The next day dawned bright. The light rays streamed through her wide window, and Shelby stirred awake.
She sat up on the bed with a dull gaze, holding the quilt against her naked self. She squinted her eyes and looked round the room. Shelby pulled out one long, slender, pale arm and gently brushed the hair out of her face. The hair on her shoulders slipped messily around her, and she dropped back on the bed, shooting back up right away.
"It wasn't a dream?"
"Of course, it wasn't a dream. The room was warm, and the bed was comfy. My former room was just plain with a single bed, not a queen-sized one!"
Her head throbbed slightly from the tears she had shed the night before. The whole sequence of occurrences of the previous day rushed through her brain.
"So, I guess I really am married!" She held her hand up high and examined the ring, which had settled smoothly on the ring mark she had carried for the past five years.
She let a huge sigh, "I didn't have any goofy friends at my wedding or a boyfriend rack his brains on how to propose. No one went on his knees to propose! I never had a fiancée nor any courtship, period. I just up and got married!" She cried out in the empty room.
"It should be 'aaaahhhhhhhh!!!!!! I got married to him finally!' but what is this? A contract?"
Then, as if reprimanding herself, she added,
"Shelby, stop with the pity party! What do we gain from this?"
Glancing at the small clock, she bolted up in bed.
"10 AM? What a great way to start your day with your in-laws!" She scrambled to her feet and picked out a jogger and t-shirt from her small bag. She was out of the room in five minutes.
"Good morning, Miss Shelby,"
"Oh, Hi Suzie… How long have you been at the door?" She asked in surprise.
"Not long, Miss, I hope you slept well."
Suzie asked and led the way to the dining room. Not long, in her case, meant that she had been at the door by 7 AM, but she was in no place to complain or comment about it.
"What would you like for breakfast?"
"Just a green tea…."
"I don't think Mrs Thornston would be too pleased about that. Are you sure that that is the only thing you would like?"
"I'm not really a breakfast person, so this should be okay."
Shelby sipped her tea alone at the dining table and relished the time alone a little later. She was very used to doing her own thing, which was a bit uncomfortable for her.
"Are we now broke so much that we cannot afford breakfast?" Came the harsh voice of Geneva.
"Go get her a proper breakfast!"
"I'm sorry, mum, but this is ok-"
"Young lady! You are already as thin as a stick! How are you going to carry my grandson? This is not a request!"
Within five minutes, the table was heaped with breakfast suited for four. Platter of grapes grilled cold lean mean, a small plate of pita bread and some jam. A glass of fruit juice was added, and her half-finished green tea was removed. She watched dumbfounded as all this happened within mere minutes.
To ensure she ate, Geneva sat by her and watched her intently like a hawk! Despite this, Shelby felt a little warm in her heart and was able to eat about a third of the food.
Geneva nodded in satisfaction and signalled for the table to be cleared.
"Now, your task in this home begins. Your only task is to try for the heir and nothing else. Your step-father received a lot of benefits in exchange for you, so do not dream of shirking your responsibilities because you will not be able to afford the consequences of that!"
"But-"
Geneva narrowed her eyes at the interruption but still waited for Shelby to talk.
Even though Shelby itched to ask why her or why a contract, she had one more pressing question. "What of the three kids?"
"They are all for the Aliya girl. You will often hear this name in this home, so get used to it."
She nodded and waited for Geneva to elaborate.
With a nod of her head, Suzie disappeared and returned with the three kids she had seen the day before.
"Mama Shelby!" A small bundle launched itself against her. Shelby smiled and bent down to pick up Gabriel onto her lap. The boy nestled comfortably in her arms and played with her hair.
"The oldest one is thirteen; she is Samantha Maybach-Thornston, adopted by Aliya. The one in glasses is Aliya's biological child. She is Ingrid Maybach-Thornston. She is…."
Geneva blanked out a little, "Ingrid, how old are you?"
"Nine years, grandma."
Geneva nodded and then turned to the one on her lap. You have already met Gabriel. He is four years old this year. He was only two when his adopted mother died. He was adopted as a baby."
She turned to the children, "Greet and pay your respects to your new mother."
The reluctance, especially the one known as Samantha, was very obvious. She flipped her hand and waited for Ingrid to say a timid 'hello' before taking a few steps back. She wanted to be at any place but where they were. Gabriel was already on the lady's lap, and she could do nothing about it!
Shelby's surprise was unmatched. "Two adopted and one biological? Is that why you want a male heir? Because Ingrid is female?" She nodded in understanding, but Geneva's cool gaze stopped her thinking short.
"Ingrid does not belong to Ian either!"
"Excuse me?"
"None of the children have any biological relation to the Thornstons. They are here because my foolish son cannot get their mother out of his head!"
"What?!"
*********
Thank you so much to all for your votes and comments! I hope we can keep it up ^_^