"I'm a dead man" Nicholas muttered to himself suddenly feeling very alone in this very large gathering.
Theora was happily chatted away with her sister who had become too big to move away from her chair as it was her ninth month now.
"So Aunt Nicky caught cousin Vinny sneaking a girl out of his bedroom window turns out the girl is pregnant now they're having a shotgun wedding" Carmen said filling Theora in on all the latest family gossip.
"No wonder Aunt Nicky wasn't able to attend and here I was thinking she actually had pneumonia"
"Nope Cousin Georgina saw her shopping at towns square yesterday. When she went up to say hi Aunt Nicky faked a coughing fit and ran off" Carmen added munching on a cupcake.
"Stop me Tiny this is my third cupcake" Carmen begged throwing the wrapper on the table in annoyance.
"Maybe you should slow down on the sugar intake but other than that your eating for two Manny. Don't beat yourself up for it"
"I look like I'm eating for ten. Look at me this grand hall is too small for me"
"Manny come on stop it. It'll all be over soon anyway and you'll have your little bundle of joy in your arms screaming his or her head off" laughed Theora
"Speaking of bundle of joy prepare yourself for a couple of aunts and great aunts to ask why aren't you pregnant yet unless you want what happened at my baby shower to repeat itself" Carmen laughed nudging her slightly
"Seriously Manny" Theora gave Carmen an annoyed look
"Yaiyai called the other day by the way" Carmen suddenly went serious "she said you act indifferent towards Nicholas and she told me to give you some advice. Is it true Tiny?"
Theora clenched her jaw she didn't know what to tell Carmen. She had prepared herself to lie and say that what Yaiyai saw was false but she felt like she couldn't lie to Carmen. Theora resolved to tell Carmen the whole truth when a kid, her cousin Din0, came running up to Theora.
"Aunty Theora! Aunty Theora!" Dino said out of breath
"What is it Dino?"
"Cousin Caesar, Adrian and the rest are going to throw Uncle Nicholas in the pool"
"What!" Theora screamed getting up running towards the left side of the garden where the pool was.
"Theora what's wrong?" Her mom yelled after her
"Caesar is throwing Nicholas in the pool!"
"Oh lord!" Her mother followed her out with a couple family members in tow.
Her cousins Caesar, Adrian, Nicky, Vicky and Maxi all held Nicholas by his arms and feet and were swinging him back and forth.
"Five, four, three" They chanted slowly.
"Caesar!" Theora yelled coming up to them "Put. Him. Down!"
"We were just fooling around Theora. He would've been in the pool by now if we were really throwing him in" Caesar said letting Nicholas go.
"He has an injured arm Caesar!" Theora smacked him in the chest then crouched down to check on Nicholas who was now sitting on the ground. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine Theora" Nicholas said getting up dusting himself off "Maxi held this arm by the sleeve in order not to strain it. It's alright it was all in good fun"
"And they tore your suit!" Theora said angrily seeing his suit torn at the shoulder.
"Caesar!" Demos' voice boomed "How" he thwacked Caesar to the head "many" then thwacked Adrain "times" then Nicky "must" then Maxi "I say" then Vicky "NO ROUGH HOUSING AT MY HOUSE!"
"Sorry Uncle Demos!" They muttered in unison.
"Demos calm down it isn't good for your heart" said Fiona Theora's Mama trying to calm him down.
"That's it party over its past twelve. I don't want the neighbors to call the cops like last year. Everyone who lives nearby go home everyone else the drivers are waiting to take you to the hotel outside" Demos ordered and with that the party started to disperse.
"Oh Nicky!" said Odelle "baby you okay"
"I'm fine Mama"
"The boys were just playing Odelle" Leon assuring her
"I'm sorry for all this Leon" Demos apologised
"No no it was all in good fun" Leon waved it off
"It's cold out why don't we all go inside and have a cup of tea" suggested Fiona "Theora take Nicholas to the wash room to get cleaned up"
Theora led Nicholas to the nearest downstairs bathroom.
"I'm sorry I left you alone. I didn't realise they'd go this far" Theora said holding the towel for him as he washed his face.
"Theora it's okay you hadn't seen Carmen in a long time I understand plus the boys were just playing" Nicholas said grabbing the towel and wiping his face.
"Your whole suit is a mess" Theora started swatting away the dust from his suit.
"Theora stop it's no use. I'll just take it off" he said holding her hand in order to stop her. It was like a jolt of electricity went through the both of them as their hands connected, their eyes fixated on each other boring into each other's soul. Unknowingly they found themselves moving closer. Theora gazed down at Nicholas' lips before her eyes dreamily went back up to meet his. Nicholas moved in dangerously closer only being inches apart Theora felt her eyes close as their lips were about to connect.
"One minute Christos I have to peeeeeee!!!" Carmen burst into the bathroom catching them mid kiss. Theora gasped backing away from Nicholas as he looked around nervously.
"Oh" Carmen managed to say "Umm I'll wait outside"
"We better go" Theora said feeling herself heat up.
"Yeah" Nicholas said removing his suit and opening the door of the bathroom to go out.
Carmen was standing by the door trying to cover her giggles with her hand as Nicholas passed. Theora glared at her sister angrily crossing her arms over her chest.
"What! You could've locked the door" Carmen laughed "well atleast I know now Yaiyai was overreacting as always from what I saw in their you were more than welcoming to Nicholas' advances"
"You know what once that baby is born I'm going to bombard it with sugar so it's runs around all hyped up driving you crazy and I'm going to buy it loud toys that will annoy you day and night" Theora threatened
"Fine from the looks of it, it won't be long before you have a little one and guess what Tiny karma's a bitch" countered Carmen. Theora gave her the Not-Another-Word look.
"I have to pee" Carmen said hurrying into the bathroom "Christos and I are going home after this so I guess it's goodbye as well" she added before closing the door. Theora sighed loudly shaking her head making her way to the main living room where the family probably was.
The main living room was rather large with long curved sofas in a semi circle in the centre that could fit thirty people at once.
Theora took a seat next to Nicholas as Demos and Leon were chatting away happily while Odelle and Fiona were sharing the latest gossip and Yaiyai being Yaiyai sat alone with a stern look on her face.
"So Nicholas, Theora have you decided where you two want to go?" Leon asked suddenly "Demos suggested the Canary Islands. What do you think?"
Theora felt herself panic, Nicholas wasn't going to tell them they didn't want to go now infront of the entire family, was he? She tried to make him look towards her so he wouldn't but..
"Umm father we were actually thinking of postponing the trip" Nicholas said. Theora closed her eyes poop had just hit the fan.
"Postponing it? What for! I told you there isn't much to do in the office!" Leon glared at Nicholas getting angrier with each word.
"Nicholas it's the perfect time for you to go on your honeymoon you'll be busier once you officially become the CEO of the company" reasoned Demos.
"That's if he becomes the CEO" Leon sneered
"Father please! Why do you have to throw your decisions on me and expect me to accept them? Theora and I would like to live on our terms" Nicholas retorted
"Enough Nicholas!" Leon voice boomed through the mansion "I've told you this once and I've told you again if you insist on your obstinance then you know where the door..."
"I don't want to go" Theora spoke up causing Leon to stop talking "I told Nicholas on the way here I don't want to go"
The room collectively gasped except for Nicholas looked at her with a shocked confused expression.
"Theora why would you say that?" Fiona asked
"I told you Demos didn't I?" Yaiyai shouted getting up "I told you about her attitude yet you didn't believe me"
"Theora explain yourself" Demos commanded
"Carmen has less than two weeks left till her delivery so I asked Nicholas to postpone it to the summer" Theora said meekly thinking of the best excuse she could come up with on the spot.
"Well you could go for a few days maybe a week and come back in time for Carmen's delivery" Odelle suggested
"Uh.. yes and if something comes up you have your own chartered plane and pilot coming back as you wish" Fiona added trying to lessen the tension in the room.
"Is that alright with you Theora?" Asked Leon with an assertive voice.
"I guess that would be okay" she said meekly
"Fine then it's settled. Go home and pack your bags I'll call the pilot and you'll fly out to the Canary Islands tomorrow" Leon ordered
After saying their goodbyes, Leon, Odelle and Nicholas headed out to the driveway while Fiona called Theora to the kitchen to give her some sugar cookies Theora always liked to take home.
"Young lady I don't want this incident to happen again" her mother warned looking over her shoulder to make sure no one was listening handing her the Tupperware full of cookies "your father is in no condition to be dealing with stubbornness"
"Yes Mama"
Out in the driveway Leon was equally furious with his son.
"We both know well that girl took all the blame in front of her family to save you" Leon said angrily under his breath "Nicholas I swear to you if you don't start treating her as she deserves I'm going to have to take extra measures to make sure you do"
"I would never treat Theora badly father but.."
"Good! I don't want to hear a but now go home and pack" he asserted
Theora came outside at that moment and Nicholas didn't want to argue with his father infront of her. After a quick goodbye both parties went their separate ways.
Five minutes into the drive, Nicholas pulled the car over stopping it at the side of the street.
"Why did you take all the blame Theora?" He asked angrily clutching the steering wheel till his knuckles turned white.
"I wasn't lying it was me who didn't want to go"
"But I agreed with you, you and I were in this together"
"I saw how angry your father got and thought the worst my parents would do is give me a lecture and send home with you. Your father was ready to disown you"
"I could've handled him"
"Nicholas it's fine it was stupid of me to think I could get out of it anyway. My parents have always had the last say whether it was when I wanted to go to university or when they chose you for me"
"You wanted to go to university?"
"To study economics and marketing strategy but Yaiyai shut the idea down saying that I had no need for a degree as I was going to be married soon anyway"
"I'm so sorry"
"It's not your fault Nicholas"
"I know but you had it so much worse than me and to top all of I treated you like dirt those first few months. I feel like complete and utter shi..."
"Nicholas it's fine. I love my family they've always looked after me and dotted on me plus I'm not the only Greek girl this has happened to it's just the way things are" reasoned Theora "we should head home and get packing. It's late and we have an early morning flight"
Nicholas started the car up while silently promising himself that this was the last time he traditions squashed any of Theora's dreams. It was time for change.