Unedited
My parents were coming back home today just in time for Adam's game tomorrow night and Sarina's wedding. Seth and Adam were picking them up from the airport. Sarina, Talha, and Hanaan were getting my parents home ready to welcome them back home while I was here stuck at work.
My parents have been gone for seven months. I did miss them even though I've been dodging their calls form about a month so far. I'm pretty sure mi Madre is pissed. Unlike Papi who literally forgets and forgives Mama never forgets. She's been sending Seth Daily to check up on me like I'm some kinda child but then again it's all my fault. I went to MIA on her. I usually miss her calls not intentional I have a guilty conscious weighing down on me.
I know I'm a coward. I didn't have the courage to speak to her after what I did.
When I got out of work I went to my parents trying my best to overcome my skittish anxiety.
"Mi Hija!" Papa exclaimed as I came through the door.
"Papi!" I greeted him smiling from ear to ear. Papi always had that effect on me.
"Mia where have you been? I've been calling your phone for while now." Sarina called me out
"I just got out of work where is Ma?"
"Mi hija I'm right here."
"Te extrañé Cuando estabas Fuera del país." I told them as I embraced both my parents and kissed both their cheeks.
"We did too," Papi assured as he places his hand on my head
"Maria why haven't you been answering any of my calls." My mom scolded me.
"No lo hice a propósito its just that a lot has been going on at work and I was on overdrive. Perdóname" I exaggerated the truth without any remorse.
My sister shamelessly order loads of delicious food from her favorite restaurant and tried to passed the food as her own as she set it up but she wasn't fooling anyone. Everyone knows how Sarina's food isn't as creative. We ate food and talked and laughed as our parents told a is about family back home. Especially how our abuela Maria was doing back in Colombia. I was named after My Abuela which is the reason why most people who know my grandmother call me Mia instead of Maria. She used to live with us before she went back to Colombia. There can't be two Maria's in a household without being I ended up with the nickname Mia. It's been a while since we all laughed or hung-out like this together and I missed it. Seth wasn't even being his antisocial douche self he was actually laughing and Making jokes. Adam was attached to Ma telling her about his basketball games and his championship game tomorrow. Hanaan, Talha, Sarina, and Papi were having their own discussion going And I was listening and having a good time until a thought crossed my mind. It might have been the most brilliant idea I had in a while and it solved my nagging problem without my parents killing me.
***flashback
"No!." I said in outrage.
"Wow, the first time I proposed to a girl and she rejects me in outrage." He chuckled leaning back in him on his chair
"It's official you're fucking crazy."
"Not as crazy as you. I'm not the person who could paralyze the whole market."
"But I wouldn't do that now. I do have a moral standpoint in hacks."
"So you're telling me you've never skimmed money from a massive corporation."
"No... Not noticeably." I mumbled the last part to myself to my dismay he heard and laughed
"Okay okay, chica I'll try my best not to offend the cyber queen. " He mockingly bowed that's when I flicked him off and packed my stuff to go back to work. "But I'm serious I need your to help to get my sister we'll just be married by law only up until the social works to get off my back and I become my sister's permanent Guardian and my uncle will leave me be, So please."
"I can't."
"Please help me." He pleaded to look at me like I was his only hope "you'll be helping a little girl from being dragged back and forth."
"Stop emotionally blackmailing me. I don't trust you."
"I promise to never do anything to you we can even draw up a contract and with any condition you want and if I ever break any of your conditions you can shoot me or do anything you want."
"As tempting as that sounds now I would end up in jail for murder if I do that." I sneered
"I'll give you a hundred grand if I break any of your conditions."
"Do you have that kinda money?"
"That's all I have in stashed somewhere now."
"What do I get out of this so-called marriage?"
"I know this might not seem like a strong enough persuasion but I have a feeling you wouldn't want to see a little girl's life miserable. Plus no one will know you're the tracer and no one will dare come after you."
"Why is that?"
"You'll be related to Major Sanders so no persecutor would persecute you unless they have their death certificate ready on hand."
"Aren't you already declaring war against Major by getting your sister back?"
"No not really Major has always known I would do anything to get my sister back and he told me that the only way he'll ever let that slide as if I had a stable enough family environment for her."
"Why is Major so fucking contradicting? He separated you and your sister to get leverage on you a now he's saying he'll let you have your sister back if you have a stable enough environment?"
"Yeah I know it's not much to go by but Major always keeps his word."
"Trusting the words of a mobster didn't know you were that naive. But seriously why not ask your lady friends."
"Because Major knows them and he'll know it's a fake. And I don't want a custody battle with him."
"And he's not going o suspect me being fake?" I laughed at the idiocy of his logic
"Have you seen your family background? Your perfect you have a sister who's a doctor a brother who's a lawyer a mom who's a teacher and a father who's an accountant. It's perfect Major wouldn't have any objections. Plus we've known each other since high school."
"We were never close in high school how are you going to explain that?"
"I'll just say that you and I liked each other in high school and our relationship didn't go nowhere because your brother disliked me after that things happened I graduated and started working for my uncle and when you graduated you when out a college out of state to get away from everything. When you came back we started seeing each other again and realized that we're good together."
"Aren't you such a romantic?" I mocked him giving him my disgusted face as I fake Gagged
"If you don't help me I'll spread rumors that you're the tracer." He said looking satisfied that he cornered me
"Your forgetting one important concept. I'm Muslim you're not. So how will anyone believe our union is real."
"We could be a multi-faith couple there are a lot of those so why would faith matter."
"It's against my faith to marry you."
"You cunningly smart I'm sure you'll think of something."
"This is a too big decision I'll have to think this over."
I Flashing back to that day I was snapped back to reality when Seth Said he'll drop me and Hanaan back to our condo.
"No Seth that's cool I can drive back I can't leave my car here."
"I don't think it's safe for Hanaan to be driving with you at night with that piece of junk." Talha ejected
"Wow. Just wow." I wanted to say more than that considering he just insulted my baby but my parents were there and I never cuss in front of my parents. I have to filter up to my language when they are around. "That's low Talha that's really low."
"Sorry but I'm serious your car isn't safe."
"F... Freak you." I snapped
"Maria how about this Seth drops both of you at home and Talha drops your car off at your Jose's auto shop and you can use your father's car to work while yours is there"
"Ma. Why me?" Talha whined
"It's your day off tomorrow, right? You can do this little favor for me and help your little sister in the process." It was the end of the discussion ma had pulled the
'Favor for me.' no one says no to that when my mom uses that phrase.
Even though I was Pissed off at first that I couldn't drive my car I was satisfied that Tallha was going to be my bitch. I smirked taunted at Talha's frustrated face.
Once me and Hanaan got home I went straight to my room and called Toby to tell him about my plan. It worked so well together because Toby would also be there at the game because his Cousin Jaylen was on the basketball team. All was set to motion.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Basketball and I might not agree with each other. I despise playing it but that didn't matter I was there to support my little brother. I tried my best to make it to all of his games this season but with work sadly I've only got the chance to make it to nine which is almost half of the season games. But win or lose I was going to make it up to Adam.
After work, I met up with Toby in the parking lot just before the game started so we could go in together.
It was a close game but Adams team won with 72-69. After the game, I invited most of his teammates including their families for a celebration dinner at Tracy's restaurant that was just across the street from here. My parents gave me weird looks but didn't object. After seeing Rayaan's family and Sophia and her husband I found out that Rayaan's brother was Mario one of my brother's teammates. I couldn't believe it at first because he looks nothing like his parents or Rayaan. But then Toby privately explained to me that Mario was adopted. I didn't ask how he knew that because I Assume It was because Ethan had told him.
"I can't believe you're Adam's sister. Wow-what a small world." Sophia said to me when she saw me. I was in the noodle of having a stress meltdown so I passed her without saying anything to her. I went to were My family was sitting and tried my best to eat what was on my plate. The food was tasteless and I kept glancing at where Toby was sitting with his cousin Nick and Jaylen. Envying how much at ease he was.
After the meal, I parting ways with my family and Hanaan texted me saying she was going to spend the night at her parents' house. Which I spending home alone tonight. When I got home I got ready for bed. I got a call from 'deluded jerk' just as I was about to put my phone in a charger.
"What do you want?"
"No hello honey?" He asked in a mockingly innocent tone.
"If you don't tell me why you called I'm going to hang up on you and never take any of your night calls." I threatened.
"Okay, I just called to ask you when are you planning on telling your family?"
"Tomorrow."
"You chickened out tonight didn't you."
"No, I didn't I just didn't think it was the right time."
"Sure, I believe you."
"Boy bye, I don't need your antagonize self at the moment," I told him hanging up my phone and putting it on do not disturb.
~*~*~**~*~*~*~
After work, I went to my parents' place fully knowing everyone was gathered there. Even Hanaan's parents' brothers and sister were there. It was a safe zone.
"Madre, Padre, Sarina, Seth, Talha, Adam, and everyone here I have an announcement to Make." I started off the place went quiet all eyes were on me with bewildered expressions on their faces. I couldn't stop shaking. "Mama Papi while you you guys were away I got married. And I wanted to wait and tell you this while everyone is gathered here.."
"Mía married?" Adam was the first to snicker at my confession as though it was the most ridiculous thing ever and to be honest it is.
"Maria if you want to get married you could have said so. I'm sure Ariana could set you up with some brothers from the mosque." My mom suggested as Hanaan's mom Ariana nodded in agreement.
When Hanaan's parents and siblings left. I went to my parents' room while my parents Sarina and Seth were in there as well and took out my marriage certificate as proof because I had a feeling something like this would happen.
"I'm serious I did get married." I insisted on handing my proof to Sarina.
"Shit! mom, she's not joking. Seth look at this does it look legitimate?"
"Who the hell is Tobias Martin Connor?" Seth demanded. My parents looked shockingly startled by the revelation.
"Seth please tell me that isn't real."
"Ma it looks real. Maria, what have you gotten yourself into?" Seth demanded has my dad took the certificate.
"Maria, what have you done?" I vaguely heard my dad's voice plead
Before I knew what had happened all hell broke loose.