The Marriage Order

S3 Publications

Sheryl Pov's

I immediately turned to look ahead. Irene was standing right in front of us. His eyeballs were moving towards our fingers. For a moment he looked confused, then quickly looked down politely.

"Morning, Mr. Rey," she said in a slightly restrained voice. He must have been surprised to see us coming together to this place hand in hand. On the other hand, I warned him so he could keep a secret.

"Morning." Reynand smiled faintly.

"What are you doing here?" my many. That question is the most weightless question in the world. Yes, his presence certainly makes me misbehave at the moment.

"You eat! You think why am I at the chicken porridge restaurant early in the morning?"

"Ciraine...."

"Gue–"

Irene closed her mouth as she answered. Reynand pointed at one of the tables.

"Sher, wait for me there."

"Yes, Rey."

Reynand went to the man at the cashier's desk. I quickly pulled Irene over to the empty table Reynand pointed at.

"Ren, you gotta sit here with me and Rey!"

"Diddeliver! Why am I a mosquito repellent here? Eating in front of a date...." Irene snorted laughing.

"Yes-yeah.lo must meet me, Ren!"

"Lo crazy! There's Mr. Reynand. She's your boyfriend now, Sheryl."

"Yes, I know, but don't you see? Those guys had their eyes straight at me. I don't know what they think. A single man and his sister's widow...." I started with some negative prejudices that might just make people gossip about us. How not? They immediately seemed to whisper and laugh with the person beside him.

"Thinking very! Before you were made, you should have known there would be something like this."

I took a deep breath and no longer commented. Reynand came and sat down at the same table. The man without hesitation placed his palm on the back of my hand. Suddenly Irene glared in amazement. His eyeballs moved back on Reynand's palm sticking there.

I whispered in Reynand's ear, "Isn't this too blatant? You're not afraid they'll talk about us?"

Reynand replied to me with her confident voice, "Do we need to hold a press conference for our relationship?"

I patted my forehead, speechless. Reynand's unhesitating attitude showed that our relationship after having Papa's blessing was inevitable. That was him. A confident man.

"I don't ask for food from people who talk about us. So you should think and act only for our happiness" Reynand added. This time with a voice that sounded pretty loud. It seems, he deliberately made the Pradipta employees who were around our table shut their mouths.

"Sir Reynand's right, Sher!" timpal Irene responded to my lover. A second later, he stood bowing his head, "sa-I think, I should immediately return to my table. Enjoy your breakfast."

"More!" I called, but the woman didn't even look. He immediately returned to his desk and spoke to some of the other women from his department who had been waiting since.

"You're ashamed to admit me as your lover?" Reynand suddenly asked in a soft voice.

"No. It's not like that, Rey!" Instantly I looked.

"Then?"

"As I said before. That blessing we haven't fully gotten. Your mother still hates me. Then...."

"Then what, huh?"

"I don't want them to vilify you for being in a relationship with me."

"You really...."

"Why do you keep worrying about your status? I don't even care if I have to date a granny like you!" Reynand was upset. His voice boomed in the middle of the porridge restaurant that had been noisy turned so silent.

I'm so embarrassed. Circulating his gaze around the room with a whimper that must have seemed strange before them. Reynand who was still upset suddenly got up from her seat. He stared one by one at the restaurant customers sitting around us with his cold eyes.

"Sheryl and I love each other. I would be very grateful if you guys respect our relationship by not gossiping about it. And as my gratitude, you don't have to pay for all the menus you ordered."

Reynand's loud voice that had created silence turned boisterous because of his short speech. The Pradipta employees who were there suddenly shouted thanks and even congratulated us.

Am I thinking too negatively about them?

.

.

.

Not just in a chicken restaurant. Reynand also did his blatant stunt once we set foot in the lobby. We walked so close together that the one who saw rounded their eyes. How not? Next to Reynand's sturdy hand coiled freely on my waist as if I didn't want to take off for a minute.

"Rey, this is overkill," I said in a whisper.

"Not for me. They should know you're mine." He replied with a sweet smile.

"We survived in the porridge restaurant, that doesn't mean we survived here either" I said.

Not yet able to answer, the loud sound of a woman's silence was heard from behind. I turned my head and within half a second I realized who was there. Aunt Aina walked behind us. His eyes glanced sharply then passed us by just like that.

I closed for a moment. After this he is very sure to get his reprimand for making out with Reynand without looking around the situation and conditions.

"Mama won't rebuke you just for watching me hug your waist. Didn't I ever do more than this?"

Oh, ****! I can't pay it back. Reynand is completely different today.

I hurriedly gripped Reynand's wrist. Forcing him to unravel that waist hug. Reynand finally lowered her arm, switched to grabbing my finger and linking to it quickly.

"You didn't see it? She's your mother!" I was so panicked.

"Certain why? Mama knows we're dating."

"Jeez, Rey! It's the office," I said.

"Yes, this is the office. I'm not saying this is my apartment."

"You forgot our deal?"

"About hiding our relationship in the office?" he answered with a frowning eyebrow.

"Yes. You've ruined our deal since the restaurant."

"I think it's time. I want people to know what our relationship is, Sher. I want them to know you're my future wife."

"Yes, but isn't this just too much? Your actions must have made your mother think more unkindly of me!" my protest then pulled my hand off of Reynand. I hurriedly caught up with Aunt Aina who was standing waiting in front of the elevator.

"I'm sorry for my discourtesy just now, Mom. I'm not repeating it." I looked down with strong eyes.

"I hope Mama doesn't hurt Sheryl anymore just because of that sight."

Instead of hearing Aunt Aina's voice, I heard Reynand's words to her mother. My body straightened, looking directly at the couple's son and biological mother alternately. No words came out of Aunt Aina's mouth. He got into the elevator as soon as the door opened.