His Unwanted Bride ~Editing~

Chapter Four: Alexios

      My mother and father sat at the table across from me. They were unusually quiet. Something was wrong, I could feel it. I just wished they would tell me soon before my emotions got the better of me.

     "Alexi, I have to tell you something," my mother spoke, her voice wavering.

     "What is it?" I asked worriedly. 

     "I don't really know how to tell you this. I wanted to tell you sooner, but I needed to know more about it first. I have cancer," her face fell. "And not very much time left."

     I stood from the table and rushed to my mother's side. "What? Mama, you're not making sense," I replied. 

     "It's inoperable, even by the best. Your mother has a mass growing in her brain. They say that she may only have a year or two left of life," his father explained. "Chemo hasn't worked to reduce it, there are no other options."

     "Chemo?" I asked slamming my fist onto the table. "How long have you known?"

     "Only a few weeks, your mother was in shock and didn't want to tell you until she was ready."

     "All I wanted was to get better and see the day where you get married in the church, I wanted to hold my only son's babies, teach my daughter in law how to make Kourabiedes (a Greek cookie shaped like a moon and covered in powdered sugar), but that's not going to happen. I won't get all of those beautiful firsts, I won't get to experience all of the things I want to with you, my son, I can't," she cried. 

     "Maybe you can," my father replied.

     "Baba, I'm not married, I'm not even seeing anyone," I replied in shock.

     "There is a girl, her family needs help and came to us. She is a nice girl, a good girl," I moved closer to my father and whispered. 

    "I cannot marry someone I do not know."

     "You've seen this girl, you've wanted to know her."

     "Who is she?" I asked. 

     "Just remember, sometimes you don't marry who you love. Sometimes you learn to love who you marry, I did," he replied and I felt my eyes grow. "You are 25 years old, my son. At your age I already had you, and your mother and I had various foster children coming in and out of our lives. We want you to have your own family too. It will help bring your mother to peace."

     "Alright," I mumbled.

     "Besides, remember, the moment you become married, I retire, and the company is yours," my father added. "It will give me more time to help care for your mother."

     I had worked my whole life to take over the family business, and now, I couldn't even celebrate it, because gaining it, and my new bride was simply a symbol of my mother slowly fading away.

     "What is her name?" I asked.

     "Tabitha Alopogiannis," my father replied.

     "I must go get some things in order," I mumbled.

     "We meet with them to sign the contract today," Baba called after me.

     All my life, I had assumed my parents met and fell in love before marrying, their love was so strong. But all this time I had been assuming without really knowing. When I looked at my parents, they always fell into each other and supported each other without wavering. How could that love be born from two people forced together who knew nothing about each other?

    And now I'd have to marry a woman I'd never met before later today. I'm not sure if I can do that. I'm not sure if I can commit to spending my life with someone because of an arrangement instead of love. 

~*~ Author's Note ~*~

Here's our first look at Alexios. What do you think so far?

I can't wait to see what you guys think!

~Clara

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