 27 - Debate with Mother

A week after returning from City D, I was finally able to find some free time to visit my family home. Mother has repeatedly called because we did not come after returning but what can make me busy with company affairs. Therefore, today is right on the weekend, Stella and I were just able to visit the mansion of my family residence.

Since morning, as it had been when Stella and I came to visit the house, Stella was actively making some food to bring home later. I didn't try to hold him back like I used to because I knew he would still insist on preparing all that food no matter what I said. Instead of me watching him struggling in the kitchen over a morning cup of coffee, I chose to offer him a little hand to help after he nearly dropped the bowl with the dough in his hand. Sometimes my brain is still processing how the food tastes so good that he who cooks is so careless as a beginner in the kitchen.

Stella plans to make cranberry tarts and chipotle chicken burritos. So while he was dealing with the dough for his tarts and chicken, he asked me to prepare the rice that would be put on his burrito later.

...cranberry tarts...

...Chipotle chicken burrito...

"Luiz, mix the lime juice with two spoons, not everything" said Stella. I who had already raised the bottle of lime juice and almost poured all its contents into the rice bowl slowly lowered it again.

Just barely.

"Okay," I answered and lifted up a small bowl of leaves I did not know the name, "What about these leaves..?"

"If the cilantro leaves just put everything."

"OK..."

Stella appeared next to me to pick up the spoon shortly after, smiling, "I'm happy to see my grandfather again, she's always nice to me as if I'm her own granddaughter. I hope she likes all this food, and so do your mom and dad."

I turned my head and tilted my head, "I always wondered why you never got mad at grandfather and father? Don't you save a little bit of their annoyance at having already betrothed you to me, someone you don't know at all?"

There's gotta. No matter how good Stella is, she'll still keep, even a little, a sense of annoyance for someone who forces something on her, right?

"I knew you even before all this Luiz, you were everywhere in magazines and tv so it's impossible not to know about you. Father and grandfather.Have you ever felt hate for my mother and father for the same reason?"

"...No."

"I'm the same. Luiz, you know for yourself that it's useless for us to trouble those who just want the best for us, right? Even if you and I are going to get divorced later, we should still respect them. Besides I really like to hear Grandpa's story, he's a great, wise man."

I watched him turn on the stove and put a frying pan on it. Her braided hair swung left and right due to her movements.

"Luiz," Stella said again, glancing over her shoulder, "I want to ask you something. If you don't want to marry me why not just cancel it in the first place instead of having to make a contract with me? I'm sure it'll be easier for you."

"I can't refuse. Grandpa likes you a lot. The only way he'll change his mind is if you're the one who rejected this match. He won't have the heart to force you, I'm sure of it."

Stella just froze, "Oh, I don't know. I'm sorry, Luiz. I always just follow what I'm told so I don't argue at all, I don't think you mind, if I knew this really made you feel trapped I would definitely try to reject it kindly."

I hate myself for bringing up this topic. I just ended up making the unmistakable Stella feel guilty about everything that happened up to now as a result. Worst possibility? I might as well hurt her feelings at the same time.

When the sun had shown its mark past noon, once everything was out and ready, Stella and I went to my house. There we met a mother who was watching television while drinking tea. We gave all the souvenirs and food Stella made to the maid who approached us.

"Luiz! And...Stella, I miss you guys, "Mom got off the couch and moved around hugging me and Stella while pulling a smile that tends to be forced. I secretly realized that she wasn't holding Stella as tightly as she was holding me.

"Oh you guys finally came, finally came," Grandfather also followed appearing a moment later from the direction of the stairs. He then invited Stella to tell him about the days in City D and the souvenirs we brought home from there while mom turned to pull my arm towards the other room.

I frowned but did not say a single word against it other than a short question.

"What else is this mom?"

"What else is it? There's nothing Luiz apart from you getting closer to Stella."

"Huh?"

"Don't you say your marriage is just a contract? Why did I hear that you went for a walk with him at the mall, the animal shelter and...and went out of town to host his cousin's wedding as if you were a harmonious couple?"

"Mother..You've been watching me all this time?" I asked in disbelief. From the beginning, I did tell mom about my contract with Stella because she was the only one who didn't agree with this matchmaking from the start. If I knew he was just going to be and act like this, I wouldn't do that.

"No, I'm not watching you. Mom's friends saw you accidentally."

I narrowed my eyes, "Really? Because if you do, ma'am, I don't know what else to say. You were always a good woman when you raised me but why—"

Mom took my hand, "Okay.ok, I'm sorry if it offended you. Understand baby, I just want you to be happy. You deserve a better woman Luiz, who can bring you the best. And that woman is not Stella."

"Stella's not as bad as you think ma'am. He has his own advantages and if you think you're gonna set me up again after this, forget it, it's useless. I'd rather not get divorced from Stella than marry a foreigner of your choice."

Mom's eyebrows swooped down, "No. Of course it's useful. Mother's choice will always be better, you'll be balanced. And don't give me that look, I know Stella's not a bad woman, she just doesn't suit you Luiz. The only thing that makes her your wife now is that she's smart enough to look up to your grandfather and father. He's not as stupid as you think just so you know."

I opened my mouth but my mother stopped me by raising her hand. He turned around and walked away.

"It has. I don't want to argue with you anymore, Luiz. Let's go back."

I can't believe you can say all that stuff about Stella without feeling guilty. Looking face? I think grandpa or dad could figure out right away when someone tries to do that in front of them.

I hope you can slowly change her perception of a woman who deserves to be with me and be patient until my contract expires without hurting Stella, because I don't want to have to choose to side with mom or Stella again in the future. I don't want to have to fight mom anymore to defend Stella. Because mom has always been the woman I've wanted to respect since childhood and Stella is also the woman I want to respect as a friend and my current wife. I don't want to hurt either of them.

Besides I don't think, Caryna's married to someone else, with whom else do you think you're going to match me later?