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"Alright. That's enough. Get up, the both of you." Mr. Ukaji spoke up after what would be a long time of silence in their midst.

Elliot got up, and helped her stand to her feet. They both took their seat beside each other and waited for what would come next. Mr. Ukaji cleared his throat once more.

"I can see that no matter what we say, you two will not listen." He started before letting out a sigh. "Okay. You are adults and you know what's best for yourselves... Fine. I'm going to permit this union."

"Kalu." His wife called, her eyes dilated in contempt as his words.

"Really?" Gene asked, mostly surprised that her father had given in.

"Kalu, we need to think about this..." Mrs. Ukaji spoke up, but her husband shook his head at his wife.

"No need. They've went on with this relationship. Anyway, Genevieve is pregnant, so we don't need to stretch this any further than it already is." He explained, but his words hadn't quite settled with his wife as she looked away in contempt.

Elliot drifted his gaze onto Gene and could see her smiling nearly from ear to ear. The smile he hadn't seen in a while now. That alone brought a smile to his face. She shifted her eyes to his and flashed him a warm smile, lightly squeezing her hand in his.

"Thank you, dad." Genevieve appreciated once her eyes were back on her father. He flashed her a brief smile as he gently nodded his head.

Mrs. Ukaji turned to them, her gaze softer. "Gene, I love you and I'll always want the best for you. Elliot, I've always cared for you since you were a young boy, but I'm always going to speak the truth... this is a big mistake." She emphasized, every part of her wished she could make these two in front of her understand what she was trying to say. She worried about her daughter's wellbeing.

"Marriage is not all about being in love, there are other factors to consider... Elliot, what happens when you eventually wake up one morning and realize, oh, I should have married someone I can grow old with and not someone who'll get old before I do because whether or not you like it, it's going to happen.

"Mum." Gene called, trying to speak up, but Elliot squeezed her hand a little tighter, a sign for her to not say anything. She shifted her eyes to him and the look entailed him telling her he had something up his sleeve. He drifted his gaze back to the older woman, who'd been staring at them a little inquisitively.

"Mrs. Ukaji, I know that no matter what I say, you're always going to have your doubts and as Genevieve's mother, it's perfectly alright for you to do so, but I would like you to know... I fell in love with your daughter not because I fancy her appearance or beauty, but because of who she is so... don't worry because even if all her hair turns grey, I'll never leave her side."

Gene couldn't help as her smile broadened whilst she stared at him. Right there, she knew she loved him way more than she could have imagined, and she was more than grateful that their paths crossed that fateful night. For the first time, Gene wondered what would her life look like right now if he hadn't come into her life.

Gently, she squeezed his hand in hers and he shifted his eyes to hers. They stared at each other lovingly.

Mrs. Ukaji sighed exhaustedly as she looked away from them. Her husband placed a hand on her arm and she instantly shifted her eyes to him. He flashed her a warm and simple smile. "Let it be. She's happy. That's all that matters." He encouraged, but the look on her face was sad and conflicted.

"B-but... people are going to talk."

"Let them. People will always talk no matter what you do... Look at the bright side. Genevieve is finally getting married. That's what you've always wanted." He added, trying to make his wife feel better and to encourage her enough to accept the idea, but she was a determined woman. It wasn't so often that she bent to another's choice.

She sighed. Her expression was sadder and conflicted, obvious to the fact that she was being backed up to the wall there and she wasn't used to feeling that way. Gene knew exactly who her mother was, and she knew how to get to her, so she stood to her feet and went over to where her mother sat. Genevieve threw her arm around her mother, drawing her a closer for a warm hug.

"Thank you." Gene appreciated, and her mother barely steadied her gaze on her. A part of Mrs. Ukaji understood what her daughter was trying to do, and she prettied little wish to be started into buying the idea of this union. "Thank you so much for always looking out for me, but I'm fine now... I can handle the consequences of my actions." Gene added before slightly releasing the hug so she could see her mother's face.

"I'm happy and even if the world is against me, as long as I have my family's support... I'm okay." She explained and her mother stared at her, her gaze growing softer and Gene could see she was getting her mother to listen. Gene smiled, bracing her in a tighter hug until the woman was smiling as weak and little as she could.

"I just want the best for you... I want you to be happy, to live without regrets." Mrs. Ukaji mentioned, and Gene nodded.

"And I'll be, I promise." Gene added, trying to assure her and after what would seem like a while, Mrs. Ukaji drew in a deep breath, letting it all go at once.

"Okay... it's alright. Even if I continue to be against this union till the end, you two will still never listen to me." She started as a smile gradually formed on every other person's face in the room.

She sighed. "I'll permit this union." She added and Genevieve smiled at her broadest, as she embraced her mother, who accepted the embrace this time, smiling a little on the simpler side.

"How about Victor? Does he know?" Mrs. Ukaji asked once she remembered her son, whose intake on the situation was likewise important.

Both Genevieve's and Elliot's expression turned sour. Victor had made it clear how much he had detested their relationship and they weren't sure if they'll be able to convince him to accept their union. Elliot would not give up. He was going to do all he could to convince his friend.

~ ~ ~

Elliot stared at the rings on display behind the show glass. His eyes wandered, searching for the right one. He was going to get Genevieve a ring. He'd proposed without a ring and she'd accepted without asking him for one. Maybe his proposal had been in the heat of the moment, but he regretted not having a ring with him. She deserved every special treatment he could afford.

"Can I see this?" He asked as he pointed to one that had caught his attention and the attendant brought it out, displaying in front of him. A smile curled up on his face. The ring was perfect for Genevieve's taste. A silver band held a small crystal stone, and it shone. Simple, elegant and just right. He just has to make sure it's a perfect fit.

"I'll get this." He mentioned once he lifted his eyes to the attendant.

~ ~ ~

Sitting in front of the mirror, Genevieve stared at her reflection as she combed her hair to give it an even level and to look neat. She applied a generous amount of lipstick and smacked her lips together for an even application. Soon, she spared her reflection a second of stare. Eventually, she shook her head before picking out a tissue and wiped the lipstick off her lips. When it seemed alright to her, she picked up a lip balm and dabbed onto her lips.

She heaved a sigh of relief, glad with how she looked. Genevieve stood to her feet, smiled at her reflection before heading out of the room. She headed out of her apartment, locking it properly before making her way downstairs. Gene felt more than excited to see him. She only ever gets to see him after work and spaces out all day thinking about him. He'd asked her to have dinner with him and she'd paid extra attention to her dressing and her looks.

She placed a few knocks on the door and he took longer than usual to open up. She smiled once her eyes fell on him, and he did the same.

"I'm here." She announced after what seemed like a while of staring at each other and he gave a simple nod before taking a step to the side to let her in.

Genevieve had barely taken enough steps when she stopped the moment she noticed he'd arranged their dinner on the centre table. With the living room lights turned off, he'd lit candle lights enough to illuminate the room.

Gradually, a broader smile curled up on her face.