Chapter 3: Something dumb

Elena getting into an accident was the last thing I expected when I entered the new week. I was barely done with my last class at 1 p.m. when I got a call from Mount Auburn's Hospital informing me about my grandmother's accident.

I left for the hospital immediately after completing my test and called Oliver and told him what had happened. He promised he would be there as soon as his test ended, and that was a few more hours the I called my uncle.

My mother died a few hours after I was born; she had haemorrhaged beyond control, and the doctors couldn't save her. I never knew my father, and Elena called him a tourist who had swept my mother off her feet when he visited our country.

Elena became my mother and my grandmother, providing the care I needed and never failing to tell me about how loving and kind my mother was. Fate was cruel, but I was loved and cared for, and though it didn't take the longing of a mother away, it helped make it less.

Elena was the best grandma I could have ever asked for. She was my friend and my number one fan. When I got the educational sponsorship to study here, she came with me. Her son and his family were already in the States, which made things easier. With the sponsorship in place, she worked most of the time to send me treats and plan our grandma and grandchild's fancy date. We've done that for three years.

The doctor told me her sudden breakdown was due to stress, as Elena wasn't as strong as she used to be, and neither was her heart. She was sixty-five and needed to take things slow and gentle. Elena, however, argued she didn't do too much. I had to tell her I didn't want her to do too much. I didn't need any money. I had my job at the university's library to fall back on. She promised to let go of some babysitting jobs she had taken on.

Cecil had no class in the second period, so she also came to see me in the hospital with Elena. She brought fruit. After asking after Elena, she inquired about Oliver, as Seth had told her what happened.

Oliver didn't take his parents' threat of disownment seriously because he didn't end things with me like I expected him to.

We had left four days ago after Seth had told us what their parents said, and when I asked what his thoughts were on it all, he told me he had everything under control.

The next day, he texted if I was up for a karaoke date. When I hesitated in responding to his message, he sent me a cute puppy face, and who was I to say no? We have carried on even though the world breathed thunder and brimstones. When I expressed my concerns to Elena, she told me to follow my heart. My heart felt secure with Oliver, and so I followed it.

I didn't expect to find Ivory at my place two days later, but that happened. She had come to ask me to stay away from her son, and from the look of it, it took a lot of effort for her to take that step. She asked how much I needed to leave Oliver for good. I was surprised but knew I shouldn't be; she called me a gold digger, and so she believed I was the worst of the worst.

I told her I didn't want his money or hers, and she scoffed, not believing my words. She told me I wasn't the first woman to have tried scheming into Oliver's heart, and I wouldn't be the last. She advised me to take the money before it was too late, then took her leave.

I told Oliver about his mother's visit, and though visibly angry, he comforted me and apologised on his mother's behalf. He promised they would eventually get tired when they realised he was serious about me.

I sighed and shrugged. "It's going well. Oliver doesn't seem fazed."

Emotions flickered in her eyes as she asked. "How are you?" 

"I am fine, which is weird; I know how my paranoia works, but I feel fine," I answered.

"I care about you, and I do not want you to get hurt, Imela," she said, placing a comforting hand on my shoulder. "I do not support this union, but I see you are happy, and that's all I care about." I knew that, and I appreciated her care.

Oliver stepped into the hallway of the ward and approached the nurse at the counter to ask where Elena's ward was, trying to find it with his eyes. My heart skipped at seeing him, and my palms grew sweaty. I couldn't help the smile that curled its way into my face, and it took a few seconds for him to find me. When he did, his smile was wide and blinding.

Oh, this man with his goofy smile was as beautiful as they came.

He had an untucked grey shirt with its sleeves rolled up on a pair of plain black trousers. His short, silky blond hair looked ruffled, and though this wasn't his best look, he still killed it. 

He stopped speaking to the nurse and hurried over to me. His eyes filled with adoration as he stared at me as if he hadn't seen anything better.

This wasn't my best look. I wore a red sundress that stopped on my knee and a pair of black slip-ons. My coarse hair was in a messy ponytail, and my glasses kept falling off my nose today. I was tired.

"Hey, beautiful," he said, pulling me into a tight bear hug.

He thought differently.

I wrapped my arms around what I could of him and buried my face in his chest, inhaling his scent and feeling at ease.

He pulled away and tucked my hair behind my ears, the smile he had on his face earlier lingering. "Hey," I said, unable to break my gaze from him.

"How is she?" he asked, going to the reason we were both at the hospital.

"She's fine; the doctor advised that she reduce the stress she takes on herself."

His hand caressed my face tenderly, and unable to fight the urge, I leaned in for another hug. "I am glad she is fine; I was a little worried."

"I didn't mean to do that to you," I honestly revealed, pulling back.

He shook his head, lightly brushing it off. "It's nothing; besides, it's Elena. She's family at this point."

"I love you." Was all I could say.

He warmed up to my words, and his blue eyes flickered with adoration. "I know."

Cecil cleared her throat, making me realise she had been standing here all the while watching us be affectionate and loving to each other.

I turned to her with an apologetic look on my face and said, "I am sorry."

She forced a smile and shook her head. "It's fine; there is nothing to be sorry about. I'd do the same thing if I were in your shoes." She answered, and then her gaze lifted to Oliver's. "Hey, Oliver."

"Cecil, hey, thanks for being here with Imela; you are such a wonderful friend," Oliver said.

She shrugged. "That's what friends do." She replied, adding, "I should take my leave now, though; you two love birds; take care." She touched my shoulders gently before walking away from us.

"I know Elena has been hearing your voice and will come out herself if you don't go in and see her," I said, dragging Oliver along with me.

Though he was almost twice my size, he let me pull him into the ward where Elena lay. "Look who came to visit, Grandma!" I announced, gesturing to Oliver as if he were a surprise gift.

"You didn't have to bother yourself, son; it is nothing serious." Then she turned to me and scolded me, "Why did you drag him here?"

"She didn't drag me; I wanted to come." He jumped to my defence. "How are you feeling? Ela told me your legs gave out on you due to stress."

She sighed dramatically. "That's what the doctor said. I guess since they went to school, they have to be right."

"Once we are married and I get a place, you'll move in with us." You will do no more work. How about that?"

She smiled excitedly at Oliver's promise: "Oh, I cannot wait for that day."

I had called Onu, my uncle, informing him about Elena's condition immediately after I arrived at the hospital. He came over a few minutes ago, along with his wife, Luna, to carry on from where I stopped. Elena did the honour of introducing Oliver to them, and he spoke so highly of him that my heart hurt.

Onu told us they would take Elena home for a few weeks and asked if I was okay with them. Even though I would miss coming home and seeing her, I knew she needed rest and care.

"I don't think it is fair that you get her hopes up, though," I began as Oliver and I walked out of the hospital together, hand in hand.

Oliver paused and turned to look at me, a little lost. "How do you mean?"

"About us getting married and having her move in with us."

"You do not want to get married?" He asked, his curiosity settling on his face. He didn't seem to have listened to the second part of my sentence.

I shook my head. "I want to get married. I've fantasised about my wedding day since I could remember, but-"

He cut in, "But what, babe?"

I opened my mouth to speak but shut it up and looked away.

He wasn't seeing the obvious objection, or he was pretending it wasn't there. Perhaps he could pretend and ignore reality, but I didn't live in such a world; I didn't have such luxury. The world was bigger than the two of us, so promises that can't be kept should not be made.

"Your family will never approve."

"Seth and Nina have no problem with you."

Ah, yes, the two Planes who are not in their parents' good graces are all we have.

"You are not helping your case."

He shrugged. "Maybe I don't want to help it. The only real opposition to us is my mother."

"And your father will support his wife no matter what." I countered.

"Are you for us or them?"

"Us."

"You're not acting like it." He said and released my hand, taking a step back.

"Oliver."

He rubbed his face and ran a hand through his hair. "You, Ela, are the only person whose opinion matters to me, not my mom or dad." I love you."

I wanted to be like him. Every nerve in my body wanted to act and think like him. "Your world is so simple."

He stopped and stared at me in silence. There was no judgement, just awe and adoration like he always did. "It can be your world, too." He said it in a whisper, and I almost missed it.

I tried a smile and said, "It's not that easy."

"It is," he said confidently, "marry me. Tonight."