Sunflower

Pleading

~~

"Iris!" A light-haired woman pushed Leon out of the way and wrapped Vee in a tight hug.

Vee gave an awkward smile as she hugged the woman back and mumbled a 'hi'. The woman, Mary Hartman, was Leon's mother. Ever since Vee could remember, Mary had always called her by her middle name. She seemed to love the name more than 'Vienna' and even though Vee had told her, as a rebellious teenager, that she didn't like the name, the woman had still continued. Her mother had grown to call her the name since her best friend liked it, but after Leon's family moved, she went back to 'Vee'.

"Oh my God! You're so big." Mary released Vee and looked her up and down. "I didn't know you would grow to have these kind of boobs" she winked and dragged her into the house.

Vee turned back to look at Leon. He looked calm but she could tell he wasn't happy. Was that what he wanted to tell her? That his parents had arrived.

"Vienna!" Jay Hartman, Leon's dad, pulled her from his wife and hugged her.

"Doesn't she look so much better than the pictures?!" Mary marveled.

Vee looked around for her parents and saw them standing at the full dining table. Her eyes widened at the amount of food on the table. Her mum ushered them to come and they all sat down for dinner.

Vee sat beside Leon. He hadn't said anything since and she began to wonder why. Was he really that terrified because of his parents being there? Then again, he was giving her a kind of look she couldn't explain yet.

Was it an apologetic or a sad look?

"So Iris, we heard that you're moving" Mary started.

Vee glanced slowly at Leon who just closed his eyes as he played with his fork. What was wrong with him now? She knew her parents didn't know about them moving, so they couldn't tell his parents. Which means he was the one who told them. And if his parents knew, then her parents knew too. She sighed in frustration at the realization.

"Why didn't you tell us Vee? Were you scared we would figure out your secret once you told us?" Her mother asked.

Vee turned to her. What secret? She glanced at Leon whose eyes were now open and was staring at the couples. Everything was getting so weird. What was going on?

"Um...what secret?" She managed to ask.

"Oh she must think Leon didn't tell us" Mary whispered to Sasha and they both nodded in agreement. The men just continued smiling at Vee and she was getting even more confused.

"Tell you guys what?" She asked slowly as she looked at everyone at the table, including Leon.

Leon opened his mouth to speak but his father beat him to it. "Leon said you both were moving to a quiet place where you could be alone and think about all the marriage talk we've been telling you about"

Vee looked at Mr Hartman in humor, was he serious now? She wanted to laugh as she looked at Leon; ofcourse he wouldn't say that. But Leon was giving her that look again. And then she confirmed it.

It was a pleading look. He had really fed his parents, and hers with this lie. And now he wanted her to play along.

'This is all you've ever wanted' her subconscious screamed at her.

It was what she wanted. But not like this, not this way. She was mute as she looked at her parents' smiling faces, Jay and Mary looking at she and Leon in adoration.

What was happening!?

Leon abruptly stood up and held his hand out for her to take. She gaped at him. Did he know what he was doing right now?