The promise

42

My father place his glasses on his lap. "We have brought you here to talk about our main reason of this trip." I look across to CJ who breaks eye contact with me. I believe this subject is in regards to our conversation on news years eve. I look to both his parents beside him and beside me is my mother on the right, my father in a chair on the left beside our pastor.

"As you know the subject of a possible engagement between you and CJ have been in the air and we just wanted to take sometime and clear it up. As a family we have decided that you and CJ will be getting engaged and then married. We believe that this unity will be best for the family and the company."

My heart drops into my stomach and that dropped in itself. I want to speak but my ability to speak seem to have fade away. All their eyes are on me and my mother hands firmly on mine.

"The Adaobi-Adora Ltd will be merging into one. You and CJ will be getting married to carry the two names into one. We already started with the foundation work for the first Adaobi- Adora hotel right here in Lagos. " Mr Adaobi add.

CJ mother jumps in. "You have known CJ all your life, you grew up together, you were close friends as kids and even now with all the time you have been spending together. You both have shown great potential in business and have more than successed in school with your scholarship to the private school, CJ honors in computer engineering and business. We believe that our family ties and influence will be stronger with both of you being our face, hands and brain."

"This is also a unity that God is smiling on as blessed children who have been attending our church even before your birth. Amira you are an honorable, high virtue, God fearing girl and CJ a humble, God fearing, hardworking man. When your parents brought me the idea I prayed on their choice and God is in favour. Everything about this unity is heavenly." My mouth may be sealed but my mind is listening to their every word and the tears in my eyes are on the brink of spilling. The pastor choice of words to describe CJ and I doesn't spill past me. I get called a girl who is a virgin and honorable meaning I won't do anything to disgrace my family and CJ gets called a man who is humble and hardworking.

His mother join in again. "You know when we told CJ about this plan he wasn't too kin on it too. He told us he wanted the choice to be yours and you know we couldn't pick someone for him, but the idea grew on him. We understand that you might not like the idea now but it will grow on you." I look at CJ looking directly at me with a I told you smirk on his face and I of a suddenly want to vomit.

My mother place her hand on mine and rub it in a slow motion. "Amira nobody is asking you to marry even get engage today or six months from now. We expect the public engagement to be in December and the marriage the summer after your Grad year. So there is lots of time for you to finish school and build a platonic relationship between you two." The tears come spilling out my eyes. My only thoughts at this moment being what will I tell Mason.

CJ mother nudge him and he straighten up. "Amira." He cleared his throat. "I know this might come as a surprise to you but I am certain we are ready to take our relationship to a different level. I want you to know that if you aren't in this one hundred percent neither am I. I want you to be happy and have a choice." He must have practice that one a million times because he says it in the most sincere voice. I know he wants this and this little spill of his isn't fooling me. His mother frown her brow before looking back at me.

"Amira do you have anything to say? I mean it's nothing to cry about." CJ mother ask.

"I have heard what everybody have said and I will just like to say that I think we can do great things with the company without a marriage between CJ and I. CJ and I are friends but that's all it will be. I just need a second."