The Second Chance Lover

CHAPTER 3: CONTRAST.

“Hello Mom, Lloyd greeted his mother.

Mrs. Jefferson entered the room as if she did not mean to see her son.

“Good morning, Mrs. Jefferson,” Anita said, still lying naked in bed but covered with a duvet.

“It's Becca,” Mrs. Jefferson replied to Anita, shaking her head in disapproval.

“Oh, my bad, I am so sorry. Good morning Becca,” Anita greeted her.

“Thank you my darling, so how was your night?” Mrs. Jefferson asked.

“It was wonderful,” Anita said.

Mrs. Jefferson smiled. “I hope my son has planted a seed in that belly of yours.”

Anita laughed, “Yes, but your son has like a spiritual presence over me. Because his touch was more spiritual and a little physical, his strength could pull mountains from another dimension.”

“Whatever that means, because you are still in bed naked, my son has proven himself a stallion,” Mrs. Jefferson said as she joined Anita in her laughter.

Llyod could only watch as both of them enjoyed joking with each other. It was nothing funny to him.

“Mom, please can you excuse us, so Anita can get dressed, we will meet you at the breakfast table,” Llyod begged his mother.

“Are you sure you can keep up with this act?” Anita said as Becca made her way out of their room.

“Can you?” Llyod replied.

Anita sat by the window, staring out at the gardens but seeing nothing of the beauty that they held. Her mind was tangled in a web of conflicting emotions, each thread pulling her in a different direction.

The contract marriage had started with practicality, and she had hoped it would blossom into something more. But now, she began to wonder if she could keep up the charade of being Lloyd's wife.

Anita’s parents, who had always been a looming presence in her life, were genuinely happy for her. They saw her marriage to Lloyd as a step towards stability and fulfillment, and their newfound warmth and approval were things she had long craved"Lloyd," she began, her voice hesitant but determined, "we need to talk."

Lloyd turned, his expression unreadable. "What is it, Anita? You need to get dressed, or we will be late."

"I can't keep living like this," she said, her frustration bubbling to the surface. "I want to tell my parents about the true nature of our marriage. I do not want to see them sad after this fake marriage expires."

A strain of irritation crossed Lloyd's face. "We've discussed this before, Anita. The terms of our contract are clear. We are married, and this is not a faux marriage."

Anita's eyes flashed with anger. "Then why don't we do what married couples do? Why do we keep pretending?"

Lloyd leaned back and dropped on the bed, his gaze steady but hard. "Because, Anita, we agreed to the terms of this arrangement. It was a practical decision, and we need to stick to it."

"But it's suffocating," she burst out, her voice breaking. "I can't keep lying to everyone, especially my parents. They’re so happy for me, and it feels wrong."

Lloyd's expression softened slightly, but his resolve remained firm. "I understand how you feel, Anita. But we made a commitment. We have to see it through and, by the way, it is just a day-old marriage, and you are feeling this way?"

Anita was frustrated that all he could see was just the business side of their marriage. "Lloyd, this isn't just about the contract. It's about us. I thought maybe we could find something real in this, but it feels like you're keeping me at arm's length."

Lloyd's eyes narrowed, and he stood up abruptly. "We can't change the terms now. We agreed to this, and we have to honor it."

"Honor it?" Anita repeated, her voice rising. "What about honoring each other? What about trying to make this work for real?"

Before Lloyd could respond, a knock on the door interrupted them. The maid stepped in, her eyes downcast. "Excuse me, Mr. and Mrs. Anderson, but Mrs. Rebecca Jefferson is waiting for you at breakfast."

Anita felt a surge of irritation. Becca was going to be a constant presence in their lives, and while Anita liked her, she resented the interruption. She turned back to Lloyd, her eyes blazing. "This isn't over, Lloyd."

Lloyd nodded, his expression resigned. "We’ll talk later. Let's not keep my mother waiting."

The breakfast room buzzed with the energy of Mrs. Jefferson, or Becca as everyone affectionately called her, Lloyd's vivacious mother. Her excitement was everywhere as she relayed stories and asked questions in rapid succession.

Anita and Lloyd sat across from her, sharing a look of mutual amusement and mild apprehension at Becca's relentless enthusiasm.

“So, Anita, have you been to the Casino yet?” Becca asked, her eyes twinkling with curiosity.

Anita’s heart skipped a beat. She turned to Lloyd, expecting some support or explanation, but instead, he subtly signaled her to play along with it. She knew nothing about the casino. In fact, she just realized that she may have little or no knowledge about Llyod.

Lloyd raised his eyebrows and gave a barely perceived nod, urging her to lie. Anita was a bit confused.

Caught off guard but not wanting to disappoint Lloyd or his mother, raising any suspicion of her and Llyod, Anita smiled and nodded. “Yes, I have,” she replied, hoping to keep her response vague enough to avoid further questions.

“Oh, wonderful!” Becca exclaimed, clapping her hands together. “Did you enjoy the high-stakes poker room? Lloyd and I always have such a blast there!”

Anita’s smile faltered slightly. She could feel the weight of Lloyd’s gaze on her, urging her to continue the charade. “Uh, yes, it was... quite an experience,” she managed, trying to sound convincing.

Becca’s eyes sparkled with excitement. “And what about the roulette table? Did you have any luck there?”

Anita’s mind raced, searching for something plausible to say. Before she could respond, Lloyd smoothly interjected. “You know, Mom, Anita has been more interested in the shows and the fine dining. She’s still getting the hang of casino games.”

Becca laughed her laughter a melody that filled the room. “Oh, I understand! It took me a while to get into it too. But once you do, Anita, you’ll love it. We should all go together sometime!”

Anita forced a laugh, feeling a mix of relief and annoyance. The conversation eventually shifted to other topics, but the uneasy feeling lingered. Lloyd’s mother continued to dominate the conversation, her vibrant personality making it hard for anyone else to get a word in edgewise.

When breakfast finally came to an end, Anita and Lloyd retreated to their room. The moment the door closed behind them, Anita’s composure broke. She turned to Lloyd, her eyes flashing with anger.

“Why didn’t you tell me about the casino?” she demanded, her voice a mix of frustration and hurt.

Lloyd sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “I didn’t think it would come up. And even if it did, I didn’t want to worry you. I thought we could handle it together.”

“Handle it together?” Anita repeated incredulously. “You put me on the spot, Lloyd! I had to lie to your mother, and that I hate. What if she knew I was lying?”

Lloyd reached out to her, his expression earnest. “I’m sorry, Anita. I didn’t mean to put you in that position. But you handled it well. My mother didn’t suspect a thing.”

Anita shook her head, her frustration not abating. “That’s not the point. I don’t want to live like this, constantly covering up and pretending. I want to leave to my room, please. Where did you say you booked for me, again?”

Lloyd’s shoulders slumped slightly. “I know, and I’m sorry. But my mother is still in the hotel. She’ll notice if we stay apart or if something seems off. Can we just... get through this visit? After she leaves, we can talk about everything and figure out a better way to handle things.”