C5 5

ADELE

We walked out of the registrar's office after we were done. We took our vows to always help each other through thick and thin and we even took the picture for our wedding certificates. Well, now I want to go back home.

"Wow! You are finally married, honey", Christopher's mother said and I turned to look at her. She is holding her right palm against her son's face affectionately.

"I will finally get to see my grandchildren", she said again and Christopher chuckled.

"Stop being dramatic, mom", he replied to her as he removed her hand from his face and held it instead.

He looked at me and I let my eyes lock with his for a while before taking my eyes off him quickly.

"You finally got married, sis", Veronica said to me as she stood beside me with a smile on her face.

"I am happy for you", I heard mother say and I looked at her in front of me.

"I am not sure if I am happy for me though", I replied with a shrug and mother looked around quickly.

"Don't say that!", she half shrieked with wide eyes and I chuckled. I like teasing mother.

It is true though. I am not sure if I am happy for me. I am not even sure if I know what I am doing.

"Congratulations dear", Christopher's mother said as she approached me.

"Thank you, ma'am", I replied back to her and she pulled me into a tight hug.

"You can call me mom", she replied with a smile after she had unattached her body from mine.

"Ah-"

"Oh, it is fine. Take your time", she said to me with that smile still on her face and I quickly changed my expression to a smiling one as well.

"I don't really know why you guys do not want a grand ceremony", she said with a tired sigh and Christopher spoke up.

"This is enough, mom", he said to her and she just nodded helplessly.

"You know, they can still go on a honeymoon", my mother suggested with a huge grin on her face and my eyes widened.

"No!", I shouted, forgetting all etiquette, and mother's eyes went wide as she looked at me in surprise.

"Uh, Adele dear. Why don't you want a honeymoon?", Christopher's mother asked softly and I gulped.

I had screamed out in rejection but even I don't know why I don't want a honeymoon.

"I think Adele is just a little nervous, Mother. She will be fine", Christopher said and I turned my head sharply to look at him.

"Moreover, we would have enough time to get to know each other at home", he added with a meaningful grin on his face and I scoffed in disbelief.

"He just had to spoil it all with that", I mumbled to myself.

"Oh!", Christopher's mother said sharply as she giggled at Christopher's words.

I looked at mother and she has a satisfactory smile on her face as well. Whatever.

I felt his gaze on me and I turned my head to look at him again. He winked once at me and I batted my eyelids at him in surprise before looking at him in disgust.

New sets of people made their way into the secretary's office and we all realized it was time to leave. We walked out of the building one after the other and I quickly started heading toward father's car.

"Uh, where are you going?", Christopher asked, stopping me dead in my tracks. I looked back at him, just to meet that surprised look on his face and I scoffed.

"Home. Duh!", I replied before folding my arms on my stomach.

"Yes, your new home", mother added and I turned my head to look at her just beside father who is standing beside Christopher.

"What's that supposed to mean?", I asked in confusion.

"It's only right that you go to your husband's house now, Adele", my father replied and I realized my mistake.

"Oh", I replied sharply before looking down at my feet.

"I have to get my things first then. I haven't packed up", I said as an excuse, and mother's giggle followed.

"We already did that for you, honey", I heard her say and I looked up at her in surprise.

"You what?!"

"Veronica and I packed it up for you before we left home this morning", she explained calmly again like it was no big deal and I can feel that anger surging up.

"And when was that?", I asked back calmly.

"When you are doing the dishes", it was Veronica who talked now and I turned my head to look at her.

I gave her a deadly stare to show my unhappiness about what she did and she quickly took her eyes off me.

"Uhn, Adele dear, are you nervous?", Christopher's mother asked before walking to my front.

Is that what this is? Am I just nervous?

"No, I am not", I replied anyways and she took my hands in hers.

"If Christopher does anything you don't want him to, just call me. I will always be there to support you. Trust me, you are in safe hands", she said slowly to me with a convincing look on her face.

"Thank you", I replied nonchalantly to her and she smiled.

"Let's go then", Christopher broke the good memory we were creating and I glared at him.

Veronica went to take my luggage out of the car trunk and Christopher quickly collected it from her.

"Thank you", he said politely after and I scoffed.

'Acting like he is close to me', I thought before rolling my eyes.

"He is cute and nice", Veronica whispered quickly in my ear before going to join father and mother where they stood.

Christopher came to stand beside me and I looked up at him. He is smiling. I held his gaze in mine for a while before father broke the silence.

"We would leave you two to it now", he said. He has that sentimental look on his face.

"Take care of your husband, Adele", father added and I gave him a smile in return.

Mother walked forward after that and pulled me into a tight hug. It feels so-- good. It has been a long time since I hugged mother like this, I can't even recollect the last time.

"Take care of yourself", she said into my ear before loosening her hold on me. She brought her hands up to cup my face.

"You finally got married", she said with glossy eyes and I gulped.

This is just too emotional for me.

"I did", I told her back, my voice quivering.

She walked back after smiling at me and Veronica waved at me. I waved back at her with a smile on my face before looking at Christopher's parents. They have that assuring smile on their faces as Mr. Marvin held his wife in his arms. I nodded at them in respect before looking up at Christopher again.

He offered his right hand towards me to hold on to and I raised a brow at him.

"Don't push it", I said quietly to him but the others somehow managed to hear me because they burst into laughter after I finished talking.

I guess I wasn't speaking as quietly as I thought I was then.

Christopher and I walked towards his car and he dropped my luggage in the back seat immediately after we got there.

I walked to the passenger door and was about to pull it open when he arrived beside me. He opened the door for me like a gentleman and I scoffed.

The drive to his house was too quiet, really too quiet that I had to speak up.

"What we are doing is crazy, you know", I told him and he turned his head to look at me quickly.

"Uhn?", he asked back in confusion that I had to turn my head to look at him as well.

"Getting married to a stranger"

"Oh", he replied quietly before facing the road.

"I hope we get along quite well then", he said as he faced the road and I chuckled.

I hope so too. A few minutes passed after that and still, we are not there. I am starting to get anxious.

"Where exactly are we going? Mars?", I asked or half shrieked that he chuckled aloud.

"No, we are almost there. Calm down", he replied with another chuckle and I sighed as I kept looking out of the window.

About fifteen minutes passed before the car finally stopped in front of a gigantic black gate. I can't even see what is behind it.

"This is your house?", I asked him with a raised brow and he smiled.

"Our house. Welcome to your new home, Adele", he replied and I frowned as I looked at the gate again.

I hope my stay here does not turn out to be the worse.

* * *