Bet On You

Chapter Sixteen

Jessica 

Its Tuesday and the day of the dinner at my "grandmother's" house, apparently the whole family will be there and to say I'm nervous is an understatement.

My palms keep sweating the closer we get to our destination. Eric came by to fetch us and we are currently passing some really crazy beautiful mansions and I'm anticipating what Eric's childhood home looks like.

Once we enter its like we are in some fairy tale because this is what I picture Cinderella's castle after she got the Prince to look like.

"Oh, wow this is like straight out a movie. Eric you grew up in this place? Its magical." I literally can't close my mouth.

"Actually, we didn't grow up here, my dad would call this place too pretentious." He chuckles and that gets my attention to the fact that he said he didn't grow up here.

"So where did you grow up?" I ask with confusion on my face.

"We grew up in Ballito its also a nice place, however the house wasn't as big but we still each had our own bedrooms. This place mom bought after dad died." He says.

"Oh, I'm sorry about your father passing." I say sincerely, and mom puts her hands to her mouth.

"John passed away? I had no idea, Eric I'm so sorry I know how close he was to each of his boys." she says with tears in her voice.

Eric hugs her and says, "Hey, its been two years now, I've kind of gotten over it. So please don't shed tears for me, I don't deserve it after what I've put you and Jessica through." He wipes her tears away with his thumbs, I see that they are about to kiss so I cough because I'm sure that will make me feel awkward.

They both turn to me and mom says, "We should get inside and get this over and done with." She claps her hands and unclips her seatbelt, as she is about to open the door

Eric growls and she laughs and sits still, waiting for him to open her door for her. I step outside and we head up the stairs that lead to the door.

Eric rings the door bell and the butler comes to the door and opens it, this reminds me so of the Crompton's house just in a different location.

We enter and are directed to the sitting room where everyone is waiting for dinner to be served. As we are coming towards the room we hear voices but as soon as we enter the room everyone becomes quiet and you can hear a pin drop.

I see Mikayla and she looks shocked to see me there, gosh I hope she doesn't pull any of her stunts today.

"Hey guys." Eric says to his family and he pulls us closer to him and drapes his left hand around my mother's waist and the right one holds my hand.

"This is Diane and Jessica. Jessica is my daughter."

"What!"

"She kept your kid from you?" we hear different reactions from his family and Eric is quick to clear everything just as his mother comes in and her face blanches as if she has seen a ghost.

"None of what you are thinking is true. Di left because mother manipulated the situation and told her that I didn't want my child and basically made my woman hate me." The last part is said in a snarl.

"Oh, nonsense darling, is that what she told you? can you not see that she is lying to you? maybe the child isn't even yours." She says this so blatantly as if its so obvious that she is telling the truth and mom was lying. The butler comes in and announces that dinner is ready.

"Oh, sorry darling we didn't know that we would have guests, so we only set enough chairs for the family." She looks us up and down as she says this.