A few days had passed and Thomas had decided to surprise Christa. Climbing the stairs hearing voices from the living room.
Trying to avoid anyone seeing him. Thomas hurried up the stairs. 'I know she is feeling much stronger these few days.
And making dinner arrangements was not the most brilliant idea.'
Thomas knew since they had gotten married, they have never gone out for dinner these last two months.
"Lord, I only hope she doesn't make a fuss and just agrees with my plan. I want us to get to know each other better.
And today completes our second month, I only hope she likes my gift.
The one I got her last month, I never saw her wear it but she doesn't go anywhere except church?"
Turning the door handle only to see it was locked. Entering the room, it smells clean and refreshing. "I wonder where she could be?"
Placing the gift bag on his side of the wardrobe, Thomas then lock the door and went downstairs.
Knowing she don't mingle with the family, but Thomas was curious to see who was the guest in the living room with the family.
"Thomas, you are home early today son?" His dad said.
"Yes, I have a dinner engagement, and was looking for Christa, has anyone seen her?"
Trying to get a glimpse of the person sitting on the couch, but the guest back was towards him.
"We have a guest Son, come join us for a few minutes."
Going between his parents to take a seat opposite the guest, but he stops suddenly when he sees her face.
"Aunty Valarie," walking towards her then bends and kisses her cheeks. "I didn't know you were in town, Aunty?"
"Your Mom wrote me concerning your wedding. So I had to come, now where is your wife, I come all this way to see her?"
"I can't say, I thought she was here, that's why I came in." Seeing his parents looking at him but he ignores them. "So how long ago did you reach Aunty?"
"I only reach about half an hour or so Thomas."
"Then let me hurry and get Christa because we have to be leaving by seven."
"Thomas, you Aunty travel from so far, just to come and meet you and Christa, and now you are leaving?"
"Mom, if I knew Aunty Valarie was here, I would never have accepted the invitation. Please excuse me, Aunty, so I can find Christa, do you know where she is now Mom?"
"Thomas, Mrs. Marva said she went for a walk earlier."
"Thanks, Mom, let me get her, I know she will like to meet Aunty Valarie."
About to take his van when one of his herdsmen came. "Boss, I try calling you so why weren't you answering."
"What is wrong Jason?"
"Boss, one of the cows you recently bought died. It seems she was full and the young die inside of her."
"Let us go and see," wanting to know if Christa was by the pen but held his peace. 'I will see for myself in a few minutes.'
Reaching the pen although the dead cow was about twenty feet away. Thomas scope around to see if she was there. Having no view of her, he then focuses on the animal on the ground.
Most of the time they bury the dead animals but Thomas didn't want to take any chance. Instructing the men to use the torch and raze it through the pen and burn the carcass.
Saying to the manager, "Tomorrow, I want you to take all of the animals out of this pen. And give it a general cleaning then passed with the torch so if there's any sort of diseases it will perish with the fire."
Entering the living room, seeing Jerome, Massy, Carla, Lester, his parents, and Aunty, all relaxing and discussing him as the main topic.
Turning around immediately to leave the room when Aunty Valarie stops him in his tracks. "Tom, what is the matter, your family is here so why are you running away?"
"Sorry, Aunty, but I don't want to disrupt the family main course. So you all can carry on, from what I already overheard it sound as the meal is very spicy."
"Son, I am very concern about you, I want to know everything"
"Then, I suppose you should have come to me Aunty, but since you choose to hear it from the others, carry on. I have nothing more to discuss."
Christa hears his Aunt call after him while the others laugh, Angry with their behavior towards his decision, whispering to herself.
"They need to be taught a good lesson." Overhearing their conversation, making him a laughing stock.
"They feel I am a tramp and our marriage is a sham and it may never work. I will prove to them he did not make a bad choice.
Our secret of what had occurred that night will remain a secret between us."
Advancing from around the house, Christa went into the living room saying, "Hello, I see we have a guest?"
Thomas's dad stood up and said, "Come child, I want you to meet my sister Valarie."
"Hello Aunty, I am so glad you are here, now maybe I will get the opportunity to meet the entire family? Mom, I will tell Mrs. Marva to prepare something special.
Has anyone called Carol and Aliza? And why don't the others call their spouses? Dad, please call the others, I will help Mrs. Marva in the kitchen. Aunty, I hope you are staying for a while?"
Before anyone could respond, Christa rush out of the room, going to the kitchen. "Mrs. Marva we are having some extra guests and we need to fix something special."
"Mistress, I already prepared dinner."
"I know, and I am so sorry, but we need to make some other things to add. So the dinner will be sufficient.
Just take out some more meat and I will be back in a few minutes. Oh and put up some noodles to boil in the meanwhile."
Running up the stairs to the room, opening the door breathless. Thomas stood up, "Christa what is wrong?" standing up quickly going to her.