Page 40 of Surprise! I'm Engaged To My Boss
She laughed. But within seconds she became serious again.
“She really seems like a good girl, son. Her grandma told me a little about her life story. She's been through a lot. I hope you won't disappoint her.”
“How couldIdisappoint a woman, mother?”
“Well, I'm still suspicious about this sudden crush of yours. I hope it's real. Well, at least that's what it seems, by the way you look at her.”
Saying that, she lightly ran her hand over my face and walked towards the dining room. I stood there for a few seconds, trying to make sense of what she had just said.
Well, how exactly did I look at Camila?
Like someone who thought she was ridiculous for being afraid of my dog?
Well, I can’t deny I was attracted to her beauty. But that was all.
Finally, I went to the dining room and sat down – again, as was customary, next to my 'fiancée'. Given the way my family and Camila's grandmother were getting along, I figured we would have a quiet dinner without having to answer too many questions.
However, I think I would still prefer a thousand times to have to improvise the answers to a questionnaire, than the subject my mother brought up:
“We need to talk about wedding preparations!”
Camila and I coughed at the same time, both of us suddenly choking.
“Oh my God, drink some water!” Jenna suggested, worried. “It must have been the pea. Peas are dangerous.”
Oh, sure, now it was the poor peas' fault.
Completely ignoring the possibility of two deaths from choking at the dinner table, my mother continued, “Since it will be winter, what do you think of the idea of a wedding in the mountains? Our house in Aspenwould be perfect. The outdoor area has no walls, has a beautiful view, and could easily accommodate an average of five hundred guests.”
I had stopped hearing at the word 'wedding'. So Camila took over to answer something.
“I don't think we need that much. I don't know that many people.”
“We can reduce the list to have a more intimate wedding. About three hundred people, I think, is enough.”
Again, I tried to pay attention, but my mind once again fixed onto the wordwedding.
I knew, that was already what was agreed with Janet, but... it was supposed to be something purely fictitious, we were going to set a date at the registry office, only for the end of the year, announce that it would be an intimate ceremony and end everything before the scheduled day arrived.
But was my mother planning parties?
“It's just... we're thinking of something simpler,” Camila spoke again. “Just a civil ceremony, we don't want a party.”
“What do you mean, just a civil ceremony?” Jenna seemed horrified by the idea. “I understand that you want something simple, Cami, because that’s what ourcondition allows us. But at least a religious ceremony. It will be a dream to see you wearing a wedding dress. Your parents would be so happy about that.”
I quickly looked at Camila and, from her expression, I understood that it had been a low blow to use the parents' argument.
My mother spoke again, “Oh, Jenna, don't worry about the expenses. I'll take care of everything. We won't skimp on anything. These two deserve the best wedding possible.”
“Excuse me...” Camila began to speak. There was a trembling smile on her face, from pure nervousness. “I need to go to the bathroom. Mr. Tur... I mean,dear... could you show me where it is? I know I've been here a few times, but your house is so big that I still get lost.”
Understanding that this was an excuse to talk to me alone, I agreed, and we got up, walking away from the dining room while the others continued to talk about the hypothetical wedding party.
We reached the hallway that led to the nearest bathroom and then we stopped, and she started talking, “Wedding party? Are you really going to let your mother infect my grandmother with that stupid idea?”
“Well... At least that will give them something to talk about.”
“They can talk about flowers or the weather forecast. Planning a party is not a meretopic.”
