Marriage By Law

42. We All Thought

"Yana." Mrs. Imperial said.

"Hello Alphonse." She said smiling at him. "I'm so glad you could make it. Apologies I couldn't greet you at the door." She said walking over and hugging him.

"Hey cuz." He said getting up to hug her back. I stood up as well and Alphonse introduced me.

"Nice to meet you, Yana." I said smiling at her with my hand out. "Al's spoken about you a lot."

"It's nice to meet you as well." She said pulling me into a hug.

Everybody sat down and Mrs. Imperial looked at me like she wanted my answer.

"I don't mind being married to Al. He's a great guy despite the fact I can't stand him. I'm glad we're together now." I said taking his hand and looking at him with a smirk.

"Oh Al, you better take extra good care of this girl." Yona said.

"Don't worry. I will." He said smirking back at me and shaking his head.

"Well now that everybody's here let's go eat." Mrs. Imperial said standing up and walking away. Yona followed and Al and I stood up behind them.

"You didn't have to lie so hard." Al said.

"I'm sorry, but Reba was staring at me, and Yona was staring at me. I just wanted them to stupid." I told him.

"Whatever. Let's go. I'm hungry." I said walking away. He grabbed my shoulders and shook me making me fold in my heels. He caught me and I looked at him like he was crazy.

"You know if you meant any of the cute stuff back there I wouldn't be mad." He said looking away.

"You're evil." I told him. "I could've broken my ankle.

"You're fine. Keep walking before they think we're flirting." He said kissing my cheek and passing me.

I shook my head and he was waiting with my chair pulled out. After I was seated, he sat next to me and we prayed.

"Guests first." Mr. Imperial said.

"Thank you." I said making my plate.

"Anymore questions?" I asked picking up my fork.

"I'm respectful enough to at least let you dig in before getting on your nerves." Mrs. Imperial said.

"I have questions, too." Yona said.

"Ok, I'm ready to answer them all." I said with a worried smile. "Hopefully."

Thirty minutes into dinner they hadn't asked me a single question our of line and I was relived. It was all small talk.

"Ezzy, what about school?" Yona asked.

"Oh, I discontinued my studies." I told her painfully. "It was my mother's suggestion so I could focus on family."

It's embarrassing to think about. Al rubbed my leg and I shook my head brushing him off.

"That's incredibly sad." Mrs. Imperial said. "I'm sure Alphonse wouldn't mind you continuing your studies. Right, Alphonse?"

"We've had this discussion already." Al said. "It's not one worth talking about again."

"How about Yona?" Al asked. "You called us here with something to announce right?"

"What?" She asked. "Oh yes!" She said excitedly standing up.

"I'm getting married!" She said happily. "You guys are my closest family, so I wanted you all to be here when I announced."

"Married?" Mr. Imperial said.

"Sweetie, you're not in a relationship you can't be married." Mrs. Imperial said laughing it off.

"It's Hayato." She said. "He proposed, and asked me to move overseas with him."

Her mom sighed. "Not this again."

"I said yes." She said. "We're going to get married there."

I looked at Al and he looked back as the fight between them escalated.

"Ladies this is not a topic to be discussed in front of company." Mr. Imperial said. "Please, continue to enjoy your food." He said gesturing towards Al and I.

"Yona, don't purposely say things to anger your mother." He said. "If you want some attention, ask, but don't act out."

"Well, I'm happy for you Yona." I said reaching over and grabbing her hand. "Love is beautiful and I'm happy you'll get to marry the man of your dreams no matter where he's from."

Al pinched my back and I flinched looking at him. "Ouch. Why?" He rolled his eyes.

After everybody settled down, dinner was quiet and tense. I helped cleaned up at the end, and wash dishes.

"I'm sorry for making things awkward." Yona said. "Really. I was expecting them to be excited."

"They were just shocked." I told her.

"I wish." She said. "They've always held Alphonse on a higher pedestal than me. It makes me furious."

"Huh?" I said.

"My parents second hand raised him. He spent all his time here sucking up to my parents because his parents doesn't give him any attention." She explained. "Every since it came out you two were engaged it's all they talked about. How Al's wife is young and beautiful and this huge political figure. Then they brought me into it, saying when will I get serious and get married."

"They've been pressuring me ever since. I felt so relieved when Hayato finally proposed to me." She said. "I felt a weight off my shoulders only for them to act like they weren't happy."

"I'm sure it'll get better." I told her. "If you really love this guy, and you didn't pressure him into marrying you because you parents were pressing you to get married, then I'm sure you'll be fine."

"But you have to ask yourself, "are you really ready to get married!". You want to make sure you're ready before just jumping in. You'll be miserable." I told her.

"Thanks Ezzy." She said hugging me. "I hate Alphonse, it's a shame you got wasted on him."

"You really don't like him?" I asked confused.

"No, I was only nice to him in front of your parents. Other then that I didn't speak to him, but I was never mean." She explained.

"Oh, because Alphonse has a completely different idea about you guys relationship." I said confused.

"I only invited him to meet you and show that I'm doing well." She said. "Did you really mean what you said at the table?"

"Of course." I said smiling. "Call me anytime. I'll listen."

"Thank you so much." She said hugging me again.

After we were finished, Al and I said our goodbyes and left.

"You were wrong." I told him.

"What?"

"Yona never had a crush on you." I said. "You're actually the weirdo for thinking that."

"What!" He said again. "Ez, what do you mean?"

I shook my head walking to the car and he followed begging for an answer.