His Wife (A Contract Marriage Story) by Heer Mangtani

Chapter 6

A middle aged lady opened the door with a smile on her face, an apron covering the dress she was wearing and her hair, that I had thought would be set to the last pins, was just tied behind in a messy bun.

“Gabe!” The smile on her lips only widened as they set on her son and she immediately pulled him into a hug.

“Mom.” He greeted her back, actually putting one of his hands back around her.

At least he hugs. Or makes a half-a*sed attempt at a hug.

As she pulls away, she looked at me. “And you must be the secret girlfriend he never told us about? Oh, Gabel” She swatted his forearm, “She’s gorgeous.”

“I guess?” I whispered as she pulled me into a hug I didn’t expect and I looked at Gabriel. He gave absolutely no expressions.

“Oh, come in!” She made way for us.

“You have a lovely home, Mrs. Whitlock.” I smiled at her.

“Call me Else.” She corrected. “And I’m very disappointed in the two of you.” She looked at me crossly and then her son. “Who doesn’t invite the groom’s parents to the wedding?”

My mouth fell open. “You weren’t invited? Oh-Oh. I’m- I’m so sorry, I didn’t.” I was stuttering, and I looked to Gabriel who just rolled his eyes.

“It’s okay.” His mom cut me off, “Gabriel explained everything to me, about how you had to get married in a rush because of your grandfather’s health. He’s promised me a proper wedding after a few months, one in which family is invited, not just businessmen. Right, Gabriel?” Her tone wasn’t questioning. It was demanding.

“Yes, Mom.” Gabriel replied, no hesitance whatsoever. Where’s Dad?”

“He’s in the kitchen. Why don’t you help him lay the table while I talk to my daughter-in-law here?”

“Mh-hm.” Her son nodded, disappearing inside but not before giving me a look. It was a glare mostly, one that said ‘If you f*ck up, I’ll un-alive you and feed you to the vultures.

*So Sofia, dear, sit with me. Before I could move, she had already pulled me on the couch in front of her. “Tell me everything about you. What do you like to do?”

I was at loss at where to start from, so I just smiled at her. “A lot of my time went in working to provide for my grandpa’s treatment,” I told her, “But before that, I used to love baking. And I paint. I have commissioned a few pieces in Brooklyn.

“I’m a painter,” Her eyes sparkled, “That’s how I and Gabriel’s father met actually. In art school.”

wow. I’d love to see what you’ve painted someday

I’d love to show you too. Only if you

My smile widened. “Deal”

looked like the older version of him, just softer and his eyes were blue while

Ralph.” She said to her husband who set the plates on the table before turning to us completely, “Never could I have imagined he would end up with a girl

Kalph

1/3

III

Chapter 6

Sofia, I’m Ralph.”

hand. “I’m so glad

at to meet you.”

He smiled back, “Gabriel didn’t tell us anything

he tell anything about me to his parents?

to the dining table, his

you studied in Seoul

school, and I guess being there felt like my way of being close to their memories.”

“Oh, wow,

a lot of hard work,” Elise smiled as she lifted the lids off a few dishes, passing them, and I kept my

spoke, and once his mom started talking about stories from his childhood,

to leave, Gabriel talked in small whispers with his father, while his mother walked me outside to the

of the lawn. “He was a kid, you know. Just like

hear her voice slightly cracking when she looked to me, forcefully smiling again. “Take care of my kid,

her hand a reassuring squeeze and she took a deep breath when

wife home now, hm?” He tells his mother as he steps in to hug her and when he retraces back,

he doesn’t

hand lingers on my lower back, just a feathery touch.

smile fall in shock, and goosebumps rise on the bare skin of

fitted dress I was wearing the cloth separating my bare skin

mere touch made something drop in my stomach, I

No.

think of me naked with Gabriel.

Just no.