"So what do you want?" The man's attention was now fully on his mother. He reached for Adaline's hand, holding a spoonful of ice cream, and guided it towards her mouth. It seemed normal, but caused Adaline's cheeks to blush instantly.
"Did I say I wanted something from you?" Delila Quirino asked with a feigned puzzled expression. Altezza rolled his eyes.
"Earlier Mom said Adaline would be better off choosing Gian over me. What do you mean by saying that?" Her son asked, annoyed.
"Well, I didn't mean anything. I just want what's best for Adaline."
"So you think I'm not good for Adaline?" Her son's question was only answered with a shrug. "Actually, whose child is she? Mine, or Gian's?"
"Well, if I could choose, I'd want Adaline as my child," the middle-aged woman reached for Adaline's free hand, clasping it with both of hers. Her aging face looked at Adaline with hope. "You don't mind, darling, being my child, do you?" Adaline could only smile.
Altezza let go of his mother's hand, gripping it back firmly. "Your child is me, and I'm the one who'll make Adaline your child too. If Adaline marries Gian, she won't be your child."
Delila Quirino forcefully pushed Altezza's hand away. "Fine. I can adopt her and make her my foster child. Simple, right?"
"Mamma!" The shout made people around turn their heads. Even Yuriko, who had remained silent, glanced at them.
"It's not my fault for pushing her with Gian. It's your fault because until now your relationship hasn't progressed. When will you introduce me to Adaline's parents?"
"When are you two going to get officially engaged? Although honestly, what I want is for you to just get married right away because it seems like your relationship so far isn't serious and seems like a joke."
"Mamma, my relationship with Adaline isn't a joke." Altezza grabbed Adaline's left hand and showed his engagement ring to his mother. "Look, I've already proposed to Adaline directly to her mother even though we haven't officially engaged. Not every man would be as bold as I am."
Mrs. Delila snorted. "Well, that's just according to you. But for me, a typical old-fashioned parent, you'll only be considered serious when you bring your parents to Adaline's house," she retorted.
"Yeah, I know that too. I'm just waiting for the right time."
"The right time for what? Your father and I are the most laid-back unemployed people in the world. Whose right time are you waiting for? Remember, you're already old. Still want to wait?"
"So, what do you want, Mamma?"
"I want you to get engaged tomorrow and get married officially a week later," she replied casually.
"What?!"
"W-What?!"
Two words spoken simultaneously by the two prospective spouses.
"If you don't want to, then forget it," Mrs. Delila replied with pursed lips and a shrug of her shoulders.
"Not like that, Mamma. It's fine if we get engaged tomorrow. But getting married within a week? What will people say?"
"What will people say? That you're pregnant? So what? It's not a big deal nowadays. Besides, why should we care? Eventually, their mouths will stop running on their own.
"If Adaline gets pregnant first, I'll be even happier. At least I won't have to wait for you to impregnate her."
"Mamma?!" This time both prospective spouses exclaimed in unison.
Mrs. Delila waved her hand dismissively in front of her face. "Yes, yes. I'm just kidding. It's your own fault for not being able to move fast. I'm getting impatient just looking at it."
"Mamma, do you forget that Altezza will be getting married in three weeks? If I get married within a week, wouldn't that mean I'm stepping ahead of him?" Altezza reminded.
"So what? What's the problem? You're not stepping ahead of him as an elder brother because Antony has been married before."
"But Mamma..." Altezza still tried to persuade. "What about hurting his feelings and Aunt Brianna?"
"Brianna won't mind that. She'll actually be happy if you get married first. Getting married soon, that's all I demand. Yes, or not at all, dear." His mother ended firmly. Adaline looked stunned at her future mother-in-law.
Truly, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. Now she knew where Altezza's traits came from.
"Okay!" Altezza raised both his hands in surrender. "Altezza follows your will!" He replied irritably, ultimately grabbing Adaline's ice cream bowl and finishing it off.
The next day, Adaline's house was in complete chaos. Her mother and aunt were in a state of panic upon hearing the sudden announcement from Adaline that Altezza and his family would come to formally propose to her.
"Why so soon, Ada?" her mother asked when Adaline broke the news the night after the conversation between Delila and Altezza took place. "I can't prepare this quickly. I need to inform the neighbors and ask for their help and..."
"Mom, Auntie, just relax." Altezza, who had escorted Adaline home that night, tried to reassure his future mother-in-law. "Everything will be taken care of by me. You and Auntie just need to prepare yourselves." He replied with a mischievous smile on his face.
And the next morning, exactly at seven o'clock, what Altezza meant finally became clear to Adaline's mother and aunt.
The people from the event organizing company hired by Altezza suddenly knocked on the door of the house with all their equipment, and amazingly, it didn't take them long to set up a luxurious tent in Adaline's modest yard. Under the previously messy tent with metal support poles, now replaced by neatly arranged guest chairs covered in beautiful fabric.
Not only that, they also transformed the living room and family room of Adaline's house into something beautiful with bride and groom chairs and some other luxurious decorations. The buffet table was also being arranged meticulously. Adaline felt overwhelmed seeing it all, while her mother and aunt were speechless. Even when the designer-made traditional attire arrived at their doorstep through a delivery from Altezza's family driver, they could only stare in awe without uttering a word.
And precisely at eleven o'clock, three women knocked on the door again, saying they were sent by Altezza's family to do the makeup for Adaline and her family.
Why go through the trouble of sending and paying for three makeup artists for three people when they could have just hired one to do it all?
Is Altezza's family always this extravagant?
But once again, Adaline could only accept, unable to comment.
After her makeup was done, Adaline chose to sit alone in her room, feeling nervous. She was restless, especially when she looked out the window and saw her neighbors gathering in front of her house-like gossip-hungry reporters-whispering and pointing towards her house, undoubtedly discussing her and her family.
In her mind, Adaline suspected that her neighbors must think there's a wedding happening here. And her worst fear was that they would make many negative assumptions about the reasons for this sudden marriage.
Unfortunately, their thoughts were wrong. Because this wasn't a wedding. And this was happening quickly not because there were negative reasons supporting it. It was all happening because of her future mother-in-law's impatience.
Adaline sighed deeply and let it out slowly. She retreated back to her bed, sitting there and recalling the conversation with Altezza when they returned from the mall last night.