Becoming Mrs Miller

CHAPTER FOUR

“Is everything okay?” She looked from her dad to her mum “Is Max fine?” 

 “Sit down Ella,” her mum pointed to a seat. 

“Your brother is fine,” her father added.

 “So what’s wrong?” Ella asked already perceiving what the matter was. It was obvious they had heard already. Barrett had reached out to them before she even got home. She wondered what manner of things he may have told them. 

"Gabriella, why did you choose to embarrass us in such a manner? Your mum and I did not raise you with bad manners. You may not like the fact that you are getting married but I believe we brought you up with good morals. Your mum especially made sure she put you through on how to behave when you go out with Barrett Miller but you chose to act in an unbefitting manner. What else do you want us to do?” her father questioned her in a voice that clearly stated his disappointment. 

“I see he already told you,” Ella looked at her father. 

“I just got off the call with Bruce Miller “ he answered her “Apparently you reigned insults on his son and even walked out on him" her father said.

 “ I see he’s a daddy’s boy. He was quick to run off and report to daddy. It’s a shame you know, a grown-ass man,” Gabriella shook her head.

 “That is not the issue Ella,” her mum spoke for the first time “I know how you feel about the whole marriage. I know it’s not really what you want but it’s a little too late to take it back. What has happened has happened and you just have to find a way to accept it for what it is. The Miller's are good people, everyone knows their donation to the whole community,everyone but you, why you are unwilling to see the good part of this whole situation is what I don’t understand. You have an opportunity to change your life and ours too but you are taking it all for granted.” She finished.

 “Do you even care to listen to my own side of the story? Do you know the things he said to me? Do you know how just sitting across from him irritates me? And you want me to spend the rest of my life with someone I have no feelings for?” she turned to her mum “mum no one forced you to marry dad, he was your decision. Why can’t I make mine? Why did you have to sell me off ?” 

"Darling,” her mother answered “This is as hard for us as it is for you, we do not hate you but want the best for you. Your father and I want you to have a taste of the life we never had, the life we always wished for. Besides, circumstance led us to make that decision. Its not easy for us too" 

"That’s why you will play your part and not disgrace us,” her father added “which is practically what you did today. I am really not happy with you Gabriella,” he continued "I have sang your praises and what good morals you have to Bruce Miller and in the end you go ahead to disgrace me? You do not want to go about upsetting the Miller’s my dear, believe me you do not want that. Do not prove to be stubborn, I do not want to hear any more complaints from them. Your wedding is just a few weeks away, ” 

The thought always made her shudder. Her wedding. She was getting married and it was happening. It was really happening, there was no turning back. She would live the rest of her life in misery, with Barrett Miller. The same man that had spent the time they had together insulting her and making her feel less of herself. She was really going to be married to him. Good looks and all, he had no manners, maybe she could go on with the wedding but she would run away at any opportunity she got, she thought. Remembering her last escapade, she knew running away probably would do her no good, but she could try, even if she had to steal from the Miller’s to go off and start a life of her own. She was not a thief, Gabriella hadn’t stolen as little as a pen in her life before and she wondered why she even considered it. If only Ryan had stayed with her, if only she had seen him even one more time, if only he would show up right now and declare an undying love for her. If only she knew where he was, maybe things would have been better. 

"Maybe you both need to understand that I did not just start insulting him, I did not even insult him at all, he did all the insulting. He reminded me of how wretched my family is, how cheap my outfit was, how the only education I got was all courtesy of him, how miserable my life would have been if not for him and you expect me to just sit down and laugh? I should have taken all the insults and smiled at it? Of course I had had enough," Ella narrated. 

“Certainly something you said must have pissed him off, ” her father told her “the Miller’s are nice people. You pissed Barrett off and I will not like a repeat Gabriella.” 

“Please father,” Gabriella spoke softly. "I do not want to be married to Barrett Miller, I would do any other thing you ask than to be married to him,” she pleaded “I beg of you please, You certainly don’t want me to have a miserable life do you? After all, I’m your daughter, you must have a little bit of love for me in your heart somewhere, I know you don’t hate me, you just try to make me believe you do.” 

“I do not hate you Gabriella, all -" Gabriella didn’t let him finish his speech. She went on her knees, tears in eyes and hands clasped in front of her. She had rehearsed this in her mind on her ride back to the house.

 It was certainly the first time Steven Long had seen his daughter this humble. He was touched no doubt. The surprise showed on his face. He had never thought his daughter to be someone that would ever beg for something, she was tough and stubborn. Even as a kid when she had got into trouble and was punished, she served all her punishment and made no efforts to beg. Now seeing her on her knees, with eyes filled with tears that threatened to drop any moment warmed his heart and for once, he had pity on her because he knew it was too late, there was nothing he could do to change the deal he already had with the Miller’s. There was absolutely nothing that could change it. 

D"on’t do that,” her mother looked at her. Her own eyes were getting moist. She had seen different sides of Gabriella but this was certainly a different one, a side she had never thought she would see, at least not in this circumstance.

 “Please,” Gabriella added “All he did was throw insults at me today. I can’t even begin to imagine what he would do to me when we are married” 

"Please sit down Gabriella, “ her father said softly. 

Her mum looked at her, nodding at the seat, and she obeyed, wiping tears from her eyes.

 “I wish I could change things" Steven said after a while "I really wish I can turn back the hands of time but unfortunately, I can’t.” 

Gabriella was quiet “Why did you sell me off father? Even before setting eyes on me you hated me, I have not done anything right in your sight, you never treated me like your own blood. I see the way you treat Maxwell. It’s not the same with me. Do you regret having me? Was I never in your plans?” She questioned her father. “

" I don’t hate you Gabriella,” he paused “ I have been distant from you because I hated myself for the decisions I made during your birth. You may not know it but I’m not proud of it. I knew this day would come but what I hadn’t planned for was your reaction to it. I had consoled myself with the idea that I was doing what’s best for you. It’s not like I expect you to embrace the idea, I knew it wouldn’t be easy but most people would want a life of wealth, especially having lived one like ours, ” 

"But I’m sure you could have resolved the issue any other way other than selling me off father, why did you choose to?” she probed. 

Steven was quiet for a while.

 “ The only other way was a leg, an arm, and an eye," he said with so much sadness in his eyes, like he was remembering the whole episode in his mind. 

“What??!!!” Gabriella gasped in shock. 

Her mum looked away, obviously hiding tears. 

“I made a bad investment,” Steven Long continued “ Well, I had a bad gambling habit back then, took me a lot to get over it because initially, I was always on the winning side, it was like I had all the good luck because even when others lost, I would still win. So I thought it would continue, ” 

Gabriella saw how hard it was for Steven Long to reflect on his past, especially to her, who he was so distant from. Her mum was always the one who said all the good things about her father, and sometimes Maxwell. Gabriella on the other hand could not see the good side of Steven Long, but now, seeing him talk about his past made her feel a kind of way. 

“I thought I would always be at the winning end, but little did I know,” he continued “ Shortly before things began to go south, I made a bad investment , it would have changed my life for good if it was the other way, mine and my entire family. I had risked all I had, even my parent’s business that had been passed on from my great grand father. Our house, car and everything I had ever won" Steven exhaled loudly “but how could I have known that was the beginning of my down fall? You see I lost everything to an enemy, my parents disowned me, I went back into gambling, this time harder than before, I was going into debts everyday. I met your mum after I left my fathers house. She’s the only one who stood by me and gave me hope when I lost everything. She married me even admits all that mess,” Steven turned to his wife and held her hands “I still want to give her all the things she deserve," he turned back to Gabriella. 

Gabriella could see why they loved each other so much. Their story was one of pure and sincere love.

 “You see,” her father continued “ I couldn’t pay off my debts. They requested my left arm, left leg and left eye for settlement,” Steven shook his head “Your mum was pregnant for you then, I couldn’t do that to her. I met Bruce Miller that same period and he saved me from all that humiliation but I had to give you to his son. Gabriella, it took everything in me to give you away when you were born. It was either that or I gave up my left side.” He said and looked down “I’m not proud of it but given that situation, there wasn’t much I could do." He finished. 

Gabriella felt pity for her dad, she understood now why he had to make that decision. It was not easy for him too. She stood up and hugged him, for the first time since she was six, she shared a hug with her father. If marrying Barrett Miller would make him happy again, she would do it not just for him, but for her family. 

 “I’m sorry you had to go through all that father," she told him. 

"I’m sorry I had to give you out like that Gabriella, if I could change things, I would" Steven said softly. Her mum got up and joined in the hug.

 “I’m sorry too Ella,” Mrs Long added.

 “I’ll be in my room.” Ella said, she needed time to take in all she had just learnt. There was no two ways about it now. She was getting married to Barrett Miller. She had to.