Reckless Past

Chapter Three

Just after the conversation with Christie, another knock was heard. Leni was certain that it was her uncle. "Come in please" she said. A  middle aged man appeared holding some papers in his hands "Leni" he called. "Uncle" she ran to hug him. "I have missed you so much" she continued. "Haha, me too dear. How are you?" He cared. "I'm fine, uncle. What about you?" She also asked. "I'm fine when Leni is fine." Her uncle replied. Leni smiled. "Erm.where is the girl? " her uncle asked looking around the room. "Oh yh, Marie. She is in the tv room. I will get her for you" Leni responded and hurried into the room. She brought Marie out and Gabriel was taken aback by the beauty of Marie. Gabriel wasn't expecting Marie to be that beautiful. "Marie, this is Grandpa Gabriel, your grandpa and Uncle, this is Marie, my daughter" Leni introduced feeling so proud that she has been able to make the two special people in her heart meet. "Hi Marie. How are you? " Gabriel initiated. "Hi grandpa, I'm fine please. How are you too?" Marie continued."I'm fine dear" Gabriel replied with a smile. Marie was asked to go back to the tv room and Leni and Gabriel began their formal talk. "I like the girl, so pretty, well-mannered and intelligent. You have good eyes. Well done" he congratulated. "Thank you Uncle, I appreciate it" Leni replied. "What's with papers, Uncle? "She continued. "Oh yh, one is the wish your parents brought before they passed on. Leni..... You are supposed to marry a guy they chose for you. And at the age of twenty, Leni. His dad will come to speak to you tomorrow." Gabriel spoke leaving Leni in complete surprise that she couldn't even open her mouth to utter a single word. Finding her feet, she said"What?!!! No, no, no. I didn't plan my life like this. And besides my parents always supported me. They could never do this to me." "Leni..." Gabriel sighed. "Remember when your dad got seriously sick and we all thought he was going to die? He called me into his room and gave me this paper, signed in his name, to tell you to marry the guy. But he got well and I returned the paper to him but he told me to keep it until one day, maybe when he dies before you turn twenty. And he did. " Gabriel. "No uncle, this doesn't make any sense. Why couldn't dad tell me personally? I know this is his signature but I still can't believe it!!! " Leni panicked and was almost at the verge of tears. Could her parents ever do this to her? "Leni, you were always in school and you were busy training for the clinic. " Gabriel tried to remind her. "Oh yhh, true. I couldn't even get time to spend with daddy. Why couldn't mum tell me? Because mum was the one who brought me food during my training sessions and she never spoke about marriage. I don't understand" Leni cried out again. "Leni, you mother only got to know last minute and agreed with your dad. They were planning to tell you when they got back from the vacation but that's when the unfortunate happened and we never heard from them again" Uncle Gabriel explained further. "Listen Leni, I'm sorry if this is bothering you but it has been arranged by your parents and you can't do anything about it. You've got two years to think through. Don't let it worry you. You have a daughter now and she needs love, attention and care. I'm sure this guy will be nice." He continued. Leni sighed, rather slowly, and replied "Ok,Uncle. I'll think about it. It's not like I have a choice. I just pray he treats my daughter and I well. I always knew I was imprisoned in my whole life ". A trickle of tears slowly rolled down her cheeks and she quickly wiped it off with the tissue on the office table. After this, Leni reassured her uncle that she was completely fine and they talked about certain others issues about work, laughed and Gabriel eventually left. She decided to go and see Marie and she saw her eyes glued to the television. She ordered food for them and they started eating. She loved how she has quickly bonded with Marie. She wanted to stop thinking about the marriage but she couldn't. How could her parents do such a thing to her, especially her mum? Leni and her mother were so close that Leni told her mum every detail of her life. She just couldn't understand. After some hours of working, Leni decided to return home. She could see that Marie was very tired as she noticed she slept off in the car. When the got to the house, she slowly picked her from the car and brought her in. She placed her gently on the bed and covered her with blankets.