Hop, Skip, Wed

Airport

"Don't depend too much on someone cause even your shadow leaves you when you're in darkness"

-Anonymous 

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Life is unexpected, we all know that. Life never really goes the way we plan it. Some people can somehow see the beauty in that. I never could really see the beauty in that but who am I to judge? I thought as I settled down in my seat. This was going to be a long flight.

It was traditional for the youngest child to marry a person chosen by their parents. This tradition started when my great grandmother's marriage was arranged by her parents to my great grandfather as part of a business deal. Their relationship proved to be better than my great grandmother's sisters. From then on, the youngest child's marriage had been arranged by their parents.

The marriage was not forced, if the youngest child refused to marry the chosen person that was that. They were not forced by anyone in the family. After the couple was introduced they were given time to get to know each other. All three of us, my grandmother, my mother and me had dated other people before meeting our husbands. This was neither disappointing nor amazing for me. I was neutral, because I do believe in love just not romantic love. I wasn't always like this but I guess life changes you for the better. This tradition is the reason why I'm flying back to San Francisco. I've been living in Birmingham for the past seven years. I did, of course go back to see them each winter and they would come over each spring.

Before moving in with the kids I used to live with my best friend, Ava. Ava and I met in middle school, she is the clumsiest person to ever exist, somehow she sprained her wrist when she accidentally bumped into me. When she realized she had sprained her wrist because of me, she wasn't pleased to say the least and the profanities that came out of her mouth was evidence enough. She tried to smash my phone but with her sprained wrist she couldn't do much. Her trying to snatch my phone from me was quite hilarious and when she finally gave up; we looked at each other and started laughing and we've been best friends ever since.

Ava had gotten engaged to her high school sweetheart, Mike, before we left for college. That was like a win - win for me since I was dating someone at the time and she didn't want to go to clubs or parties. Sometimes she comes to visit us at the house, and the kids seem to love her too. The kids are not generally comfortable with many people so it was good to know they seemed to like my friend.

"Flight 0947 is ready to board."

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I woke up when people started bumping into my chair. I opened my eyes to see that people had starting leaving the plane. Quickly, I got out of my seat, pulled my bags out of the overhead compartments, and unbuckled Mia, the six month old orphan I planned on adopting.

Turning my phone on, I saw my parents had left me a message letting me know that they weren't coming to pick me up at all. It was my 'fiance' that was coming to pick me up. My parents seem to forget that neither one of us had seen each other before and so my parents sent my 'fiance' a picture of me. But they also seem to forget that it would be easier if they send me a picture too. How am I supposed to know who he is? I'm not just getting into a car with a stranger. When I pointed that out they said that I was 'ruining all the fun.' There was nothing fun about getting kidnapped!

Getting through security proved to be harder than I had initially anticipated. They checked Mia's bag at least three times, they couldn't wrap their minds around the fact that she was a kid and obviously had a baby bottle. After confiscating Mia's favourite baby bottle they let us through and I finally made it to baggage reclaim. I had to ask for help as getting your bags of the carousel while carrying a baby wasn't the easiest.

I had been waiting at the departure door for at least 15 minutes, which may not seem like a long time but when you're waiting at a busy place with a hungry baby it seems like eternity. I look around one last time for someone who could be my future husband before deciding it was best if I just called a cab. However, just as I turn around to go to the gate with the cabs I bump into someone.

I bump into this person who was most probably a foot taller than me and instead of helping me like a normal person should, they push me. Literally push me away like I was a zombie, mind the fact I was carrying a kid that wasn't even a year old yet. Deciding that it was best if I ignored him, as Mia was at the verge of tears, I say sorry, even though it wasn't my fault and started walking away. As soon as I pass by said person, they grab me by my arm and pulls me backwards. What the heck? Does this person expect me to beg for forgiveness of something? It wasn't even my fault!

I tried to free my hand from his iron grip which proved to be futile. I'm pretty sure this person was on steroids because there was no way he was this strong without them. After a few seconds of trying to get away from him he finally lets go of me. By now I was actually pissed cause this unknown dude nearly broke my arm. I guess I will need to put him in his place.

"Finally! What the hell took you this long? Do you know how long I've been waiting for you?" He nearly yelled.

Looking around to see who he was talking to I realized he was talking to ME. I glare at him. "No and I don't care either! Who do you think you are? You think that you can just push people around, even though you can clearly see that I have a child with me? Did your parents not teach you any manners? You should be glad that I'm not calling security but instead you have the audacity to stand here and question where I have been? "

At the mention of a kid he glanced down at Mia. When he looked up I could see that he was disgusted. Who the heck is this dude? Why is he making that face at my kid?

"You have kids?" He said eyeing Mia disgustingly.

Hugging her tighter to me, I said "Yeah, I have kids. You got a problem with that?"

I could clearly see his disgust increase. What the heck was his problem? For goodness sake.

"How many kids do you have?"

Eve though they weren't my kids as I hadn't adopted them I still considered them family and it was an ongoing joke for them to call me mom as I always acted like one. I loved talking about the kids and whenever someone asks about the kids I get extremely happy. But that was not the case today. "I don't understand how that is any of your business." I replied rudely, before grabbing my bags and walking past him.

I guess he didn't understand that I don't want to talk to him because he started following me! I decided to give him the benefit of the doubt, maybe he needs to catch a cab too.

"Where are you going? My car is over there." He said, out of the blue.

"Okay? Congratulations? What am I supposed to do with that information?" I said rudely, yet again. Hoping he'd get the hint.

"I'm supposed to be taking you home. You are Sophia Bradford, right?" He said before coming to stand in front of me.

No way. There is no way my parents chose this man for me. What had I ever done to them. I had always been a nice kid, I listened to whatever they said. I didn't rebel, I wasn't even a moody teenager. Then why would they choose this man for me? He didn't even like kids! This had to be a joke. I looked around for the camera and when I found none, I decided it would be best if I lied, got home before he did and told my parents there was no way I was marrying this man.

"Nope, wrong gal! Haha..." I said, hopefully he didn't get suspicious. I grabbed my stuff tightly and started walking towards the cab that the kind man had stopped for me. I quickly got in and locked the doors and told the cab driver to drive to the addresses I had given him as fast as possible. 

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Edited (: