I’m Dedicated To You

I looked at Jayden angrily retreating back and I sighed “why do I have to make trouble with everyone?”

“You don’t have to be harsh on him, I am sure he doesn’t mean any harm”.

“Everything about Jayden means harm so don’t let him hover around you”.

“Everything about Juliana means harm so don’t let her hover around you, “I say using his earlier words against him and he just smiles, pulling my nose for being tricky.

“Wow it’s the first family dinner in a while so let’s enjoy it”I heard Beatrice say before me and Bradley make our way into the dining hall.

“Yeah even though we had a stranger among us, “Bradley’s mom says grumpily. I know she is referring to me. Bradley looks at me worriedly but I tell him I am fine.

“Emily be nice”I heard Bradley’s father reprimand before we walked in.

“Bradley come sit here”Bradley’s mom called pointing to a seat and when I looked at the sitting arrangements I just smiled at my mother-in-law’s petty trick. The seat she was pointing to is beside the seat Juliana is sitting on and the next available seat is beside Jayden.

“No thanks Mom I will sit here, “Bradley says pulling a chair for me and he sat down in the chair between Jayden and me and she got angry at that but she didn’t say anything after that the maid started bringing in the food and I could say this is not a dinner but a feast because of the tons of food in the table but I composed myself.

“So Georgina, how old are you, “grandma Hale asked. I know she is just trying to strike up a conversation and she means no harm.

“I am 24 grandma” I answered and she nodded her head but our flawless conversation got interrupted by Bradley’s mom’s interruption.

“How are we to know you didn’t forge that age since you don’t even know your parents talkless of your date of birth,” she says and everyone in the dining hall looks at her weirdly for saying that but I could see that Juliana is enjoying it I bet they both planned this so, I won’t give them the satisfaction and when I see that Bradley wanted to say something I stopped him because this is my fight.

“I don’t know ma’am but if you are talking about lying about my age then I think I am 16 because the netizen says I look so young for my age, “I say and the whole dining hall bursts into laughter over what I say.

“I like you, Gina,” Beatrice says, dishing some food on her plate.

“Thanks, ma’am hubby also says I am likable, “I say rubbing Bradley’s arm and I noticed that Juliana looked away from my husband after what I did.

“I don’t think you should try too hard sister-in-law because she is good,” Kate says and I know Bradley’s family is also like some of the aristocratic families when they are always in each other’s necks.

“That’s enough, Juliana, when did you get back?”Bradley’s father asked.

“I got back last week after finishing my volunteering work in Africa,” she says proudly.

“Wow, your parents must be proud of having a productive daughter like you right Bradley?”Bradley’s mother asked but Bradley didn’t reply to her.

“Hubby, I want the fish, “I say and everyone in the room looks at him like I lost some screw in my head but they get even more surprised when Bradley picks the dish for me and I just shrug my shoulders at their reaction.

“Uncle, congratulations on the peace treaty,” Juliana says, trying to be relevant and I don’t care because I am trying to focus on my food.

“It’s nothing, it’s all thanks to your father”Bradley’s father replied Bradley’s mother started with her praises and I get amused with how she doesn’t get tired of trying to make Juliana relevant in just one night.

“So you have once volunteered in Africa what is your next plan like this”Bradley’s father asked and Juliana went on and on about how she wanted to join the company to help her father and I got lost in savoring all the food that Bradley has been serving that I didn’t know what’s going on in the dining hall again.

“Juliana got a scholarship into Oxford university when she was 18 so, so what were you doing then Georgina” I heard Bradley’s mom ask. I think that’s the first time she was saying my name tonight and I dropped my cutleries when I heard her question.

“Auntie I think that’s too much” I heard Joanna say but Bradley’s mom is not that.

“She is Bradley’s wife, of course, I should know what she has been doing since you were 18?” she asked again and I know she is trying to harass me.

” Mom that’s enough I…..”Bradley was saying but I cut him off.

“I was busy making money,” I said and the whole dining room fell into silence when I said that.

“When Miss Juliana got a scholarship into Oxford, I got scouted by an entertainment agency where I was working part-time, “I say looking at the faces of everyone in the dining room.

“When Miss Juliana was enjoying her life in the college with her friends I was busy working my ass off trying to send my two friends to college”.

“When Miss Juliana was volunteering around the world I was also going around shooting in different countries whether in the winter or summer so if you are asking me how I had spent my time I will tell you ma’am that I have spent it well that I don’t even have a social life to go back to if I later retire “I continue

“And now when she is being celebrated by volunteering in different countries and you are asking me how I have invested my time, “I say and the silence in the room is so deafening that even a pin drop is going to be a lot of noise.Property of Nô)(velDr(a)ma.Org.

“Hubby, I will be going to the restroom, “I say standing up after my outburst because the dining room at that time just feels so suffocating…