The Love Child

Chapter 10

"Do you really want to do this?" Chante asked as we sat on her couch addressing invitations to the shower.

It was the middle of the afternoon after the meeting with the wedding planner and the tux delivery and I was helping Chante with the planning of Irene's bridal shower.

"Ummm not really... Like this whole thing is just weird." I said after a moment.

"What exactly do you mean?" She asked sticking a stamp to an envelope.

"I'm forced to do work for a wedding I don't care about for someone who I don't care about. All while living in a house full of people that don't want me there. I feel like bloody Cinderella." I said shocked that I could finally be honest.

"Sounds like there is allot I don't know." She said softly.

"I mean I get it I'm the exact symbol of Rob's affair but I am a person so treat me like one. Or even better let me go home." I sighed.

"Well hopefully your mom will get better soon and you will be able to." She said obviously not knowing what to say.

*BUZZ* As Chante's buzzer went off.

"Hello?" She asked.

"It's Linda! You guys aren't done yet?"

"Yeah I just need her to slip the invitations into the outgoing mail slot on her way out." Chante said back to Linda through the intercom.

"Well I guess it's time for me to go." I said as I rose from the couch.

"Could you just mail these out for me when you get to the lobby?" Chante asked as she slipped the stack of invitations into my hand. "Oh and by the way I really glad you are here little cousin. Even if the rest of them aren't."

"Thank you, I'm glad we met." I smiled as I slipped out the door and hurried down to the lobby as not to keep Linda waiting.

"I hope you invited allot of people so Irene will get lots of good gifts." Was what she greeted me with.

"Nice to see you to." I said rolling my eyes.

"Come on we're going to be late. Grandma Elisa is coming for dinner." She barked on our way to the car.

"Let me guess she wants to gawk at the 'love child'." I sighed.

"Yes and to see what hot mess Nick is dating." She said.

"Kymmi is not a hot mess." I said defensively.

"Oh yes she is." Irene said from behind her bridal magazine.

Whatever. I thought as we drove in silence. Oh the joys of having a new family.

"You better get up stairs and change." Linda snapped at me as we pulled into the driveway. "Wear something with tulle."

I trudged up the stairs wear I fixed my hair and make-up a bit but refused even the slightest bit of tulle.

"Elisabeth!" Linda's voice rang through the house.

I reluctantly headed back downstairs where I was met by a stuffy looking older woman.

"Hi you must be the Elisa I'm named after." I said stiffly.

"Ah yes that would be I Elisabeth Marie Clark. I believe we share the same name." She said shking my hand.

"Ummm well I'm not a Clark. My last name is Beyhan." I replied.

"Ah yes neither is mine. My maiden name was Orvin. I married a Clark." She smiled back.

"Ah well shall we eat." Linda asked looking tense.

"Yes of course!" Rob said waltzing into room.

As we took our seats I could tell almost instantly that I was going to like Grandma Elisa. She had this way of controlling the situation. As well as making Linda extremely tense.

"So Linda who catered this lovely affair?" She asked as we all sat down.

"No one, just me and the house keeper." She lied while clumsily unfolding her napkin.

"Ah yes a likely tale." She smirked. "and Kymmi so I understand you are shacking it up with young Nickolis here. What are your plans for after high school?" Elisa added before Linda could defend herself from the first comment.

"I was thinking of going to pharmacy school." Kymmi said nervously.

"Oh yes that sounds like a wonderful profession." Elisa smiled incouragingly before turning towards me. "And the girl only ever referred to as the love child. Nice to finally meet you. And a sight nicer than your half sister here." She added gesturing towards Irene. "Rob should have stuck it out with your mother probably allot less frigid than ice princess Linda over there."

"Mother! That is clearly enough!" Rob gasped while Linda spat out her wine in shock.

"More wine Grandma?" Nick asked clearly amused.

"So Grandma you know I'm getting married in a few months and there is this house that Kyle and I just fell in love with but it's just a tiny bit out of our price range so i was wondering if you could..." Irene began.

"No." Elisa stated flatly. "You are not propositioning any money out of me.

"But we would just need a little help to be able to swing it. Unless you wanted to buy it out right as a wedding present. It's only $500,000 dollars." Irene continued to whine.

"Look brat I already said no." Elisa sighed

"Oh that's the door bell. Elisabeth would you mind getting it?" Linda asked.

So I got up and walked down the hall and to the front door and opened it.

"We got some of your mail by mistake...