"Shawn my boy_ I heard you and Candice had an understanding?".Daniel said.
"Yes..."I drawled. I was actually afraid. They were ganging up on me.
"You see the thing is ,if you don't make her realise celebation is not the way then I will die an unhappy old man with his fifty year old daughter in her room still throwing tantrums with no children ".Danny said looking at me.
Then he stood up and sat me down on the three seater couch and put his hand around my shoulder. His wife gave me a glass of orange juice then sat on his lap and touched my hand.
"We love our baby,but she is 21 now. It is time she got laid".the moment she said that I chocked so violently the juice came out my nose and some of it spilled onto the floor.
I saw their amused faces. They were serious .
"What— you are serious—she would kill me".I said.
I stood up.
My father piped up".But you never say no to sex,even if those people are drugged on intoxicated?".he asked.
"No! I am not doing. I already robbed her the wedding of her dreams. I wont do it. I only participate in consensual relations or if it is one sided ,meaning I am forced by said person. No I am not doing this to Candice. She is not a one night stand. She is my wife whether she likes it or not,we are for better or worse till death do we part. I made an oath. And of she wants to become a nun ,I will support her. I will even visit her at the convent. That is it. I am not raping my wife whether intoxicated or not".I said a little bit livid. With clenched fists. I walked away to cool of. Leaving their shocked faces.
3rd POV
His mother sighed."He's got it bad,he is not going to do anything about it. When he is determined he cannot be deterred."she sighed.
Grandma Lorraine chuckled"You youngsters ,want Candice to lose her innocence soon enough".
"Mom ,their honeymoon night was due three years ago. And if Candice is determine to divorce Shawn ,she will and then there will be no great grand children for you so come up with a suggestion since you have lived longer."she said hugging Danny while sitting on his lap.
"Well back in our day,when you were arranged in marriage ,they bought you two a house with many bedrooms expecting them to be full by next summer. Usually the grooms are a lot less considerate and rape them girls until they submit themselves. But that leaves nasty scars. My mother used to say she could still remember crying and pleading. That my father started treating her nice when my brother was born. She warmed up to him after twelve years of marriage with three children."she said.
Everyone was stunned into silence.
Then Lorna said"Attachment!".
"What?".Trevor asked.
"Honey,if they live in a cramped space together for the year even if they do nothing surely they would be attached to each other by the end of the year".Lorna said.
"Yes but where?".Danny asked.
"Shawn has a two bedroom apartment in town. He used it when he was in collage but now he's come home. Actually three years ago from Vegas he came straight home after three months. When I told him he was married and the vicar sent him the video by mail he cut off all female contacts and stayed faithful ."Lorna suggested.
"Yes . He was withdrawn he couldn't look any other woman it was comical to watch as he was oblivious to watch as they tried flirting and he did not give them the time of day."Trevor chuckled in the end.
"He loves her."Lorraine gave them the answer they were looking for.
"Who loves who?".they heard a soft voice asked.
They froze seeing her in the stairs.
Her mother saw her lip and bump on the head.
"Baby what happened?".she cooed but making no move to stand . She was comfortable. She scowled.
"Mr Stone—"she saw Trevor then said" My HUSBAND happened. Where is he by the way he owes me my ice cream. Mommy he was being a big meany and stopped the car the car,I was not wearing my seatbelt and hit the dash board. And —"she hiccupped tears starting to flow. Everyone was trying so hard not to laugh to help her."—He said no more ice cream. No he said no more sugar!".she shrieked .
Shawn entered and went straight to Candice and got down on one knee that stopped her tears.
"Candice Stone,will please forgive me. You can have as much sugar as you want. Here is a token of apology".he held out her triple scoop ice cream. She gasped.
She was reaching for it but stopped and said suspiciously
"Wait you are not just trying to get into my pants are you?".she asked.
He got offended.
"Of course not . What do you take me for!".he exclaimed a little angry.
"So no strings attached or date rape drug,cause three years ago I am sure you drugged me into marrying you!".she scowled.
"You still don't how and when ,where and why we met. Just take the damn Ice cream so I can make you coffee before you start throwing tantrums ".he said a little annoyed.
"I don't trust you. What if it poisoned?"she asked .
He gasped standing up.
"Do you want me to lick it for you?".he asked a little huskily for her comfort.
She took quickly from his hands"N-no thank you".she stuttered and left for her room. He left for the kitchen.
"Did you see that!".Lorna asked.
"Yeah. She is affected by his nearness ".Milly said. The two high fived.
Trevor took out his phone and called".Hey Mark. Listen you know Shawn's apartment could you have it cleaned up a bit he is moving back in....ow three weeks. Okay that is alright".he hung up.
"What did Mark say?".Lorna asked.
"Well his apartment is in need of an update but otherwise fine. It will fine in three weeks.".Trevor answered .
"That is wonderful".Clapped Lorna.
"What is?".Shawn asked holding two cups of coffee.
"Nothing. Go on help her calm down".Milly said.
"Am I allowed up there?".he asked.
"Yeah. I told you I never got to terrorise you. But please no fornication under my roof".he said seriously.
Shawn looked at him weird and said"sure thing pops".and left.
"He did not just call me pops. I am not that old am I?".he asked Milly .
"No . You are still as handsome as you were twenty two years ago".she looked at him lovingly.
"Ugh–now I know why Candice is always complaining about the PDF".Lorraine gagged.
They laughed.
Candice heard a knock.
"Come in".she sighed .
Shawn got in with closed eyes
"You are decent?".he asked.
She giggled.
"Yea".
He opened his eyes and closed the door and put her next to her and sat on the love seat.
They stayed in companionable silence.
She licked her Ice cream while he checked her poster of one direction. She blushed.
"You like them?".he asked looking from them to see her blush.
"No-yes. That was a long time ago. You know teens".she blew the matter away with her hand.
"Would you like to meet them some time?".he asked.
She looked at him and scoffed
"What are you super famous or something?".she asked incredulously.
He looked at her. Maybe it was a good thing his wife did not know he is famous.
"Yeah guess you are right."he sighed.
Then said"I am guessing your favorite colour is pink?".he asked observing her room.
"No. I just kept my room the way it has been since I was born ,the only difference is my crib which is downstairs in the basement".she said.
"So your favorite color is?".he prompted.
She looked at him.
"What is it ,twenty questions?".she asked snarkly.
"No. It is called knowing my wife".he sat forward looking at her eyes with intensity she could not understand.
He was very possessive.
"Grey–".she said. He frowned."What–?".he asked.
She looked at his eyes and drew a breath through her nose,averting her gaze.
"My . Favorite colour is grey.".she looked up at the ceiling a blush taking residence.
"Grey you say?".he smirked. She knew by the amusement in his voice he figured out why she said so. For three years grey eyes plagued her nights though she could never see his face completely but his eyes have always been sketched in her memory. A constant reminder.
"Blue".he said.
"Huh–?" she asked. Looking at him to find that it was after all a horrible idea. His face was so close to her.
"My favorite colour is blue ,sparkly , vibrant blue. Just like your eyes".he said looking at her. No guy had ever confessed to liking her eyes. By God,she thought her features bland and plain. Black hair,blue eyes,button nose,baby pink lips and short height,not thin but not fat. Just a little chubby like a small child. With a small B cup boobs. Yep she was not interesting. At all.
He saw her get a little crestfallen. He tilted her head and saw her blushing cheeks and little freckles on her cheeks. Her thick lashes and large eyes made her look like an angel in a world of vultures. He smiled then she moved to her bed and sat looking out the window.
A while later she finished her ice cream.
"Coffee?".he asked.
She nodded. She jumped from her bed causing a thud. The elders looked up the stairs curiously.
"It has been thirty minutes. No yelling or shouting. What are they talking about I wonder?".Lorna asked .
"Maybe they are making out".said Milly with glee.
"Millicent?".warned Lorraine.
She pouted"Come on mother ,you know it is not healthy for her to be ...unsocial".Milly said.
As she sipped the coffee she spit it out,coughing.
"It is bitter".she laughed.
"Yea–?".he asked looking at her.
"And cold".she laughed.
"Sorry. You okay?"he asked.
"Never better".she laughed.
"Come. I want to show you something. In the kitchen."he said.
"Okay".she took her cup of coffee and they went downstairs.
He paused on one of the pictures. She was wearing a ballroom gown with her date at matric dance.
"Who is this?".he asked frowning .
She ignored him and went down the stairs and frowned.
'was she dating him?' he frowned.
She reached the landing and her mother looked at her lips closely and her neck and sighed with disappointment.
"What are you looking for mom?".she narrowed her gaze.
Milly laughed as did the others at their inside joke. Shawn stepped behind her and said placing one hand gingerly on her back afraid he would burn him.
"Come. Let us go into the kitchen".he said. She nodded absentmindly letting herself be led away .
In the kitchen he said"Where are the aprons?".
"In that cabinet over there".she pointed .
He nodded and went there. Putting the pink striped apron on she started laughing.
"What are you doing? You look ridiculous".she laughed out loud.
"I am cooking!". He said flabbergasted.
"Wait you are serious ?" she asked incredulously.
"Yeah."He said and began taking out things ,then frowned.
"Uhm,I do not see puff pastry,ribs,turkey pieces or a full chicken or prauwns ,squid or oysters or goat cheese,coconut milk,skim milk,vegetable milk or caramel?basil,rosemary?".he asked searching the cud boards.
"We don't have all those fancy foods here . We don't need those".she sad shyly.
"Really?".he asked.
"Yup".popping the P.
"Well ,I cannot work like this. Come".he said holding out his hand.
"Where?".she asked.
"We are going shopping".he took her by the elbow and pulled her to the living room.
"Were are you two lovebirds off to?" asked Lorraine.
"I -I uh. I am taking my wife out to get some ingredients for our anniversary dinner or is it lunch?".he asked Candice.
She groaned placing her hands to cover her face.
"Stop saying that word. It is embarrassing" .
He smirked in her direction."What word,wife?".He asked.
"Yes,it makes me feel like it is official."she rasped pulling in deep breaths.
"Well it has been official for Three years. So yeah Wifey,we have to get going." he smirked.
She removed her hands to glare at him.
"Call me that one more time ,I am skinning you alive and making meatballs and baking pie and cupcakes out of you".she snarled.
"You can bake?".he asked gleefully with a huge smile. Disregarding the rest of her statement.
"Yes,she can. All types of pastries ,cookies and cupcakes and chocolate muffins and all!". Milly was more than happy to supply that information.
"Well then we cannot lose anymore time. Let's go". He pulled her with him .