Chapter 2 THE ACCEPTANCE

It was indeed a very blissful moment for them all...especially Angela cos her parents never rejected her suitor. They rather promised to help Bryan achieve his dreams and prospects in life so as to make their daughter live comfortably with him. Bryan stayed for a while at Angela's, and excused her outside to tell her to prepare for a visit to see his parents in two days time. Angela agreed, and they both went back to their various homes with joy in their hearts. Awaiting n preparing for the next level.

Bryan went home to inform his parents, and they were not too comfortable with the idea cos they wouldn't want their son to live a life of regret, for he is too young for marriage, for he may not know what marriage entails.

They both thought about this singular idea of their son's wanting to get married at a very young age, and they concluded that they will not give their concent. Bryan later went back to his parents after some moment he left. They were still in the garden, relaxing.

"Mom..., Dad..." Said Bryan.

His parents both replied uniformly to Bryan...

"Yes son..."

Bryan then said,

"Please let's all be prepared for Angela's visit in two days time".

Instantly, both parents looked at themselves and gave a kind of look which indicated that "this guy is damn serious". Thereafter, they looked at Bryan, and the mom said to him,

"My son, we understand how you truly feel about this girlfriend of yours, though we do not know her yet."

"But please, get us right dear son, we mean well for you, and right now...we feel you are about to make a very terrible mistake of your life, just by deciding to get married at 23years of age."

"We respect your decision, but please.... kindly trust our judgement on this one".

At this point, she became a stammering and confused woman, because, Bryan is the only child they have got.

"You...you...you...kn...ow...we will ne...ver deceive you, nor put you in a tight corner, that would not be favourable to yuo...r....igh..t...?

Bryan got confused and was amazed by what his mom was saying. He stood there before them like an image, looking at his parents and wondering why both of them would want to decide on something like that without putting him into consideration as their only child. His father just could not say a word, because he saw from Bryan countenance that hearing all that from his own mother, all is not well with him at the moment. About two minutes of total silence from the three of them present there, the only thing his dad could say was...

"My son, we can only make suggestions for you, but the truth still remains that, we just can not take decisions for you, cos we believe you know what you want as a young man"

After a moment, Bryan then ask his dad,

"You said you can not take decisions for me, but you can only make suggestions to me, because I am mature enough to know the difference between "pleasant and terrible". Why then do you think I am not man enough to know when I need a wife, and whom to choose as a wife and marry"?

He then turned to his mom who was bold enough to tell him what she said, asking her...

"Mom...do you want me to be happy at all...?"

Only that question coming from Bryan to his mother, made her so restless and uncomfortable! Before she knew what was going on, she bursted into tears...and cried like a baby. Bryan angrily walked out on his parents and went inside the house. He went straight to his room, and banged the door. Few minutes later, his parents walked in and knocked on his door. They pulled down the door knob, just to open it and go into, but could not. Bryan already locked the door inside. They looked at each other and burst into tears... Then they said....

"Bryan son...pls come to your parents, we do not mean to get you angry, nor make you sad".

"Please forgive us darling...plea.....seeee..."

Bryan just could not stand the tears of his parents cos he knew they must be heart broken, for them to be in such a terrible state of devastation. He then said to himself,

" I just can not see my mom and dad in such a condition, nor hear them cry and still be hard towards them..."

"No...no....no....nooooo...I just can't... "

Just within a few seconds, lost in his thoughts, he jumped up from his bed and rushed to the door, opened it hurriedly, and hugged his parents. The three of them cried so much, just almost like that of thesame day he returned from school. He quickly apologized to his parents for making them cry, and promised never to do such again. They all cried some more, and when they got tired of crying, they all went to the sitting room and sat there for a long talk.

During their conversation, Bryan needed to know the reason for his mother to have said all she told him earlier on in the garden. So he asked...

"Mom, please...what was or were your reason(s) for saying those things to me in the garden, some moments ago"?

His father was just being observant, watching all that was going on between his wife and son, cos he was confused on what to say. Then his mom replied, saying...

"Bryan dear...you know mom and dad loves you right..."?

Bryan replied...

" Yes I know mom...but please I would love to know your reasons".

The mom continued...

"The only reason I said all that was because I am scared of loosing you to another woman".

"And also, because...you won't always be there for me again, but your wife". That's all...

Bryan then replied her, saying...

"But mom, didn't dad leave his mom and dad to cleave to you as his wife"?

The mom just couldn't say anything!

Then Bryan continued...

"Oh yes you did! So why then are you stopping me from cleaving to my own wife and build my own family, just as you and dad did"?