Poppies- Chapter 28-
By: Deena Thomson
Tags: Fiction Writing, Fiction, Fiction Series, Novel, Writing

Fiction Series

Poppies- Chapter 28-

A Novel

Photo owned by Author

Numb Chad sat on the couch not speaking a word. His face drawn and grisly as Mara-Joy exclaimed with fever how much Chad and she were in love.

Alan sat still, breathing hard as he watched the scene unfold before him. Jobeth was just as stunned. Her mouth dropped open when Mara-Joy announced that she and Chad planned to marry as soon as possible.

“What do you mean as soon as possible?” Alan asked through clenched teeth as he gripped the arm of his chair.

“Well, Pappy, We feel there is no reason to wait. We are in love and want to share our lives as man and wife, now,” Mara-Joy said, coming to kneel beside Alan’s lap.

“What exactly does that mean, Mara-Joy? When do you plan to spend your lives together as man and wife?” Alan asked trying to keep the sarcasm out of his voice. It was difficult for him to look into his daughter’s face.

His heart was breaking and he wanted to kill the little son-of-a-bitch sitting stunned on his couch. He wasn’t a stupid man and he knew what was going on, even if Jobeth would never believe it.

“Well, Pappy, I want to be married next week,” Mara-Joy beamed.

“No!” Jobeth stood up, flinging her hands into the air, “Alan!” she pleaded helplessly, unable to say anything else.

“Yes, Mama!” Mara-Joy announced, standing up to confront her mother. “I love him and he loves me. We need to be together.”

Chad sat like a lump of cement, not speaking a word, as the scene played out in front of him.

Alan watched the boy who had taken his daughter and shook his head, his fears confirmed. Mara-Joy would have to marry this weak, decrepit creature. She would have no choice. Her bed was made and now she would have to lie in it with this boy Alan would never respect. How could he? The boy had robbed his daughter of her innocence? Ruined her.

“Alan, are you going to just sit there, or are you going to talk some sense into your daughter?” Jobeth demanded, her mind in an uproar. Everything was falling apart and she didn’t know how to stop it.

Alan listened to his wife of fourteen years and his heart hurt for her. She was blind when it came to their daughter, her baby. The baby so like the one she had lost long ago. He understood her fixation with Mara-Joy, even her refusal to see what was going on in front of her very eyes. And he didn’t have the heart to break the pedestal Jobeth held Mara-Joy on.

“Okay, Mara-Joy,” Alan said, not looking at the two women gaping at him. “It will happen before the end of next week.”

Mara-Joy squealed and ran to Alan throwing her around his neck like she did when she was a little girl.

“Thank you, Pappy! Thank you! I love you so much for understanding!” She gushed into his ear. He hugged Mara-Joy back with little strength. How could he tell this child of his heart that she had kicked him in the stomach with this news?

“Alan, you are not serious!” Jobeth barked, trembling all over. She couldn’t believe her ears. The words she was hearing couldn’t be from the man she had lived with all these years?

“ I am very serious. Mara-Joy will marry next week and we will stand beside her and help her as we always do,” Alan said resigned yet stern. His eyes did not waver from Jobeth’s stunned gaze as Mara-Joy hung off his arm, radiant.

“Alan? You are joking?” Jobeth’s hands flew to her throat. It constricted, making her feel like she was choking. Her hands flew to her neck in an attempt to anchor her to the reality playing out in front of her.

He shook his head.

“Alan?” Jobeth begged, knowing his mind was set and nothing she could say would change it. Why he had agreed to let Mara-Joy marry was beyond her.

“I’ve had enough excitement for today,” Alan declared, releasing Mara-Joy’s grip. He didn’t look at Chad who still sat motionless on the couch. He avoided his wife’s confused expression and left the room, leaving an astonished Jobeth behind. “If you will excuse me, I need to be alone.”

Jobeth went to follow him, but Alan turned and said, “Alone.”

Taken aback, Jobeth watched Alan walk out of the room. Stunned, she didn’t understand why on earth he would agree to Mara-Joy get married. It was plain to see it was the last thing in the world he wanted?

Chad’s parent’s response to their son getting married was pure excitement. They believed in marrying young and thought it was time for Chad to settle down. He was seventeen and marriage was just the medicine needed to tame his wild oats. Mara-Joy was charming and came from a good family. In their opinion, Chad had made a good choice in picking a wife. It didn’t matter that the young couple insisted on marrying right away. All young couples were the same. There was no point in waiting when you have chosen to be together.