After having their dinner date, Holmer dropped Mandy at her home, before he took off, they stood by the doorway. Holmer held the slight girl in his arms, their lips met, and he knew with certainty that he would love Mandy till the last breath left his body. She was still doubtful, however, and asked," So when are we going to be officially married?"
"Likely in two weeks, don't worry about the wedding expenses and preparations, they will be all carted for by me."
Mandy sighed. I can't believe we will get married in two weeks. You have made me the happiest woman in the world. Frankly, you have. I can't find words to tell you just how much you have made me feel and how much your proposal means to me. So all that is required is to inform our family members and friends right?"
"Why don't we keep it as a secret for now uhmm....?"
Mandy pulled away from him and said," Oh God, I wanted to shout it out from the rooftops," she said disappointed." But why do we have to keep quiet about it, as if it something to be ashamed of, when fairly it is something that we should celebrate of."
"Don't fuss," Holmer said, it's just for a day or two."
"Okay just for a day or two no additional days right?"
"Right sweetness." He responded gently.
When they both had agreed to stick on the same page, Holmer kissed her lips gently and said," Go have a rest Hun it has been a long night for both of us."
"Sure it has."
Holmer made sure she had entered inside and left. When he reached his apartment in Vitanda street, he failed to keep it as a secret as they had both agreed to, Holmer's parents were the first ones he called, then followed by his family members and all his closest friends he couldn't compromise his happiness with not sharing the good news with anyone a secret that he had told Mandy to keep, he couldn't bear the excitement but just had to tell.
The very same week Holmer was called by his father to go to their home and have a serious discussion about the wedding date and the arrangements. Most of all, to be taught how to keep a lady and what a man needed to know about a woman. His parents' mansion was inevitably beautiful and lavishly furnished inside with about six maids, four chefs who knew how to prepare different types of cuisines, three gardeners and five chauffeurs and had a very huge yard and you could hear birds chirping and smell pine and eucalyptus fresh breeze landing across their spacious garden with a fountain flow to the side as you drove in. Whenever Mandy was invited, the garden was most of her favourite places that she loved, it reminded her of the park Nana used to take her for walks when she was young. She enjoyed its view, listening to the birds as they sang and the coolness that it produced was exciting. At times she felt as if Holmer's place was her second because of the love that Debby showered her with. Debby a red-haired lady with grey eyes who always was dressed up fashionably perfect, all the clothes that she wore fitted her well as they were sown on her body. A nicely shaped figure a bit younger than her husband, you can hardly mistake her to be Holmer's aunt if carefully not looked at. A very glamorous, cheerful lady with a broad smile whenever she receives visitors.
The yard was full of different kinds of varieties of flowers, a big garage with about thirty cars all different models. You could say Holmer was born with a golden spoon not a silver spoon in his mouth, being an only child and spoiled by both parents, his father running oil companies, they were filthy rich no wonder her parents were stack by them like a bee sting. Mandy had no slight idea how her parents managed to betrothed her in that family.
"My son now that you are fully grown and decided to settle down, are you is this what you want?"
Before he gave a reply his mother cut in," Earlier you used to say you were not in love with her, have you fallen in love now? Don't marry her out of self-pity and make her suffer and regret by choosing you."
Holmer turned to his parents and smiled at them, and the moment he had heard his parents mention her name, he felt his heart turn over. There was nothing in the world that he craved for, he wanted Mandy by his side legitimately and always, he had fallen in love with her dearly. Now there was not the slightest uncertainty in his mind.
After taking a long time thinking about it he finally answered," Mum, Dad, no need to worry I love Mandy wholeheartedly, I can't even explain how I feel about her now, but all I know is that I have grown to love her.
His parents Debby and Hudson were happy with his about what he felt for her and the step that he had taken. Most of all they couldn't wait to have grandchildren running around their mansion, wherever they went to visit their families they envied their children for blessing them with grandkids. And they were asked questions of mockery as to why their son was taking long to marry, they even thought they were greedy and wanted their son to marry in the influential family as other rich people do.
When Mandy closed the door, Nana walked towards her and hugged her, as she was shaking and trembling with both joy and letdown and at the same time. Nana admired her expensive diamond ring, especially f designed for her and said to her," Congratulations my girl finally at last! you have been patient, now see how fortunate the fruits of patience are my dear girl? You are in love and the way you two spoke to each other today, with so much sweetness I could feel that connection and affection of love between you two, what made him realise and come to his senses that he had a precious delicate stone in front of him that he might lose was it his parents? or him?" She asked.
Before Mandy started explaining, Nana led her to the living room and helped her sit on a brown sofa, and said," Wait before you say anything, let me make us some lemon tea it will help you calm down."
When Nana left for the kitchen Mandy started soaking, she was so embarrassed with what happened previously, she couldn't believe Holmer who has been the love of her life, had stopped her to share the good news, she never showed it to his face that she was hurt.
"How could he tell me to keep sweet thing such as this one why? After all those years of waiting, he did not pity how this would affect me, already I'm having headaches on how am I going to keep this from my parents most especially Mama she's was the one who came up with the whole idea of betrothing us, I never approved of this relationship from the beginning, but as time went by I became in love with him, now that Nana heard everything there's nothing there to hide."
While she sat there thinking to herself, Nana appeared with lemon tea on a tray in her hands, she put a tray down on a coffee table and sat down beside her.
She looked at Mandy with astonishment said," Oh....my poor child, it's going to be your tremendous day soon aren't you happy with the news? Why are you soaking as if you two have broke up why uhm...?
"Nana he has stopped me from sharing this news just yet, but he didn't tell me the....the reason behind it." She answered with a broken voice.
Please take heart I'm sorry to say this don't you think you're just a few steps away to be in his arms forever and you uh-huh... you've fought so hard for this relationship to even reach this far, so don't cry your eyes out maybe they are good reasons for secrecy he will share with you whatever his motives are in due time."
What hurts me so much Nana is, even when saying those words he said today. You could see it in his eyes, that he meant what he said, if only I knew that....that was going to halt me from sharing this moment of joy with the world, I...i...wouldn't have accepted his proposal in the place first." She responded with a cold voice.
"That's the way love is my dear, errr.... you can never know what one is thinking, and it can never be explained anyway, the did have already been done, what's next? Urr... I think we have to tell your parents and if we don't, how are the preparations going to fall in?"
Mandy looked at Nana and said," Yes, yes, Nana you are right! I will notify them all. Now it will be my word against his, this happiness needs to spread out like wildfire among everyone starting with my parents, so please promise me you will back me up when it backfires back on me?" She asked with a crooked smile.
"You already know the answer my girl for you I will! Cheer up and dry your tears, for now, let's drink our tea before it gets cold. Then go to bed and rest cause it's been a long night for the both of us." She replied.
" Yes you are right Nana it's been a long night this whole thing has exasperated me, I never thought Holmer would have had the audacity to stop me...this came has a hard blow to me, anyway what can I say?" Holmer can make you hate love I guess all men are the same it's like they are born from the same. "Mandy replied. Her justification for saying all this, was because she had recalled what her friend Natasha was going through in the name of LOVE.
"Dear, don't say too much out of spite neither men are the same, Holmer is just one of a kind, as I said earlier you will unfold to you the reason behind this, come let's change the subject cause it's only making you sad. Remember, tomorrow is another day for making calls so don't worry yourself." Nana responded.
"Alright, Nana let's go to bed have a good night ." She replied.
"Good night to you too dear," Nana answered back.
They both walked to their rooms silently.
Later that week he pampered Mandy with different types of presents, a bouquet of roses and her favourite chocolates, you name it everything was there. All this surprised Mandy cause she has never seen this sweet side of him, but despite all the pampering and the spoiling, she was enjoying the new Holmer. She wished he could have been like that all those five years they have been together.