THE PROPOSAL

Sharon's eyes remained fixed on her son, and she gasped.

"I don't know what to say. I mean, I didn't see this coming. I don't know, maybe I did see it coming…" her voice trailed off. "Does Jacob and Nesisa know?"

"I told him," Jeremy faced the floor.

"What did he say?" Sharon's eager voice echoed in the room.

"He said congratulations. Nesisa and him are also expecting a baby."

"I know that, Jeremy. I'm still adjusting to the fact that I'm going to be a grandmother, and then….oh, I really don't know what to say. Jeremy, I really don't know how to react to this." Sharon was quiet for a while, then she pulled her son closer to her and hugged him.

"Congratulations my son. I guess you have to stand up and do what you have to for Kiara. Support her. Be there for her. I will help you all the way through."

"Thank you mum. I'm sorry for disappointing you this much." Jeremy's eyes were swimming in tears.

Sharon held her son's hand and carefully led him to a chair. Sitting down in a chair opposite his, she took his hands in hers, and rubbed the back of his palms softly.

"Don't cry, my child. I know this may not have been what you wanted, but this has happened. A child is a blessing, and we are going to do everything to make sure that child is welcome. I will stand by your side throughout the whole journey, until you finish your education and you can be able to stand on your own."

"Thank you mum," he sobbed. "I'm sorry mum, that I ... I let you down. I know you expected me to get married just like what Jacob did. He did everything properly, and he made you proud. I know it's too early for me to be a father, and I have let you down…"

"Shh, my son. Enough of that. Let's focus on the future. We need to go to the Noels, and make them know that we're sorry this has happened, but you have to inform them of what our intention is. I don't know what your plan is, but I think marrying her would be the best way forward."

"I'm scared mum. I cannot imagine having a wife now." He lifted his teary eyes and faced his mother.

"It shall be well, my son. Let's hear what Travis and Aletha will say. If they want to continue staying with Kiara, we can always support her from here. If they want her to come here and for you to take full responsibility, then we will take her."

***.

Inside the Noels' home, Travis was extremely angry upon receiving the news.

"You're too young to be a mother! This is not what I was expecting from you, Kiara!"

"I'm sorry, dad." Kiara cried a lot.

"I thought you were responsible enough to know right from wrong!" he screamed in anger.

"Daddy I am sorry." Kiara continued to cry.

"You've said enough, Travis! The child is already stressed out, she doesn't need this!" Aletha scolded her husband.

"What? So I am the wrong one now? Is it me who got pregnant out of wedlock? This child of yours is …"

"Child of mine? What do you mean? She is our child. She is yours too!" Aletha screamed.

"Yes she is mine…all I am saying is stop defending her when she's wrong!" Travis shouted.

"It's done already! We can't reverse it. Jeremy loves her, let them get married!" Aletha screamed back.

In anger, Travis marched out of the room, shutting the door firmly behind him.

"Do you think he will ever forgive me, mum?" cried Kiara.

"He will calm down," Aletha also walked out of the room.

***.

When Sharon met with Kiara's parents, they all agreed that their children were too young to become parents, but they also agreed among themselves that the proper thing was to accept reality. Travis hardly ever said a word in the "meeting", for he was still very furious. The two ladies agreed that it was best to stand up for their children and give them as much support as they needed.

"Do you think it will be proper for Kiara to come and stay with us?" Sharon asked.

"Does Jeremy love her? My daughter is not in love with you, Mrs Rain. If she is to be invited to your home, Jeremy will have to do it!" Travis blurted angrily.

As such, both Jeremy and Kiara were called in. Fearfully, they sat on a sofa looking seriously scared.

"Do you love my daughter?" Travis barked.

"I…I love her, Mr Noels. I love her with my whole heart." Jeremy stammered.

"Speak up and let your speech be convincing!" Travis shouted furiously. Aletha tried to nudge him as a way of reminding him to calm down, but he ignored her.

"I love her, Mr Noels. Kiara has been the only girl I ever loved, my whole entire life. I used to sit by my window to admire her every single day, and…."

"That was just puppy love. We're talking real love here! You two are going to become parents! Are you ready to be responsible for my child, to provide for her and take good care of her?"

"I will do everything to provide for her, Mr Noels. I will work extremely hard. I know I don't make much from photography, but I will even go and look for another job so that I give her everything she may need. I love her, Mr Noels," Jeremy spoke from the bottom of his heart.

"My child shall be taken good care of! I raised her well, and you shall not come into her life to degrade her. Do you understand me, young man?" Travis sneered in Jeremy's face. By that time, he had stood up and was standing in front of Jeremy, speaking right into the younger man's face.

Scared, Jeremy curled up into the sofa, for he feared that Travis was going to slap him. It was a well known fact that during the early years of their marriage, Travis used to physically abuse Aletha; thus, in the eyes of everyone present, the possibility of him beating up Jeremy was quite high.

"I understand you sir. I promise you that Kiara will be well taken care of. Before I eat anything, I will make sure that she is full. Before I am warm, she has to be warm first. I will protect her from the harsh conditions of life, I will be her shield and I will love her with my whole heart. Kiara is my life, Mr Noels. I have loved her my entire life, and she is everything I have ever needed. She will be safe in my hands, I promise you sir."

Travis took two steps back, and straightened up. He cleared his throat and looked at everyone in the room, from one face to the other. None of them could guess what was running through his mind, for his stare was blank. He sighed and walked out of the house.

There was dead silence after Travis left.

"He will come around," Aletha assured everyone.

Sharon slightly shook her head and sighed.

"He will be fine. Don't worry much about him. Travis overreacts to situations." Aletha spoke without much care.

Again there was silence.

It was after a few seconds that Sharon spoke,

"Mrs Noels, Jeremy loves Kiara. I am sure that Kiara feels the same. Is that not so, Kiara?"

"I…I have loved Jeremy for all my life," Kiara whispered.

Everyone was silent.

"Jeremy has and will always be the love of my heart. He makes me feel whole. I am at my happiest when I am with him. He is the only man I have ever loved, and he can never be replaced in my life," the young lady said.

Touched by the words, Jeremy took the seat next to Kiara; brought his girlfriend close to him, planted many little kissed in her hair and on her forehead, before he confessed that he too felt just the same way.

Sharon and Aletha looked at each other and smiled, before their eyes drifted back to the young couple in front of them.

Out of nowhere, Jeremy stood up and immediately went on one knee with:

"Kiara, you have been the only person that my heart has ever loved. I would not want you to leave my side, and I would never do such. Let us walk together until death, Kiara will you marry me?" he asked.

Aletha raised her hands to cover her mouth as she said, "awww."

"You need a ring, son," Sharon whispered, pulling off her own wedding ring and she swiftly handed it over to her son.

Receiving the ring, Jeremy smiled, "thank you mum."

He repeated his question, "Will you marry me, Kiara?"

Kiara raised her eyes to look at her mother and at Sharon, before her eyes rested on Jeremy.

"Kiara, will you marry me?" he repeated himself.

***.

Dear Kimmy

I said yes, when he asked me if I will marry him.

I said yes, but then, I am not sure of what I am doing. Each and every day I tell myself to forget the past and live happily, yet this guilt won't leave me. For how long will I live with this guilt? Oh Kimmy, sometimes I wish you could talk back to me. I wish you could give me some ideas.

What should I do, Kimmy? Who should I talk to? I have never told anyone about this, and I doubt if I can ever tell anyone.

The most painful fact is, although I said yes, I cannot marry him, Kimmy. I cannot marry him. I do love him with every single fiber of my being, but I cannot marry him.

I will have to come up with excuses until I give birth. When I give birth, I shall secretly take a DNA test. Only when it comes out positive, and when I am certain that Jeremy is the father of my child, then shall I marry him. But even if he is not the father….I really don't know what I will do. I have never been this much confused, dear Kimmy.

For now I shall give excuses after excuses, because I cannot marry him now.

Jeremy is the love of my life. I can never love anyone as much as I love him. But then at this moment, I cannot make a life-time commitment to him.

Kimmy, if only you could tell me what you think about all this…