Chris sat there for a while, letting the cool night breeze settle his restless thoughts. Linda's family was far more vibrant and affectionate than he'd expected. They were warm, welcoming, and overwhelmingly enthusiastic about the engagement.
He finally stood and made his way to the room he was sharing with Linda. The house was quieter now, the earlier clamor replaced by the distant hum of crickets. He pushed open the door gently and saw Linda sitting cross-legged on the bed, her arms folded and her face tense with expectation.
"How did it go?" she asked, her tone a mix of curiosity and concern.
Chris sighed and leaned against the doorframe. "Your dad wanted reassurances. I gave him what he wanted to hear."
Linda frowned. "What does that mean exactly?"
Chris ran a hand through his hair. "It means I told him we'd have my family come over after Christmas to formalize things and set a wedding date early next year."
Linda's jaw dropped. "You what? Chris! That's way too specific! How do you expect us to pull that off?"
"I panicked," he admitted, walking over to sit on the edge of the bed. "What was I supposed to do? He was grilling me, Linda. I couldn't exactly say, 'Oh, this engagement isn't real, sir. We're just trying to keep you and your wife from nagging Linda about marriage.' That would've gone over well."
Linda groaned and buried her face in her hands. "This was supposed to be simple! Just a little engagement to buy me some time and keep them off my back. Now we're planning imaginary weddings? Chris, this is insane!"
"I know," Chris said, his tone apologetic. "But your dad wasn't going to let it go. I had to say something. It's not like we're actually walking down the aisle."
"Yet," Linda muttered.
Chris's head shot up. "What do you mean, 'yet'?"
"Nothing," she said quickly, shaking her head. "Never mind. Look, we need to figure out what happens next. My parents are old-fashioned. They take these things seriously. If they find out this engagement is a sham, it'll crush them—and you don't want to see my mom angry."
Chris grimaced, imagining Linda's mother unleashing her fury. "Okay, so we stick to the plan. We'll keep up the act until… what? Until they get bored and stop asking about the wedding?"
Linda sighed. "We'll have to figure that out later. Right now, we just need to make it through the holidays without them catching on."
Chris nodded, though the weight of the lie already felt unbearable. "Fine. But no more surprises, okay? I don't think I can handle another interrogation from your dad."
Linda gave him a weak smile. "Deal."
---
The next morning, the house was bustling again. Linda's mother was in the kitchen, humming as she prepared breakfast, while the younger kids ran outside, laughing and chasing each other. Chris stepped into the living room to find Linda's father seated in his favorite chair, flipping through a newspaper.
"Good morning, sir," Chris said, forcing a polite smile.
"Ah, Chris! Good morning, my boy," the old man replied, looking up from the paper. "Did you sleep well?"
"Yes, sir. Thank you," Chris lied, though his restless thoughts had kept him tossing and turning all night.
"Good, good," Linda's father said, setting the paper aside. "Come, join us for breakfast. Linda's mother makes the best yam porridge you'll ever taste."
Chris nodded and sat, his stomach twisting at the thought of enduring another round of cheerful family chatter about the wedding.
As they gathered around the table, the conversation took the predictable turn. Linda's uncles teased her about what a lucky catch Chris was, while her siblings bombarded him with questions about the wedding plans. Chris deflected as best as he could, laughing along nervously and silently wishing the floor would swallow him whole.
"Chris," Linda's mother said suddenly, her tone gentle but firm. "I hope you know how serious this engagement is. Marriage is about trust, commitment, and understanding. Are you ready for that?"
Chris hesitated, glancing at Linda for support. Her expression was unreadable, but her sharp gaze told him he was on his own.
"Yes, ma," he said finally, his voice steady. "I love Linda, and I'm committed to her happiness."
Her mother studied him carefully before nodding. "Good. That's what I wanted to hear."
Chris exhaled quietly, relieved that he'd said the right thing.
---
Later that evening, Chris and Linda escaped the crowded house for a quiet walk in the backyard. The air was cool, and the stars dotted the sky like scattered diamonds.
"We're in so deep," Linda said suddenly, breaking the silence.
Chris chuckled humorlessly. "You think? Your dad already expects a wedding announcement in a few weeks. How do we walk this back, Linda?"
"I don't know," she admitted, stopping under the shadow of a mango tree. "This was supposed to be simple. Fake an engagement, make them happy, and buy me some time to focus on work. Now we're juggling family expectations and a ticking clock." I don't know why my mom had to involve the whole kindred on this, marriage that hasn't even been settled, she already told everyone
Chris crossed his arms, leaning against the tree. "So what's the plan? Do we come up with a dramatic breakup story? Blame it on irreconcilable differences?"
Linda sighed, "well that's exactly the plan, just that we're going to wait after the holidays, when we must have gone back to Lagos, so I can tell them about the breakup myself"
Chris sighed, staring up at the stars. "It's going to be tough Linda, considering the fact that almost all your kindred knows about this"
"I know it won't be easy, already prepared myself for it, besides I will tell them a broken relationship is better than a broken marriage, that will definitely chill them up "
Chris nodded, though his gut told him this charade was only going to get more complicated. But for Linda, he was willing to see it through—no matter how far they had to take the lie.