That one hit him hard. He was definitely not prepared for the sort of outburst he was getting from me. We had got to that point where I couldn’t hold back how I was feeling inside. The situation between us seemed bad already anyway. I had to fight for myself, for my son, if I do not wish to regret ever getting myself involved with MD.
What in heaven’s name are you saying, Anita? Are you actually wishing that I die before my time?” MD said to me in a very mellow voice heavy with pain. “Who or what is pushing you to say or do what you’re doing? Do you even understand the nonsense you’re talking about?” I could tell he was mad. But it didn’t matter to me how badly he reacted, what matters is that I have said my own.
“No, MD, it is not nonsense, that is me being sensible,” I responded. “That is me looking out for myself, looking out for my son! That’s me telling myself I should stop being a fool. And there is no way you can convince me that it’s not a good thing for me to do!”
MD sank deeper into the chair. He held his face in his hands as he gazed into the floor. He tried to conceal his anger but I could see he was hurt by what I said.
“Anita, first and foremost, let me begin to respond to all you have said by giving you the shock you certainly were not expecting – I do not have any WILL!” he dropped the bomb I didn’t see coming.
I gazed at him, speechless and wondering if he was telling me the truth or only trying to play me for a fool. I searched his face desperately for an answer but found none. If there was an answer on his face, he concealed it well.
“Are you surprised? Are you shocked to hear I do not even have a WILL? At least, not yet,” he continued. “So, you can see the futility in all of this drama you’re putting up here.”
“And do you actually expect me to believe that is the truth?” I scowled back at him.
“It really does not matter whether you believe me or not, it does not change the fact that I do not have any WILL prepared in my name right now as we speak!”
“And if you’re wondering why, the answer is simple, they do not die young in my family. Death is so far away from me right now.”
If that is the truth, then what guarantee do I have that when you do decide to write your WILL, my son and I will be adequately taken care of?” I found the nerve to ask him the big question on my mind.
“Listen, Anita, you are only making a case out of nothing,” he returned, gazing at me and shaking his head. “You and my son are my family…you do not need to pressure me or force me to take care of you in my WILL when I am finally ready to do one. I still cannot understand why this sudden feeling of insecurity. When did you start feeling insecure in our relationship?”
“Relationship? Did you just call what we have a relationship?” I snapped at him. “That’s exactly the problem I have with this whole thing, and this is where I need you to answer my second question – when are we going to get married? I want a wedding ring on my finger!”
To say he was shocked would be making an understatement. He looked into my eyes for several seconds, unflinching. I met his gaze. It was hard and hostile. But I stood my ground. I was no longer the little girl he swept off her feet years ago. I was now a mature lady, one who now knows that no matter how many times a man tells you he loves you, the best way to prove it is for him to secure your future!
MD smiled wryly and the pain in his eyes very visible. ”I asked you a question sometime ago, Anita, who has been putting all sorts of ideas into your head? Who has been instigating you against me, Anita?”
I returned his smile. “Nobody has been putting any idea into my head and neither has anybody been instigating me against you, MD, all I am doing is taking the right steps that will at least guarantee that I am not put to shame at the end of the day,” I told him.
“So, you think there is a conspiracy to shame you, right?” he asked, his voice harsh and bitter.
“No, I have not implied so in any way but I need to take steps to ensure nobody puts me to shame, not even you!” I retorted. I felt that it hurt him badly.
“How could you even think of such nonsense, Anita? So, you think I could hurt you or put you to shame?”
I shook my head. “Deliberately? No,” I returned. “But your actions or inactions could put me to shame.”|
There was dead silence. I used the opportunity to speak further. “Let me ask you something, MD, in your heart of hearts, do you actually believe what I am asking for does not make any sense? If I were your younger sister, would you not advise me to do the same? Would you watch me become a used and dumped person in another man’s home?”
MD gave a heavy sigh. He knew I was right. He knew I made sense. He knew putting a ring on my finger was the right thing to do. “So, a wedding ring is what you want, right? You want us to have a court wedding?”
“Yes, MD, that is what I want,” I answered almost immediately.
“Is that what you want?”
“That’s what I deserve,” I returned.
“Okay, fine, I will give you what you want but it will be a secret between both of us, for now….!”
…To Be Continued
