Chapter 19: Chapter 19

Copper

"So that's the boy you got married to," Mom said after Kenny went outside. "He's not giving you any problems, is he?"

I brought the used dishes to the sink. "Not at all. He's a little straightforward, but not too hard to handle. He didn't want this marriage either so we sort of understand each other."

Except that he keeps his distance from me for some reason. However, I don't mind. As long as he doesn't behave childishly and take out his dissatisfaction on me, there won't be a problem.

"That's good." Mom chuckles. "He doesn't seem like the talkative type."

I shrugged. "He speaks when he has something to say and only then. Quite an odd fellow, right?"

"You've got that right." She kept smiling. What was that about?

"Mom? What's wrong?"

She shook her head. "I just never thought that when you get married, it would be like this. This wasn't what I envisioned for you."

"It's only for two years." I shrugged and added soap to the dishwasher. "Besides, there's always later. I never planned on having a boyfriend until I was done with high school anyway."

Daniel appeared and wrapped his arms around Mom's waist from behind. He kissed the top of her head.

"You can go keep your rich husband's company," he said. "Your mom and I can take things from here."

Mom gazed at him, her eyes twinkling as a broad smile appeared on her face.

I shook my head and dried my hands. "Alright. Don't do anything in the kitchen that would make it messier than it already is."

"Copper!" Mom yelled. I smiled and waved as I left.

Now to find my husband. I had an idea where he wandered off to. I poked my head outside the patio door. That's where I found him, standing right beside me.

I stood side by side after our initial greeting watching the sun descend. The noises from all around us kept us company. Some of it was of birds heading in for the night. Others were far-off voices that were too far away to make out.

"Mom wants to know how you liked dessert?" I told him. Kenny shrugged.

"It's delicious. I thought I told her that?"

"I did. You were so quiet I was looking for a way to break the ice."

He gazed at me with a quizzical expression. Then he asked me something I didn't expect. "Are you comfortable with me?"

I blinked. "Why do you ask that?"

"Sometimes you're the dutiful wife that will always look after my wellbeing, like at my family house. Then you're quiet and visibly uncomfortable like after the wedding. Both of us had our guards up, but your walls were higher than mine were. And now, you're choosing to stay close to me in a house full of places to hide and even tried to 'break the ice'. I can't tell what part of you is real. So tell me, is this the comfortable version of you?"

My mouth twitched from side to side. My legs wandered to the patio railing and I leaned my back against it with my arms resting on top of it. Answering his question couldn't hurt. After all, if we were going to live together for a few years, we needed to get along. In order to get along, we needed to trust each other a little bit. In order for that to happen, we needed to be somewhat open.

"The behavior I displayed back at your house was one I knew your parents would be expecting of me," I told him honestly. I shrugged. "But I'm sure you already knew that."

He didn't say a word so I went on.

"As for whether the way I'm acting right now is the current me, I rather say it's the side of me that my family brings out. It's something that even I can't help."

I smile as I say this. Kenny looks out over the yard. At least right here, right now, he can tell that I'm being genuine.

Unknown to me, his plan still stands and it's better not to get too attached. He'll make sure that this arrangement won't be for long.

"Your parents are nice people," he said. "I can tell that they love you."

My smile grows even bigger. A breeze passes, whipping my hair around. "And can you tell that I love them?"

"I don't know. You were pretty mean when you asked about your stepdad's health."

They shared a laugh for the first time.

______

Sylvester Harmony is surprised to see me the next morning.

I wasn't dressed in my usual style. I wore a sleeveless summer dress that stopped at my knees. Its color is a lighter yellow than that of a sunflower.

"We need to talk," I said firmly.

Kenny is sitting on the sofa drinking some lemonade served by a nearby maid. He taps away at his phone, either pretending to pay attention to it or really is preoccupied.

"Sure, I'm happy that you came by." He starts to turn. "We can talk in my office."

"No need, I'll make this quick." He stops and I approach him. "What I did yesterday was wrong of me. I shouldn't have freaked out when I got overwhelmed. So I apologize for that. But you should have let me know what happened with my parents. There's no reason to keep that from me."

He lowered his head. After a while, he nods.

"I thought moving to somewhere more secure would be better for them. We went house shopping together. I offered them a place at one of my companies but they declined. So I decided to cover all the house expenses instead. I shouldn't have kept anything from you."

This admission from him softened my resolve. Just a little. My parents seemed more at home and happier at their new place than our old one. And they're being taken care of.

But how do I know this won't come to bite me back in the ass later down the line.

"We need to make an agreement."

For this, we moved to the office.

Kenny chose not to follow us, saying that he had a few calls he had to make.

I borrowed my grandfather's fountain pen and wrote down my terms on paper.

"No matter what happens in the future, you have to make sure that you'd look after my parents and never hurt them or put them in harm's way. And you must always respect their choices."

Sylvester willingly complied. "I'll have my lawyer draft a contract. You can go and look for one too. You can use the card to pay them."

For some reason, a tear slides down her cheek. Sylvester jolts up in alarm. "Copper? Oh my, where are my tissues?"

I walked around the desk and hugged him. Suddenly, I started sobbing.

"I'm trying to trust you. I really am. So don't give you a reason to doubt you again."

So absorbed into my mind, it took a while to register that my grandfather hugged me back.

"There there, I'm sorry. I'll never do anything to scare my granddaughter again."

I wiped my eyes, however, more tears continued to flow.

But, at my very center, a part of me was starting to feel at peace.