Curiosity gnawed at Clara as her ears caught on a guy’s voice before she could hang up on her daughter, Vanessa. Patiently, she had listened from the beginning when Darryl came inside the house. Her heart melted as she eavesdropped on her daughter’s conversation with Darryl. Hanging up wasn’t an option when she heard Carolyn’s voice through the speaker. So Carolyn was in on this? She wondered. Countless times have she asked both Vanessa and Carolyn about Vanessa’s relationship, but both friends denied it before she could answer her question. Thankfully, she had caught Vanessa and she had some explaining to do.
“Vanessa here would never allow you to kill me.” Clara heard over the speaker. Darryl’s statement snapped her attention back to the conversation going on at the other side of the phone.
“Will you allow her to kill your husband-to-be?” she gasped in shock as she heard the last word.
“Husband-to-be?” She blurted out without thinking.
The revelation from the other side landed on Clara heavily and surprised. The realization dawned on her that her eavesdropping mission was exposed when she blurted out in shock. Before she could end the call, Vanessa’s voice boomed over the speaker, causing her to freeze on the spot.
“Mother, are you still there?” Vanessa asked. She had to excuse herself to talk to her mother privately.
Filled with curiosity, “Vanessa, you have a lot of explaining to do,” Clara, Vanessa’s mother, said as she took the phone in her other hand, making herself comfortable for the anticipated moment.
“Why didn’t you hang up? When did you add eavesdropping to your hobbies?” Sarcasm dripped with Vanessa’s words as she replied to her mother.
“I thought you wanted me to hear it.” Her mother lied. “However, I’m thankful I did hear it, so explain what I just heard about your husband-to-be.”
Exhausted, Vanessa robbed her fingers on the side of her head. Her mother was not the type to give up on conversation and let things go. Her mother was the curious one that wanted to know about everything and anything around her.
“I don’t have anything to say to you, mother.” Vanessa said tiredly, as she replied with a sigh.
“I can make it easy for you by giving you a list of things you have to explain to me.” Clara said, causing Vanessa to groan furiously. “Let’s start with Darryl…”
“Darryl is no one.” Vanessa interrupted her before she could complete her sentence,
“From what I overheard, he doesn’t sound like no one to me.” Her words rendered Vanessa speechless.
“To be honest, I don’t know.” Clara could hear the confusion etched in her daughter’s voice. “It is complicated,” Vanessa added.
Ignoring the confusion, “I love complicated. That’s where the fun lies” Clara replied.
Vanessa could tell that her mother was interested in Darryl, and she had to stop her before she got involved in it.
Filled with the echo of her thoughts, “Darryl is not someone who should spark your interest. He is no one to me, and you shouldn’t be interested in him.” She warned her mother.
“Are you asking me to forget someone who just called himself my daughter’s husband-to-be?” She inquired.
Exhaling slowly, Vanessa fumbled for the best reply for her persistent mother, but before she could speak, her mother’s voice filled her ears.
“You got into a relationship, and you didn’t let me know. Even when I asked you, you kept on denying it. Meanwhile, you have already got yourself a husband-to-be.”
Vanessa was aware that her mother would not stop throwing the word ‘husband-to-be’ at her face. Hoping her mother would understand her, Vanessa opened her mouth to explain the misunderstanding. “I’m not in a relationship with Darryl or anyone. However, Darryl just asked me to pretend to be his wife for some reason I don’t know yet, and I’ve not even agreed to it.” Taking one word after another, Vanessa explained to her mother slowly.
“You haven’t agreed, or you will not agree?” Ignoring Vanessa’s clarification, Clara asked.
“Is that the only thing you got from everything I just told you?” Vanessa snapped over the phone.
“Did he talk to you about the benefits of his offer?” Her mother ignored her rants.
“Mother!” Vanessa blurted out angrily. She knew her mother was like this, but she couldn’t believe her mother would get really interested in the contract arrangements.
“Be realistic, Vanessa. You mention it often that you are not interested in love and marriage. Now, someone is asking you to pretend to be his wife. It will definitely come with benefits. If love can’t motivate you into marriage, maybe money can.”
Silence enveloped Vanessa as she listened to her mother’s blabbering over the phone. The realization hit her that all her mother wanted was to see her walk to the altar. Her mother doesn’t care about the reason behind the marriage.
“Now tell me the benefits he has offered.” Her mother’s words took her from her thoughts.
“I didn’t have it, so I left before we could talk about the benefits.” Vanessa answered frankly.
“Why should I ask him for the benefits when I have no interest in getting married or pretending to get married? Vanessa added with irritation laced in her voice.
“His name is Darryl, right? And is he also a friend of Carolyn’s? I will make it easy for you as your mother. I will find out about him on your behalf.” With newfound purpose, Clara’s voice laced with amusement as she talked to Vanessa.
“Don’t waste your time, mother. You should focus on reviving your bakery.” Vanessa tried to talk her out of it.
“Once I find him interesting, you will have no choice than to accept the contract marriage proposal. This might be the revival the bakery needs.”
“Don’t even think about it.” Vanessa hissed through her teeth.
“I’m not bluffing, dear. And Tanisha says hi.”
Just like that, Clara hung up on her daughter. Vanessa’s grip tightens on her phone as she fumes angrily. Darryl had started this joke and his mother was hellbent on making her accept the contract.
What exactly was Darryl thinking before throwing a marriage proposal in her face? What was he thinking before he called himself her husband-to-be? His expensive jokes have gotten her into trouble, and he must have a piece of her mind.
Clouded by anger, Vanessa walked back to the living room where Darryl and Carolyn were sitting. If there’s anyone she should vent her anger on, it should be Darryl because he was the one who brought this trouble upon her.