Absconding ✔️

33. Nonno

Jasmine Knight

"I so badly wanna be there." I confessed.

"I know you want to but that's not good for the baby." Arden said and touched my still flat belly.

"Yeah, I know." I said and tiptoed to kiss him. He ducked his head and returned my kiss. He then left for the torture room and I went inside the lounge one.

My Mom, Dad, River, Chloe, Sara, and Aunt Emma were already present there. Mom, Dad and Aunt were busy in a conversation of their own so I went ahead and sat with my cousins.

"Hey." I greeted everyone.

"Hey. How are you feeling?" Sara asked.

"Not better. I've been feeling dizzy a lot." I said and Sara nodded.

"It's normal. Happens to me a lot." Chloe said. She was 2 months along when Arden and I left, so she's 5 months pregnant now.

"Wait. What?" River asked, utterly confused.

That's right. Only my female cousins and sisters-in-law know of my pregnancy.

"Jasmine, you're-?" He left the question hanging.

"Yeah. 4 weeks along." I said as I kept a hand on my stomach.

"What?!" River yelled as he stood up from his place, grabbing my parents' and Aunt Emma's attention.

"Tell me you're fucking kidding." River said and I heaved a sigh.

"What? What happened?" Mom asked.

"Jasmine's pregnant." River said and my parents turned towards me with shocked looks.

Such a tattletale.

"Is it true?" Mom asked and I nodded.

"Who's the father?" Dad asked.

"Arden." I said in a small voice and I heard Dad take in a sharp breath.

"Jasmine Ophelia Knight! What have you done?" Dad asked in his strict voice.

"Dad, this was not a random hookup. Arden and I love each other. We're having this baby together." I explained him.

"You guys are in love?" Aunt Emma asked.

"Yes, Aunt Emma. The three months that we spent together, just us, made us realise how much we love each other and wanna be together. We didn't plan the baby, it's a happy surprise but we're very excited about it's arrival." I said as I held her and my mom's hand.

"But Jasmine, you're having a baby before marriage. You know our family frowns upon that." Dad said.

"Ian, they're in love. They'll eventually get married. In a few years no one will care weather the baby was born before their marriage or after." Mom tried explain Dad but he shook his head negative.

"It doesn't work like that. People will talk ill of her and her baby. I don't want them talking bad about my family." Dad said.

"Dad, frankly I don't care about what people say or think." I said and Dad rolled his eyes.

"Jasmine-" I cut him mid-sentence.

"Dad, think of it this way, you're gonna be a Nonno. This is your first grandchild." I said and I saw Dad's expressions soften a little.
(Grandpa)

I was about to speak further when Arden entered the room.

"Arden, can I talk to you?" Dad asked him in a serious voice.

"Yeah sure." He replied.

"Not here." Dad said and walked out of the room towards his office. Mom and I followed them.

We all took our seats on the couch.

"I understand, you love my daughter and are going to be the father of her child?" Dad asked in a gruff voice.

"Yes, Mr. Knight. That's correct." Arden said, surprisingly in a calm voice. I could clearly tell he's nervous but he's keeping his cool.

"Arden will you marry my daughter?" Dad asked and we all looked at him with wide eyes.

"What?!" I said and simultaneously Mom said, "Ian!"

"Let me have a talk with him." Dad said.

"Absolutely, Mr. Knight." Arden said and I looked at him.

"We haven't discussed this, Arden." I said and he looked at me.

"So? I am gonna marry you one day. I might as well have your Dad's approval now itself." Arden said and looked at Dad.

"Mr. Knight, Sir, I am madly in love with your daughter. She means the world to me. She and our baby are my only family left in this world. I promise to always keep her happy, love her till the day I die and protect her and our baby from every bad thing in this world. I promise to keep her word above all, I promise to respect her and I promise to give her the world. You'll never see her cry or sad. I promise to be the best husband to her and the best father to our baby. If I have your blessing, I'd very much like to marry her." Arden said and I felt tears form in my eyes.

"You have my blessing, son." Dad said and got up from his place, followed by Arden. They shared a man-hug.

"We're all your family now Arden." Mom said and hugged him.

"Thank you, Mr. and Mrs. Knight." Arden said with a smile.

"Call us Mom and Dad." Dad said and I hugged him.

"Thank you Dad." I said and he kissed my head.

"I'm gonna be a Nonno." He said with a huge smile.

"Yes you are." Arden said and kept his hand on my stomach.

"We're gonna be Aunts and Uncles." Ava said as all my cousins peeped into the room.

"Again." Chloe corrected her and we all chuckled.

QOTD: What is 'grandpa' in your language?