Becoming a Scott

Chapter 29

"No," Christina said after a brief pause.

Ander stepped back, a pure look of shock crossing over his face. "Are you in any position to deny me?"

She turned around and picked the racket up from the ground, it was cracked in half, the left side swung on the balance of the cords holding it together to the right side. "Just get out of here, Ander." Christina ducked into the shed.

He stood up straight, finally gaining his breath enough to be able to pick a proper fight with her. "I thought you were looking for a man that you grandmother would approve of."

"With a ring!" Christina's muffled voice answered from inside the shed.

"I've got one," he answered gladly. "Now, come on, let's march off to your grandmother."

Christina came back out, a brand new racquet in her hand.

"You don't plan on breaking that, do you?" He stared at it, thinking of all the times he had yelled at Michael while playing the game.

"I do," Christina said before swinging her arm back and slamming the racquet into the shed with a bang. "Can't you tell that I'm a bit pissed off and asking you to leave politely?" She turned back to him.

"Yeah, I can see that much. So, let's get this over with and go over to your grandmother." He spoke again once she opened her mouth to respond. "Once we've got that all cleared out you can continue on this rampage."

"Ander, I said no." She spoke clearly.

"How can you possibly stand there and say no?" He asked with an angry smile, feeling as if he was being made to be the idiot in this situation.

"To start, we are going to have to get married. In legal terms we will be dependent on one another."

"You were fully ready to marry Thomas," Ander argued.

"It's a commitment, we'll be together for a long time." She stared up at him, speaking with all the seriousness in the world. "I can't give you an expiration date. I don't know when we'll be able to get divorced."

A smile of satisfaction came over Ander's lips, "Then I will provide the answer. Either when your grandmother croaks or when we've hit our five year anniversary, whichever comes first."

She kitted her brows together, "That's pretty exact."

"Any other doubts?" He pressed on.

Christina placed her hand on her hip, ready to end this whole thing. "Riley and Michael will never talk to you again." Ander opened his mouth to speak with all the confidence in the world but nothing came out. "Exactly," Christina commented, "I'm not gonna let you make a bad decision Ander."

"What? Are you the only one allowed to make bad decisions, Christina?" He huffed. "I can't get past the idea that you were leaping at the potential of marrying Thomas or even Irvin, but with me you can't even spare the thought of it."

Christina swung her arm back again and slammed the already broken racquet into the shed, making it split and causing the other half to go flying towards the ground. "Your a friend, Ander, I consider you to be a friend." Christina let out. "Please, don't push me into this decision because I know what the final answer will be."

"Then just say it already! God, Christina, there are faster ways of saying yes to a proposal that don't involve an interrogation!"

Christina stopped, she watched him for a moment too long.

"We'll get a prenuptial," he added, "when I'm out of the picture you can have everything your grandmother left you to yourself."

 "Why are you doing this?" She asked under her breath.

"Don't ask me cause I don't know."

She let the smile spread over her lips, "Very romantic." Ander stretched out his arm and beckoned for her to grab it. "Where's the ring?" She asked. He turned his hand in hers to show her his high school ring with the emerald jewel. "It has a dent in it!"

"It'll have to do," He added happily. "Now, hurry up before your Uncle Richard strangles me." Ander pulled her on across the yard and opened the door towards the house. It was empty inside, only Uncle Joel stood in the passage way.

"Where is everybody?" Ander asked.

Uncle Joel only shook his head, "You grandmother's in her study, Christina."

"Thank you," Christina offered, giving him a sad smile.

The two of them faced the singular, mahogany door that lead into her grandmothers study and just as she reached for the door handle Ander pulled her back. She turned to him, "I said yes so you don't get to fucking hesitate right now."

Ander let out a chuckle, "I just wanted to see your reaction, that's all."

Christina shook her head, "Why do you make this so hard."

"Calm down, calm down, I'm just easing the tension a bit." He smiled before pushing the door open and dragging her in behind him. "Excuse our interruption, Mrs. Scott!"

Christina's grandmother lifted her chin, catching their eyes from over her reading glasses. She was sitting in her dark study with the fireplace dimly lit and a warm lamp light sitting on her desk. "I was wondering what all the noise was earlier, I should've known it meant that Ander had arrived."

Ander exaggerated his laughter, "Yes I've arrived and have properly decided, with plenty of consideration on the matter, that I want to be in the Scott family." He tugged up Christina's hand in his to show it to her grandmother. "I want to marry the woman of my dreams."

Christina looked away if only to hide the laughter that was rising in her. Even in these moments he couldn't help but be a dumb ass. 

"And uh-" Ander let go of Christina's hand and pulled off his high school ring. He set it gently on the desk, "here is the ring."

Her grandmother poked it with the end of her pen, "It's a senior class ring," she stated.

"Of sentimental value." Ander added.

"Will it even fit her finger?"

"I'll buy her a chain so that she can wear it around her neck."

Christina found her grandmother's gaze rest on her and she stiffened, not as prepared as Ander was for her questions. "So it seems you were able to overcome hesitation? Are you no longer considering Riley's inclination towards Ander?"

She stood silent for a moment, "I'm still empathetic to Riley's crush."

"Clearly not enough," her grandmother concluded. "So that's it then? Ander Vivaldi?"

"Yes, grandmother."

She hummed, "I'll have the attorney come over tomorrow. I want the two of you here along with the rest of the family to witness it."

Christina's eyes widened, suddenly realizing that her family might just end up murdering her in the middle of the night. Without a door lock on her bedroom door there would be nothing stopping them from keeping their money. "I have a request." She spoke up.

Her grandmother frowned, "Yes?"

"For the time being, can I stay at the Vivaldi residence?"

"School starts in another day or two, you'll be living on campus soon enough." Her grandmother dismissed.

"At least until then," Christina excused, "until the will is signed."

Her grandmother exchanged glances with Ander and he cleared his throat. "Yes, I can offer her a nice room for however long she wants to stay."

"Sounds fine." She turned back to her paperwork. "I want to see that chain around her neck tomorrow, Ander."

"And it will be!" He called back to her as Christina dragged him out of the room.