Jasmine who had just woken up from her daylight slumber Jerked her leg as she felt a crampy feeling in her feet, realizing how long she had slept on a curled up position which had turned her feet numb causing her unable to move for a while as she laid back straightening her legs to let the complete flow of blood in her body
Once she felt better, she glanced at her wall clock it would be an hour before she would be leaving for work, leaving her room she headed straight to her parent's room as she moved closer she heard her mum and dad voice which came from the room this gave her joy it never occurred to her to wait and listen to what they were saying if there was anything in this world that comforted her it was her dad but on moving closer she could see that they were arguing about something was it her no so sure since it was normal for couples to have thorns in their roses and it wasn't every day they fought.
she was tempted to leave but knowing how dramatic her mum could be and it's been long she saw her dad she knocked at the door.
"come in" it was her dad, running in she hugged him, she felt him stiffen a bit which was replaced by a warm hug, ignoring it she must be imagining things she thought as she drew back to see that warm look he gave her whenever he saw her, "daddies baby has grown up to be a big girl now," he said lovingly
"I've missed you honey bunny"
"missed you too Papa "still showing off her perfect set of white teeth to show how happy she was to see him.
then remembering something, she felt she was missing something here then remembering she had only hugged her dad, not remembering her mum she turned to look at her mum who had been staring at the two all this while.
leaving her dad she went to meet her mum where she sat at the edge of the bed and hugged her tightly
"you know I love you too mum" releasing her she said.
"hmm, I know," her mum said unconvinced
Her dad who had come to sit beside his daughter held her hands in his firmly, Just as he was about to open his mouth to speak, his wife glanced at him to ask if it was right which never left Jasmine's observation where they hiding something from her waiting patiently for them to speak.
"She has every right to know and decide for herself "her dad was the one to speak this time replying to his wife unspoken words and something wanted her to believe that what she was thinking was true after all and that her dreams were not just an illusion but a description of who she is, remembering how her mum had observed her yesterday she realized her mum knew nothing and if she did she couldn't say but deep within her she knew something was wrong with her.
"Jazz dear you will be called for admission very soon but I'm not sure..." her mum started at first but couldn't complete her words because she was trying to change the real topic.
"mum, dad what wrong?" she asked this time worriedly facing her dad asking him to continue whatever her mum was about to say,
"Jazz you will be nineteen in the next few days and I want you to listen to what I'm saying and promise me you will obey us only if you are happy with it I won't force you I promise"
Dad whatever you say I promise to think carefully before deciding now would you tell me I don't want to be late for work as she glanced at her wristwatch patiently.
"You member my boss one of the ministers, the king's men whose wife died months ago," she didn't know where her dad was heading but she was praying it should not be what she was thinking many had tried to marry her the moment she clocked seventeen in the pretence of helping her parents but they had refused their offer by getting a sack letter as a reward, her parents had taught her to be satisfied and that she had always done they had all they could ever wish for even though they managed, they were happy.
Her dad who had paused earlier to see her reaction realized how calm she was continued, seeing her nod her head.
"He asked for your hand in marriage it's okay if you don't want him I could just tell him that", jasmine who hadn't notice the envelope in his hand saw him bring out an envelope as he stretched it to her "came this morning"not opening it she simply hugged her parent before leaving the room,
"Dad would you be around in the evening I don't want to be late for work we can discuss this later right and don't forget to wear a sweater I don't want to see you and mama cold love you bye" as she tucked the envelope in her purse slipping on her sweater and gloves with her booth she headed straight to the out of the house, boarded a taxi and got in.
in the cab she started to think, what if she paid her parents who had sacrificed all they had for her by marrying her father's boss her eyes were beginning to form glassines in them but she controlled it as she couldn't do this publicly, because of her, Jasmine's family could not go on vacation like other families they could not even spare a Christmas tree, tinsels, stocking to decorate their home one of the reasons she never remembers Christmas when it comes all her parents life savings had gone to her education, little did she know things were going to be different this year's Christmas, the cab had stopped earlier waking up from her thoughts she highlighted from the cab and paid the cabman quickly before entering her place of work, to start the days work praying not to do anything stupid because of the mood she was in right now.