24. Sharing is not caring
"Misty is my youngest daughter." Edward put down the cup of coffee. "This is the last thing I'd be doing for her as her father so I'd appreciate if you let us handle this, Delia."
"Well, Ash is the only son I have." Delia put her hands on her lap. "He's the last memory I have left of my husband so he's everything to me."
"We get that." He laughed a bit. "But we'd like to do this for Misty."
"I'd like to do this for Ash."
Mr. Williams leaned back. "You know what they say. It's the bride who pays for the wedding."
"In our culture, it's the groom who pays for the wedding." Delia nodded.
"We could split this in half, then." Cassie looked between her husband and Delia.
"My son is not splitting in half his wedding charges with his wife! What would the people of the town say about us? My son can't pay for his wedding on his own and had his in-laws pay for him?"
Edward retorted. "I'm paying of it—all of it! I'm paying for every single bit of this wedding because it's my last gift to my daughter!"
"We can pay for this wedding on our own! We don't need your help!"
"This is not help! This is my duty over my youngest daughter!"
"And this is my duty over my only son!"
"You talk about Ash as if he was a little boy! He's forty!"
"He's only thirty-six!"
"I-I think we can come to an agree-"
"Shut up, Cassie." Edward cut her off. He leaned forward and shot Delia a glare. "I'll pay for this wedding. You can tell everyone you paid for it. How's that?"
"No." She replied dryly.
"This is not how it works." Edward shook his head. "You should let the rich pay!"
"Exactly." Delia nodded. "My son is rich, so we will pay."
"That's nice! We'd let him pay for the honeymoon, then!"
"My son is paying for the honeymoon and the wedding."
"You speak in Ash's name and you don't even know if he's willing to pay or not!"
"This is a Ketchum family matters! Even if my son can't afford this wedding on his own, the only one who can help him is me, his mother!"
"You are taking this badly." Edward tried to soften her. "We're family too! We're big one family right now. We should accept each other's support!"
"They're here! Change the subject." Cassie gestured to the door that was getting unlocked from outside.
Edward grabbed his phone and Delia picked up her cup of tea.
"Hi Misty." Cassie greeted her daughter. "You took too long!"
"It was a good walk." She and Ash were chuckling. They were looking at each other all the time, smiling. Misty put her purse on the counter. Ash sat down on the single sofa seat and put his foot on his thigh. "Uhm."
"Tell us what's making you so happy!"
"What's this question, Cassie..." Edward muttered. "They're getting married soon."
"Actually, we're happier today." Misty and Ash looked at each other again. The redhead sat on the chair's arm and they held hands.
"That's nice to hear." Cassie looked at Edward and at Delia. "Isn't it?"
"Right..."
"So, how many days is your workplace going to give you for the wedding?" Delia was looking at Ash. "I hope it's enough to go to Pallet town and celebrate."
"I was thinking of a very elegant hotel in Cerule-"
"We don't need that." Misty cut her father off. She looked at Ash. "Right?"
"At all." He shook his head, grinning. "We're not going anywhere. We're staying in Jubilife."
"Ash, I can't keep this up!" Misty giggled loudly.
"I know but it's fun, right? Look at their faces!" Ash laughed.
The three parents kept looking at each other.
"Okay, I can't keep this up. Seriously." Misty sighed heavily. She said, "We eloped."
"Misty!" Ash laughed. "That's no way to say it!"
"Wait! You did what?" Delia got up. "You just did what?"
"We went to Jubilife City Hall and got married." Ash explained simply.
"Are you out of your mind?" Edward shouted. "Why did you do this?"
"Did you go like this? Wearing this dress?" Cassie pointed at Misty's summer dress. "No white dress? No bouquet?"
"It's fine, isn't it? The main purpose is to get married and we got married!" Misty turned toward Ash. They kept staring at each other. "That walk was magical, wasn't it?"
"Yeah. And everything felt perfect." Ash stroked Misty's cheek. "What's the name of that guy who witnessed again?"
Delia gasped and put her hand on her chest. "Oh my God! A stranger witnessed your marriage?!"
"And what about the reception?"
"I think a reception is just totally unnecessary." Misty got off the sofa. She looked at Ash. "When can we get the certificate?"
"They said in a week, I think."
"Yes! Now I remember." Misty walked toward the kitchen. She looked at her parents from behind the counter. "I'm assuming Ash's last name."
"It's your call but you'll have to modify so many identity papers."
"Is this a joke?" Cassie looked between the supposedly newlyweds. "Were you taking a walk and suddenly decided to go get married?"
"Isn't it romantic, mom?" Misty giggled. She and Ash kept looking at each other. "We couldn't wait anymore."
"What about the wedding?"
"There is no wedding." The redhead shrugged. She noticed her parents and Ash's mother didn't look too happy. "What is it? You're supposed to be happy for us. We just got married."
"Is anyone happy? Anyone?" Ash asked. "Raise your hand, please?"
"Fine." Edward crossed his arms over his chest. He looked at Delia. "You and I are even now. No one is paying for anything and no one paid for anyone."
Delia looked at Ash. "Who paid at City Hall?"
"What?" Ash laughed.
"Just answer the question!"
Edward put his hand over his forehead and sighed. "I can't believe this..."
"I paid fifty dollars at City Hall." Ash thought his mother was crazy. "Do you also need to know if I paid cash or not? I've got the receipt, if you need it too."
"No, that's fine." Delia seemed pretty satisfied. "Congratulations."
"Finally! Someone who is happy for us!" Misty rushed toward the living room. She gave Delia a quick hug from behind. "Thank you!"
"We're happy for you too! It was just so sudden."
"I know, but that's why it was exciting!" Misty hugged her mother and then her father.
"Congratulations, princess. It was rushed but I'm glad you're happy."
"Thanks, dad. I'm very happy!"
Misty sat on the coffee table. Ash came behind Misty and hugged her over the shoulders. She giggled. "I'm Mrs. Ketchum now!"
"We're happy for you, dear." Cassie rubbed her daughter's hand.
Ash and Misty looked at each other. He said, "The lunch?"
"Oh, right!" Misty looked at her parents and then at Delia as she said, "We got back home to take you out with us! Let's have lunch together."
"No, it's fine. You can go alone." Delia quickly declined.
"Yeah. Go alone."
"Sure?"
"Go! Of course."
"I told you they're going to refuse." Ash pulled away from his now-wife. "Come on, Mist."
"Right..." Misty chuckled lightly. She could see how unexcited the parents were. "We're going."
"Have fun!"
Ash and Misty walked toward the door. As soon as they walked out and the door closed, Edward spoke to his wife, "Maybe it's not a bad thing, after all? We'll just book them a great honeymoon as a gift."
"Choose another gift! Honeymoon is going to be my gift for my only son."
"Is the honeymoon a matter of honor for your family as well?" Edward narrowed his eyes. The woman was getting on his nerves. He didn't know how his daughter dealt with this nag.
"I'm trying to do something for my son! This is his marriage!" Delia didn't like this man. He was too much of a showoff. Ash probably didn't get along well with him.
"They'll travel twice, then!" Edward lifted his hand up. "You send them to Johto and I send to Kanto! How's that?"
Delia cocked her head. "All Ketchum couples go to the Orange Islands for honeymoon."
"Fine; you get Kanto and I get Johto."
"Fair enough."
Cassie raised her eyebrows. She looked between Delia and Edward. "Are you two out of your minds? Their jobs wouldn't give them enough days to visit both regions!"
"Fine! Nothing! I'm doing nothing!" Edward got up, groaning. "You do whatever you want!"
Delia watched him leave. He headed to the balcony and took out a cigar. She turned toward Cassie. "Your husband is very stubborn."
"We've done this with Misty's sisters, you know... it's a habit." Cassie smiled nervously. "And Edward is very attached to the girls."
"I get it."
Cassie spoke in a low voice, "Usually, the men don't refuse Edward's offers. We paid for all the weddings!"
"That's because they're not real men!" Delia spoke confidently. "In Pallet town, no woman has ever paid for a wedding! Paying is the man's duty! The man and his family pay for everything his whole life!"
Cassie smiled nervously. "Is that true?"
"You have to make the man pay!" Delia nodded. "If he doesn't, he'll just keep wasting it on other women and alcohol. Men are bad with money and that's why you should never let him have a lot of it!"
Misty's mother nodded. "I get where you're coming from..."
"Uhm! You should never let a man become rich."
"You have to ruin him?"
"Of course! Well, not ruin ruin him—just a little bit. Don't let him have too much." Delia was convinced she was right.
"I think it's alright. Misty knows what she's doing." Cassie got up. "Uhm, excuse me."
Mrs. Williams rushed to the balcony. She slid it open and joined her husband's side. She slid the door close. "Ash's mother is crazy!"
"One more minute with that woman and I was going to lose my mind." Edward looked disgusted. "It's like we begged for that son of hers!"
"He was the one who was running after Misty..." Cassie pouted. She put her arms behind her.
Suddenly, the balcony door slid open and Delia showed up. "I'm throwing a party in my house to celebrate the marriage and you're welcome to attend."
Edward and Cassie blinked.
"Misty and Ash don't have to be there." Delia whispered. "I couldn't care less, honestly. I just want to pop a bottle. I raised a son on my own. I deserve some slack."
"I like the way you think." Edward nodded.
"I'm dying for some champagne." Cassie put her hand over her chest.
"It's good we're agreeing on something." Delia smiled. "I'll see you at my house next weekend."
"Sure."
She nodded and got back inside, sliding the door shut. The two parents looked at each other in silence.
"Oh my God! The first thing we agreed on is drinking!"
Bạn đang đọc truyện trên: Truyen247.Pro