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“This is different,” interrupts Kyle’s father.
"We’ve all decided the best way to salvage the situation," my father continues, "is for the two of you should get married."
The words hang in the air, like a dense fog descending upon our heads, mine especially. I glance at Kyle, whose brows are now furrowed in disbelief.
“This has to be a joke, right?” He asks, speaking for the first time now looking at both his parents.
"What?" I stammer, my voice barely above a whisper. "Married? But Dad, I'm not ready for that kind of commitment! And why is getting married the best way to salvage this?"
How did they come up with this idea anyway? I’m now looking at their faces wondering if they are in their right senses.
"I have no intention of getting married," Kyle adds, his deep voice conveying his anger.
“Where did that even come from? I don’t want to get married, at least not yet. This isn’t the first time that we’re being talked about on the internet, it will fizzle out just like every other time.”
“This time it’s different,” Kyle’s father interrupts. “You both need to learn to pay for the consequences of your actions.”
“And getting married is the way to do that? This doesn’t make any sense.” I fold my arms across my chest. “I’m not getting married.”
“This doesn’t make any sense,” Kyle scoffs.
“It’s not your decision to make, we’ve decided it’s what is best for both families, you both are getting married,” my father says with a note of finality in his tone.
“No, this can’t be, you can’t force us to get married.” Now I’m pissed as I look at all the faces in the dining room.
“This has to be a joke,” Kyle pushes his chair back and gets on his feet. “If this conversation is over, I would like to get going.”
“It is. You and Jewel are getting married, so get prepared,” his father says. Without saying another word, Kyle stalks out of the room leaving me to face them alone.
Kyle’s parents stand up to leave as well. “We will keep in touch for the wedding preparations.”
My father gets on his feet and shakes Kyle’s father’s hand. “We will get the preparation started.”
Why are they talking like I’m not even here?
My father turns to look at me, shakes his head in a disapproving manner, and starts walking away, I stand up and follow him. “Papa, you can’t do this, you can’t force me to get married.”
“It’s been decidedMija,” he says, calling me daughter in Spanish.
“Marriage is a lifetime commitment; you just can’t go about choosing whom I’m going to marry. This is the 21st century for God’s sake!”
He starts taking the stairs to his bedroom and I follow. “I’m not ready for marriage, and if ever I do get ready to marry, I want to be the one to choose whom I’m going to marry.”
“You brought this upon yourselfMija,you should have thought about the consequences of your actions before going about kissing Kyle at the club last night.”
“It was just a kiss, what’s the big deal?!” I throw my hands up in frustration.
My father stops in his tracks and now turns to face me. “That’s the point, you don’t see anything wrong with all the things that you do, and that needs to stop, starting from now! You’re getting married to Kyle and that’s final.”
I’m left standing on the steps as I watch my father walk away seething with anger. I turn around and go back to the dining room hoping to talk some sense into my mother but she isn’t there. I hear her voice coming from the kitchen so I go there.
She’s giving Rosa our chef instructions on what to make for breakfast, I don’t wait for them to finish speaking.
“Mama, you can’t allow Papa to do this to me.”
“Rosa, that will be all for now.” My mother turns to leave the kitchen and I follow her. “You and Papa can’t force me into getting married.”
“We’re doing what’s best for you,” she says in her usual calm tone as she walks to the living room.
