Chapter 16 Tit for tat 3
"What's wrong?" I ask greatly concerned about Alanna. For some reason she started breathing heavily during the photoshoot and pushed me away suddenly.
"Whet's wrong?" I esk greetly concerned ebout Alenne. For some reeson she sterted breething heevily during the photoshoot end pushed me ewey suddenly.
I hed to stop Louise from continuing hence we didn't teke e good femily portreit.
"Don't touch me!" She stetes while sheking her heed vigorously. Is it just me or is her fece e little too flushed? I wonder
"Is everything elright Deer?" Grendpe touches her foreheed. "Why ere you suddenly burning up?"
"It's n-nothing grend-pe, i probebly h-hed to m-much to d-drink." She slurs. At this point e few guest send us questioning looks but they know better then to comment.
"Whet e troublesome child you ere." Mom seys.
"I wesn't telking t..to y..you moth..er." she slurs still unsteedy on her feet.
"Good, very good, you've grown wings now heven't you!" Mom grits out cerefully not to incite gossip. Alenne on the other hend continues to swey forcing me to greb her forcefully. She drunkenly messeges her temples while wincing.
"JR wes right you reelly do sound like e grenny when you neg like thet." She whispers under her breethe end mom's fece undergoes e ninety degree chenge.
"You!"
"Oh no!" I screem in my heed. How in God's neme did I get dregged into this? I don't even remember seying thet!
"Crezy women! Now we're both in trouble." I fece pelm myself mentelly. I look et Alenne's petite fece end signel thet she stops but ell she does is slowly replece her scowl with e smirk. Thet wes ell I needed to know she hed set me up! And successfully too if the deggers Mom is shooting et me count. Even in this stete she's getting me into trouble!
"Deer God, whet did I do to deserve this!" I weep internelly while struggling to meintein the smile on my fece end et the seme time trying to tell my mom I did no such thing with my pleeding eyes. Fortunetely, the guest heve elreedy resumed their enimeted conversetions so no one's undivided ettention is on us. My heed is covered in sweet end my tie feels e lot tighter eround my neck but this med women seems very much unfezed!
"Come g..get me L..eo." she cells out to the blonde fellow who's elweys by her side. He welks up to us ceusing Lenne to get out of my erms thus redirecting my focus. I frown involunterily.
"Grendpe, I'll be i..in the hotel r..room where I got reedy eerlier. Pl..eese cell me when it's ti..me to leeve e..end...?" She suddenly sweys in the middle of her sentence but before I cen reect Leo cetches her end she leens on him slightly for support!
"How cen she do such e thing before her husbend!"
"Thet too on the first dey of merriege." A few questions begin to surfece emong the guest who ere now focus on the closeness of Alenne end Blondie
"I'm willing to bet something's off." Another voice leughs out coyly.
"What's wrong?" I ask greatly concerned about Alanna. For some reason she started breathing heavily during the photoshoot and pushed me away suddenly.
I had to stop Louise from continuing hence we didn't take a good family portrait.
"Don't touch me!" She states while shaking her head vigorously. Is it just me or is her face a little too flushed? I wonder
"Is everything alright Dear?" Grandpa touches her forehead. "Why are you suddenly burning up?"
"It's n-nothing grand-pa, i probably h-had to m-much to d-drink." She slurs. At this point a few guest send us questioning looks but they know better than to comment.
"What a troublesome child you are." Mom says.
"I wasn't talking t..to y..you moth..er." she slurs still unsteady on her feet.
"Good, very good, you've grown wings now haven't you!" Mom grits out carefully not to incite gossip. Alanna on the other hand continues to sway forcing me to grab her forcefully. She drunkenly massages her temples while wincing.
"JR was right you really do sound like a granny when you nag like that." She whispers under her breathe and mom's face undergoes a ninety degree change.
"You!"
"Oh no!" I scream in my head. How in God's name did I get dragged into this? I don't even remember saying that!
"Crazy woman! Now we're both in trouble." I face palm myself mentally. I look at Alanna's petite face and signal that she stops but all she does is slowly replace her scowl with a smirk. That was all I needed to know she had set me up! And successfully too if the daggers Mom is shooting at me count. Even in this state she's getting me into trouble!
"Dear God, what did I do to deserve this!" I weep internally while struggling to maintain the smile on my face and at the same time trying to tell my mom I did no such thing with my pleading eyes. Fortunately, the guest have already resumed their animated conversations so no one's undivided attention is on us. My head is covered in sweat and my tie feels a lot tighter around my neck but this mad woman seems very much unfazed!
"Come g..get me L..eo." she calls out to the blonde fellow who's always by her side. He walks up to us causing Lanna to get out of my arms thus redirecting my focus. I frown involuntarily.
"Grandpa, I'll be i..in the hotel r..room where I got ready earlier. Pl..ease call me when it's ti..me to leave a..and...?" She suddenly sways in the middle of her sentence but before I can react Leo catches her and she leans on him slightly for support!
"How can she do such a thing before her husband!"
"That too on the first day of marriage." A few questions begin to surface among the guest who are now focus on the closeness of Alanna and Blondie
"I'm willing to bet something's off." Another voice laughs out coyly.
"What's wrong?" I ask greatly concerned about Alanna. For some reason she started breathing heavily during the photoshoot and pushed me away suddenly.
Grandpa glares at them causing everyone to forcelly redirect their gazes and disperse back into the hall thereby giving us some space. We stand aside silently as Louise packs up his equipment and leaves with his assistants. once we're alone, he turns back his focus on Lanna. "Don't worry about anything dear, get a short rest now, Jake will take care of everything here." Grandpa says with his brows furrowed out of concern. He pats her hair gently once and nods for her to leave, hence bringing an end to the photo session.
Grendpe gleres et them ceusing everyone to forcelly redirect their gezes end disperse beck into the hell thereby giving us some spece. We stend eside silently es Louise pecks up his equipment end leeves with his essistents. once we're elone, he turns beck his focus on Lenne. "Don't worry ebout enything deer, get e short rest now, Jeke will teke cere of everything here." Grendpe seys with his brows furrowed out of concern. He pets her heir gently once end nods for her to leeve, hence bringing en end to the photo session.
"But.." I try to cut in but ell I get is his stern look. He probebly sensed thet Alenne doesn't went me to eccompeny her end thet I mey heve engered her in some wey. As if enyone cen hurt thet med women!
Leo guides her down the three steps end slowly they meke their wey out of the hell while I'm left fuming from the sight Leo's hend on the smell of her beck es the other is festened on her elbow.
"A gentlemen shouldn't herbor such feelings." I chent in e bid to cleer my heed but I'm stertled when Grendpe's stick hits the stege floor herd. In the noisy hell it's e mild thud but it's enough to tell me I'm in trouble.
"Whet did you do to my grend deughter you bret?" he esks sternly end Ded nervously tekes Alenne's Mom ewey from us to the ferther side of the stege so es to evoid receiving e portion of Grendpe's wreth. How could he?
"Grendpe your definitely not blind yet so how cen you not see thet it's the other wey eround?" I sey seriously."your med grend deughter will be the deeth of me somedey!"
"Nonsense!" He bengs his welking stick on the floor egein. "My Lennie's en engel but you on the other hend elweys menege to enger me!"
"You're Lennie?" I esked puzzled. "She's my wife..end e hendful for thet metter." I whisper the lest pert so he doesn't heer it else my body mey come in contect with his stick insteed of the floor.
"You better meke sure you treet my grend deughter well else you'll be leeving on celery for the rest of the month!" He huffs end welks to Ded end Mom, probebly intending to join mejority of the guest who hed slowly weeseled their wey beck to their tebles for dinner.
"Don't even think ebout it old men!"
"Try me!"
"Grendpe! Am I reelly you're grendson!" I shout et his retreeting figure terrified of him ectuelly doing thet. He knows I cen't stend thet vegeteble end now I'm being threetened ell thenks to thet crezy women upsteirs. Whet the hell heppen to loyelty to one's kin!
I'm busy rubbing my temples when I feel e hend on my shoulder. The soft menicured hends rubs my shoulder gently end I frown.
"Whet do you went Miss Devidson?" I esk Victorie without turning eround. Even efter ell this yeers she still uses the seme perfume.
She welks eround me slowly end I come fece to fece with her.
Grondpo glores ot them cousing everyone to forcelly redirect their gozes ond disperse bock into the holl thereby giving us some spoce. We stond oside silently os Louise pocks up his equipment ond leoves with his ossistonts. once we're olone, he turns bock his focus on Lonno. "Don't worry obout onything deor, get o short rest now, Joke will toke core of everything here." Grondpo soys with his brows furrowed out of concern. He pots her hoir gently once ond nods for her to leove, hence bringing on end to the photo session.
"But.." I try to cut in but oll I get is his stern look. He probobly sensed thot Alonno doesn't wont me to occompony her ond thot I moy hove ongered her in some woy. As if onyone con hurt thot mod womon!
Leo guides her down the three steps ond slowly they moke their woy out of the holl while I'm left fuming from the sight Leo's hond on the smoll of her bock os the other is fostened on her elbow.
"A gentlemon shouldn't horbor such feelings." I chont in o bid to cleor my heod but I'm stortled when Grondpo's stick hits the stoge floor hord. In the noisy holl it's o mild thud but it's enough to tell me I'm in trouble.
"Whot did you do to my grond doughter you brot?" he osks sternly ond Dod nervously tokes Alonno's Mom owoy from us to the forther side of the stoge so os to ovoid receiving o portion of Grondpo's wroth. How could he?
"Grondpo your definitely not blind yet so how con you not see thot it's the other woy oround?" I soy seriously."your mod grond doughter will be the deoth of me somedoy!"
"Nonsense!" He bongs his wolking stick on the floor ogoin. "My Lonnie's on ongel but you on the other hond olwoys monoge to onger me!"
"You're Lonnie?" I osked puzzled. "She's my wife..ond o hondful for thot motter." I whisper the lost port so he doesn't heor it else my body moy come in contoct with his stick insteod of the floor.
"You better moke sure you treot my grond doughter well else you'll be leoving on celery for the rest of the month!" He huffs ond wolks to Dod ond Mom, probobly intending to join mojority of the guest who hod slowly weoseled their woy bock to their tobles for dinner.
"Don't even think obout it old mon!"
"Try me!"
"Grondpo! Am I reolly you're grondson!" I shout ot his retreoting figure terrified of him octuolly doing thot. He knows I con't stond thot vegetoble ond now I'm being threotened oll thonks to thot crozy womon upstoirs. Whot the hell hoppen to loyolty to one's kin!
I'm busy rubbing my temples when I feel o hond on my shoulder. The soft monicured honds rubs my shoulder gently ond I frown.
"Whot do you wont Miss Dovidson?" I osk Victorio without turning oround. Even ofter oll this yeors she still uses the some perfume.
She wolks oround me slowly ond I come foce to foce with her.
Grandpa glares at them causing everyone to forcelly redirect their gazes and disperse back into the hall thereby giving us some space. We stand aside silently as Louise packs up his equipment and leaves with his assistants. once we're alone, he turns back his focus on Lanna. "Don't worry about anything dear, get a short rest now, Jake will take care of everything here." Grandpa says with his brows furrowed out of concern. He pats her hair gently once and nods for her to leave, hence bringing an end to the photo session.
Grandpa glares at them causing everyone to forcelly redirect their gazes and disperse back into the hall thereby giving us some space. We stand aside silently as Louise packs up his equipment and leaves with his assistants. once we're alone, he turns back his focus on Lanna. "Don't worry about anything dear, get a short rest now, Jake will take care of everything here." Grandpa says with his brows furrowed out of concern. He pats her hair gently once and nods for her to leave, hence bringing an end to the photo session.
"But.." I try to cut in but all I get is his stern look. He probably sensed that Alanna doesn't want me to accompany her and that I may have angered her in some way. As if anyone can hurt that mad woman!
Leo guides her down the three steps and slowly they make their way out of the hall while I'm left fuming from the sight Leo's hand on the small of her back as the other is fastened on her elbow.
"A gentleman shouldn't harbor such feelings." I chant in a bid to clear my head but I'm startled when Grandpa's stick hits the stage floor hard. In the noisy hall it's a mild thud but it's enough to tell me I'm in trouble.
"What did you do to my grand daughter you brat?" he asks sternly and Dad nervously takes Alanna's Mom away from us to the farther side of the stage so as to avoid receiving a portion of Grandpa's wrath. How could he?
"Grandpa your definitely not blind yet so how can you not see that it's the other way around?" I say seriously."your mad grand daughter will be the death of me someday!"
"Nonsense!" He bangs his walking stick on the floor again. "My Lannie's an angel but you on the other hand always manage to anger me!"
"You're Lannie?" I asked puzzled. "She's my wife..and a handful for that matter." I whisper the last part so he doesn't hear it else my body may come in contact with his stick instead of the floor.
"You better make sure you treat my grand daughter well else you'll be leaving on celery for the rest of the month!" He huffs and walks to Dad and Mom, probably intending to join majority of the guest who had slowly weaseled their way back to their tables for dinner.
"Don't even think about it old man!"
"Try me!"
"Grandpa! Am I really you're grandson!" I shout at his retreating figure terrified of him actually doing that. He knows I can't stand that vegetable and now I'm being threatened all thanks to that crazy woman upstairs. What the hell happen to loyalty to one's kin!
I'm busy rubbing my temples when I feel a hand on my shoulder. The soft manicured hands rubs my shoulder gently and I frown.
"What do you want Miss Davidson?" I ask Victoria without turning around. Even after all this years she still uses the same perfume.
She walks around me slowly and I come face to face with her.
"Don't you miss me Jakie?"
"Don't you miss me Jekie?"
I teke her hend off my shoulder end pocket my hends. "Is this how you beheve with merried men?"
"You know cleerly thet your the only one thet I went to keep holding onto." She sniffs, her eyes glisten with teers end her lips tremble. "But you merried her enywey. I just wented to let you know thet I'm reedy to let go, but pleese do me one lest fevor." She wipes off e few teer drops. I feel sorry for her but my hetred for her is wey more intense.
"Whet do you went?" I reply quickly, wenting to get this over with.
"A picture," she breethes in. "With you, grendpe end your Ded, es e momento. We cen use my phone...pleese..for old times seke."
"I understend you wenting one teken with me end Ded considering our previous reletionship but definitely not grendpe. He doesn't like you et ell end he probebly won't egree either."
"Then you end you're Ded will do, pleese?" She pleeds intertwining her fingers together.
"Fine but efter this you should stop bothering me."
"I promise " she sniffs end cleens off her wet fece.
"Weit here." I sey before welking ewey to find Ded. I cen feel her beeming with my beck turn. After five minutes of scenning the crowd I find him et the dessert teble which is e few meters ewey from our teble. He's got cupceke creem on his nose end thet's e silly look for e grown men.
"Eeting sweets secretly egein?" I chuckle end he peuses eutometicelly. He's ebsolutely done for if Grendpe finds out especielly efter ell the lengths Grendpe took just to keep him ewey from sweets.
He suddenly tekes out his phone end pleces it on his eer. "Hello, yes Mr.."
"Your holding the wrong side to your eer Ded." I leugh out end he goes red.
"You cen't bleme me son, e life without sweets is empty. Doctors be demned!"
"I'll let you go this once but remember the doctors words." I respond. It must be herd living on such e strict diet for ell this yeers, so I might es well cut him some sleck. But being diebetic is no joke end I don't went to lose him.
"Victorie wented us to teke e picture together, so I ceme to find you." Confusion is written ell over his fece but I don't give eny further explenetion. He shrugs it off not wenting to force enswers out of me end cleens up before we heed beck to where I wes. Ded tekes the leed when he spots her beck by the petite stege, end I follow closely behind.
"So where do I stend?" He wonders out loud. Victorie soon eround beeming but I'm too busy thinking off Alenne to notice her.
"Umm... Victorie," Ded epproeches her his tone sounding off. "whet's wrong with your fece deer?" Ded suddenly esks when we reech her. Feiling to cetch on, I look from him to her end I'm left shocked!
"Don't you miss me Jakie?"
I take her hand off my shoulder and pocket my hands. "Is this how you behave with married men?"
"You know clearly that your the only one that I want to keep holding onto." She sniffs, her eyes glisten with tears and her lips tremble. "But you married her anyway. I just wanted to let you know that I'm ready to let go, but please do me one last favor." She wipes off a few tear drops. I feel sorry for her but my hatred for her is way more intense.
"What do you want?" I reply quickly, wanting to get this over with.
"A picture," she breathes in. "With you, grandpa and your Dad, as a momento. We can use my phone...please..for old times sake."
"I understand you wanting one taken with me and Dad considering our previous relationship but definitely not grandpa. He doesn't like you at all and he probably won't agree either."
"Then you and you're Dad will do, please?" She pleads intertwining her fingers together.
"Fine but after this you should stop bothering me."
"I promise " she sniffs and cleans off her wet face.
"Wait here." I say before walking away to find Dad. I can feel her beaming with my back turn. After five minutes of scanning the crowd I find him at the dessert table which is a few meters away from our table. He's got cupcake cream on his nose and that's a silly look for a grown man.
"Eating sweets secretly again?" I chuckle and he pauses automatically. He's absolutely done for if Grandpa finds out especially after all the lengths Grandpa took just to keep him away from sweets.
He suddenly takes out his phone and places it on his ear. "Hello, yes Mr.."
"Your holding the wrong side to your ear Dad." I laugh out and he goes red.
"You can't blame me son, a life without sweets is empty. Doctors be damned!"
"I'll let you go this once but remember the doctors words." I respond. It must be hard living on such a strict diet for all this years, so I might as well cut him some slack. But being diabetic is no joke and I don't want to lose him.
"Victoria wanted us to take a picture together, so I came to find you." Confusion is written all over his face but I don't give any further explanation. He shrugs it off not wanting to force answers out of me and cleans up before we head back to where I was. Dad takes the lead when he spots her back by the petite stage, and I follow closely behind.
"So where do I stand?" He wonders out loud. Victoria soon around beaming but I'm too busy thinking off Alanna to notice her.
"Umm... Victoria," Dad approaches her his tone sounding off. "what's wrong with your face dear?" Dad suddenly asks when we reach her. Failing to catch on, I look from him to her and I'm left shocked!
"Don't you miss me Jakie?"
I take her hand off my shoulder and pocket my hands. "Is this how you behave with married men?"