Pride and Promises ✔

Chapter 19

"I'm going to marry you."

"What?" The girl stopped playing with her doll and looked up at the boy in bewilderment.

"I said I'm going to marry you." The boy repeated in determination, scowling when the girl started to giggle.

"It's not funny, Minnie. I'm really going to marry you. Now." And without giving her a chance to speak, he pulled the girl to her feet and ran to his house, grabbing her hand.

He took her to the huge living room just like he had a few weeks ago. Only this time, his family wasn't the only ones present there. Along with his family, there were his uncles, aunts, cousins and the girl's parents with her newborn little sister sleeping in her father's lap while his brother was looking at him in curiosity, stuffing his toy robot in his mouth.

The adults were sharing jokes and laughing when the kids stumbled through the door, the boy looking ready to face war while the girl looked confused. All of them shared amused glances with each other as they silently wondered what new mischief they were up to.

"Daaaaad! I'm going to marry Eve now!" The boy exclaimed proudly, holding the goofy grin in his face as if  he was announcing that he won the state's soccer championship. His sister, who'd been munching her crackers, suddenly choked, the pieces from her mouth landing on their cousin Robb's blonde locks, earning nasty glares from both Robb and Adrian, for different reasons.

The adults were all shocked at the boy's declaration but the girl's mother was the one to recover faster than others. She smiled and knelt down in front of the two children.

"Adrian, honey! Do you know what marriage means?"

The boy looked at her as if she'd insulted him by asking such question. "Of course, I know what marriage means, aunt Lily!" He scoffed, crossing his arms. "People marry when they want to be together like Mickey and Minnie. Just like Eve and me."

The girl scrunched up her nose at that. "But momma said I'll marry a pwince! You're not a pwince!" She protested.

The boy huffed at her words. "I can be a prince, too!" 

"But you don't even have a horse! And you're so scared of boogeyman!" She pointed an accusing finger at him, making him deepen his scowl.

"I am not afraid of boogeyman! And I will buy a horse for you!" He stated stubbornly.

As amused as he was, the boy's father decided to interrupt their banter before they start destroying their eardrums. "Alright, kids. That's enough. You should go out and play or do whatever the two of you always do." He tried to shoo them away, mostly aiming to distract his son as Adrian was as stubborn as himself and wouldn't let it go unless he got what he wanted.

But he should've known better than to assume his son would be easily distracted. In response, he gripped the girl's hand tighter and stomped his foot. "No! I won't go anywhere without marrying her first!"

His sister rolled her eyes at his antics. "Really? And who would be the priest here? As far as I know, no one is willing to be a priest for your marriage." She stated dryly, redirecting her attention to her crackers.

Everyone watched as the boy turned to every member present there, silently pleading them with his eyes. But when no one agreed, his lips turned into a frown and tears started pooling in his eyes.