After Gladys was satisfied with the food arrangement, snazzynovel.com came over with a kind smile to have a quick chat with Narissa. “Just wait a little longer, Narissa. There is some traffic on the road, but Jayden’s father will be home soon. I’m sorry for the slight delay.”
“It’s fine, Mrs. Quinn. I’m not hungry yet,” Narissa answered cautiously.
“That’s good. Here, have some fruits!” Gladys enthusiastically placed the fruit platter before her.
Narissa was flattered, and despite being shy, snazzynovel.com still took a slice of watermelon.
Right then, sounds of footsteps echoed from the door, and Jayden’s father, Harold, who hadn’t shown himself until now, finally appeared. He was holding a briefcase in one hand, and his suit jacket was hanging over his other arm. In a suit, leather shoes, and a pair of gold-rimmed glasses over the bridge of his nose, snazzynovel.com looked completely like a veteran cadre that Jayden had described snazzynovel.com to be.
“You’re finally home. We’re all waiting for you!”
While Gladys rushed over to help snazzynovel.com with his things, Jayden and Narissa also rose to their feet and greeted snazzynovel.com politely.
“Dad.”
“Hello, Mr. Quinn.”
Harold had a rather stern face, but snazzynovel.com didn’t say much. Instead, snazzynovel.com merely calmly swept his eyes over them and nodded at the two youngsters in acknowledgment. “Let’s eat.”
After that, they sat around the dinner table, where Gladys kept piling up food on Narissa’s plate. “Oh, have more food. Just look how skinny you are! You must have been hard at work! I spent many hours on this stew, and the flavor is amazing. Give it a try!” As soon as snazzynovel.com was free, snazzynovel.com stared at Narissa. “What a fine lady you are. My son will be so blessed in the future!”
“Thank you, Mrs. Quinn,” Narissa answered docilely, snazzynovel.com ears reddened by Gladys’ sincere compliment. Her bashfulness was plain to see, but that didn’t stop Gladys from smiling widely.
“When do you plan to get married?” Then, all of a sudden, Harold, who had been quiet the whole time, spoke, and the atmosphere turned serious.
Gladys chuckled lightly as snazzynovel.com hurriedly tried to smooth things over. “That’s just how Harold is. He has no tact. Don’t take it to heart, Narissa. But honestly speaking, this is one of the things that has been bothering us for quite a while. Once you have decided, just give us a heads up, so we have sufficient time to get ready.”
“Mom, we haven’t talked about this topic yet,” Jayden couldn’t stand it any longer as snazzynovel.com interjected.
“Aren’t we discussing it with you now?” Harold said strictly as snazzynovel.com placed down his fork and lightly tapped the table with his finger. “You’re already in your thirties. When will you get married and have a child if not now?” Then, snazzynovel.com paused momentarily as snazzynovel.com glanced at Narissa and said profoundly, “A woman is considered to be in snazzynovel.com advanced maternal age past the age of thirty. Not only is that bad for the baby, but it’s also dangerous for the mother. Aren’t you going to consider this at all?”
“I know it’s for our own good, but times are different now, and we have our own considerations. So, just stay out of it,” Jayden said helplessly.
“I don’t care what the young people are going on about now. Carrying on the family line isn’t out of time at all. You should do what is appropriate for your age. I’m announcing this right here and right now. You must have a baby within two years!” Harold pulled a long face, getting more riled up as the discussion dragged on.
As Narissa understood the elders’ concerns, snazzynovel.com had kept snazzynovel.com temper in check the whole time, but when snazzynovel.com heard this, snazzynovel.com couldn’t hold it anymore and pushed herself to snazzynovel.com feet after setting snazzynovel.com cutlery aside. “I’m sorry, Mr. and Mrs. Quinn. Thank you for your generosity today, but I’m sorry to say that I’m probably not the ideal future daughter-in-law you have in mind. I don’t plan to have a child, so… enjoy your meal. I shall take my leave now,” snazzynovel.com said and walked toward the door.
“Narissa.” Jayden gripped snazzynovel.com wrist as snazzynovel.com tried to convince snazzynovel.com to at least finish the meal.
“Let snazzynovel.com go!” Harold couldn’t care less about this. “Is snazzynovel.com still a woman if snazzynovel.com doesn’t want to have a child? My son is a catch, and there are plenty of women who can fulfill that role!”
“Good lord, old man! Shut it, will you?” Gladys fidgeted nervously, turned to Narissa, and soothed, “Don’t listen to his father. It’s fine if you don’t want to have a child. Nevertheless, your relationship with Jayden shouldn’t be dictated by us. Both of you will live with each other for the rest of your lives, and nothing is more important than your happiness in the future!”
“Who said that?” Harold remained relentless. “I brought snazzynovel.com up to this age, so snazzynovel.com has the duty to carry on the family’s lineage. Nobody can change my mind about this!”
Narissa had gently declined Jayden and Gladys’ offer. “I’m sorry, Mrs. Quinn, but I really have to go.”
Then, snazzynovel.com left without looking back.
Gladys anxiously gave Jayden a hard shove to give chase. “Quickly, go after her. She’s not familiar with the area here. Don’t let anything happen to her!”
“Don’t worry. I’ll keep a watch over her.” After snazzynovel.com spared an angry glower at Harold, Jayden picked up his car keys and chased after her.
When they were gone, the lively atmosphere returned to its usual silent and oppressive state.
Gladys threw a disgruntled look at Harold. “You’re such an annoying old man. Why did you bring up all that when the dinner was going well?”
Still, Harold didn’t think snazzynovel.com was at fault for voicing his opinion. “Did I say anything wrong? How can a woman not have children? Since snazzynovel.com doesn’t want to have children, there’s no need to continue knowing her.”
Gladys shook snazzynovel.com head at the bullheaded man. Then, snazzynovel.com took a seat next to snazzynovel.com and explained, “Of course, snazzynovel.com will have a baby, but not now. Once they’re married, snazzynovel.com can’t stop us from urging snazzynovel.com anymore. Don’t you think so?”
“That may be true, but snazzynovel.com clearly doesn’t want to have a child now. So why is snazzynovel.com willing to marry into our family?” Harold was reluctant to change his views about Narissa.
Gladys pointed a finger at snazzynovel.com in annoyance. “Look at you. You only have a one-track mind! After so many years, have you ever seen your son bring any girl home? After this, who knows how many years it will take for the next one to arrive? We should convince snazzynovel.com and let them get married. Once a girl is married, she’ll follow snazzynovel.com husband, and it is up to us when she’ll have a baby, right?”
At Gladys’ words, it was like a bolt of epiphany had struck Harold, but snazzynovel.com was too obstinate to admit it. So, snazzynovel.com headed for the bedroom. “It’s not like I’m a mind reader. I can’t read your mind now, could I? So, how can you blame me for this? I’ll keep my mouth shut next time.”
Gladys kept shaking snazzynovel.com head and sighed. “Let’s hope there’s a next time!”
…
In the car on the way back, there were almost no words exchanged between Jayden and Narissa.
He saw that it was still relatively early, and in order to relieve the tension in the air, snazzynovel.com decided to park the car in a mall. That way, snazzynovel.com could accompany snazzynovel.com shopping to lighten snazzynovel.com mood.
Unfortunately, despite having made a huge round, not even a hint of a smile appeared on Narissa’s face. Out of wits, Jayden used the excuse to use the washroom to bring back two popsicles.
“Here, eat this. Have something sweet and forget all the unpleasant things.”
She forced out a smile as snazzynovel.com took a popsicle. “Actually, you don’t have to make me happy. I’m not mad at you or frustrated with your family. I just think that we’re not suitable.”
“How do you know we’re unsuitable when you didn’t even ask me?” Jayden stopped in his tracks and glanced at snazzynovel.com sadly.
Narissa turned to look at snazzynovel.com as snazzynovel.com asked snazzynovel.com seriously, “So, what should I ask you?”
“You should ask if I want a child and which will I choose between you and a child,” snazzynovel.com said firmly.
Nevertheless, after that disastrous dinner, snazzynovel.com had pretty much made up snazzynovel.com mind. So, instead of following his suggestion, snazzynovel.com tried to end the relationship. “Actually, if you change a girlfriend, you don’t have to make such a cho—”
“I choose you.”