It started with arranged marriage

Chapter 8

- Lily Jane Collin  -

The whole holiday passed pretty well. I had a great time with my family especially with Steve. Normally we couldn’t get to spend that much time together. He was really busy with his hospital work, same as me too I was busy with the foundation. This holiday was a special time for all of our family members. 

Not only that I got to know more about the Miller family. Aunt Julia and her husband adored me and I love that I gained someone that I can trust. 

Now the holiday was over, Steve also went back to his own place. Me and Nick went back to my mom's house. I missed living alone and spent time alone. It was great living with mom and grandma but sometimes I wanted to spend time alone quietly. 

After we arrived at our house, we all went back to our daily routine. Nick was going back to work at the company, I was going back to the charity foundation and continued volunteering. Mom was looking after grandma. Since grandma got hospitalized, she completely handed over her charity foundation to me. Since that I was the one who organized and managed the foundation. 

One week had passed already in a blink. Since we got back from the holiday house, Nick has been asking me about how Eric was a good person and friend. Also he asked me about how I think of Eric. It was kinda weird because normally Nick never talked about his friends but I didn’t much further. 

On the last day of the weekend, I came home earlier than before. As soon as I entered the house, the maid informed me about grandma. Grandma's condition got worse this morning. Susan told me that mom asked me to go and persuade grandma to get hospitalized. 

“Thank you, Susan,” I said. I understood the situation and rushed out to my room first to get change. I changed comfortable clothes quickly and went to grandma's room. When I opened the door, I saw Nick and mom were already there. 

“Hey, granny, how’re you?” I asked, trying not to show my worriedness. “Feel not bad. Thank you for asking my dear,” she said. I could tell her condition was not good. Granny was the sweetest person I had ever seen. She always took care of me and also she loved me, adored me the most among my other siblings. That was one of the reasons why mom wanted me to persuade granny. 

 “Granny, how about we go to the hospital now, I’m worried about you. You don’t look well,” I asked her. She seemed like she didn’t want to be hospitalized. Nick also looked really worried and “yeah grandma, let’s go to hospital and get checked up,” he said. “Granny, if your condition is okay then we can come back home without hospitalization. At least let’s go and check it out to be safe,” I said. At the end, she agreed to go to hospital. 

I quickly called Steve, informed him about grandma and we would be there shortly. In the meantime, we arrived at the hospital and Steve was already at the lobby waiting for us. Shortly after we arrived, the doctor came and checked granny. 

“Mrs. Collin needs to be hospitalized right away. We need to monitorized her condition,” the doctor informed us. Mom instructed Nick and I to go and do the paperwork and we went to the do quickly. 

“Nick! Granny will be okay right?” I asked, trying my best not to cry. “She’ll be fine. Let’s just pray and hope for the best,” he said, also trying his best to comfort me.

After granny was admitted to the hospital, I suggested mom and Nick go home and took a rest. “Yeah mom, I’ll be at the hospital and I’ll come and check time by time. Both of you go home and come back tomorrow,” Steve said.

The hospital was deadly silent and the machine beeping sound was killing me. I was at the corner of the room watching granny sleep. She looked so pale and tired. I sighed heavily and I wished I could help granny to ease her pain. 

I didn’t even realize Steve came in. He gave a pat on my shoulder and comforted me not to worry too much. “Get some sleep Lily. You look worse than grand,” he said. 

Shortly after Steve went back to work, I fell asleep on the chair. While I was sleeping, someone tapped on my back and called my name. When I opened my eyes it was mom and Nick. 

“Nick will take you back home. You can come back around evening. Don’t worry here, take proper sleep at home,” mom said softly because granny was still sleeping. I just nodded at her and grabbed my belongings quietly. 

Right on time when we were about to go, granny woke up. “Are you going back?” She asked. “Sorry granny if I wake you up,” I said. “No you are not. Don’t worry about that,” she replied. “Okay granny, take care, love you,” I said, kissing on her forehead. 

“Bye mom, love you too,” both me and Nick said together and we went back home. Nick just dropped me at the front gate. “Don’t forget to eat sis, I’ll come and pick you up in the evening,” he said. Nick needed to take care of some urgent business and he went straight to work after dropping me off. 

I took a quick shower and went to the kitchen to eat something. I was eating and thinking about granny. Suddenly, I got shocked by the loud phone ringing. It was Nicole. “Hey, where are you? Are you on the way?” she asked. I totally forgot we had a lunch planned today. 

“Ohh noo, I’m so sorry I totally forgot about the plan Nicole,” I apologized to her and continued “can we go and have lunch next time?” I explained about granny and she understood that. 

“Sorry to hear that Lily. Don’t worry about the plan. Take care, tell granny too,” she said. “Thanks Nicole, please say sorry to Emily for my behalf too,” I told her. “Don’t worry about that. See you again,” she said and hung up the call.

I took a nap and I had a dream about granny leaving us. I was so scared of my dream that might happen in real life. When I checked the time it was almost half past three. I called Nick and asked what time he would finish with his work. 

He came and picked me up shortly after I called him. We arrived at the hospital lobby and I was surprised by someone that I didn’t expect to see there. It was Eric. I was questioning myself, why was he here and what was he doing here. Then I assumed myself, maybe one of his friends was hospitalized here. 

“You go up first. I’ll go and buy coffee for mom and Steve with Eric. Do you want one too?” He asked. I nodded at him and walked quickly to the elevator. When I was about to enter the room, the voice inside stopped me. Mr. and Mrs. Miller was inside the room with mom, granny and Steve. 

“We should push our plan sooner. What do you think Mary?” It was aunt Julia's voice. “I agree too. I want to see my granddaughter marry him before it’s too late for me to witness,” granny said. 

My inner thoughts were “marry! Who! Me! Wedding!” All those words kept repeating inside my brain. I entered the room without knocking. “What are you guys talking about?” I asked, looking at mom, granny and Steve, pretending that I didn’t hear their conversation. 

“Something important. Will let you know later,” mom said. At that moment I was certain that they were talking about me. Knocking sound cut me off from my thoughts. 

“Oh Eric is here. We better go now,” aunt Julia said. “Already! Nice to see you again aunt Julia and uncle Max,” I said, trying my best to show my normal, me, reaction. 

They said goodbye to us and went back. Only us left inside the room. Then mom asked us to sit. Then she said clear her throat “I have an important announcement” she stated. “Lily is getting married next month,” she said. Everyone seemed like nothing happened except I was stunned by mom’s announcement.