A Graduation Gift

A perplexed look washed over Cassandra's expression as she stared at Rufus's expectant face.
"I just got my period two days ago. I thought you knew that?"
She huffed out a short, breathy chuckle at his ignorance, a small smile sliding across her lips in adoration.
Rufus paused as he contemplated what Cassandra had told him before. At the recollection, he visibly deflated and pouted in
disappointment; his desire to have a child with his beloved remained as a pipe dream once again.
His shoulders drooped while he trudged towards her slowly. As he tucked his head on the crook of her neck, he sighed and
pulled her into a tight embrace, "Cassandra, we've been together for so long, why aren't you pregnant yet? Should we find time
to go to the hospital and have a check-up?"
Rufus murmured in resignation. The bitterness swelled in his heart at the thought of Cassandra not being able to bear his child.
"There's no hurry, we aren't even married yet."
A forced smile attempted to comfort her sorrowful spouse and concealed the throbbing pain Cassandra fostered inside. She did
not want Rufus knowing that she had lost their offspring. It would wreck him, and she was not sure if she would ever be ready to
see his grieving and broken gaze upon learning the truth. She willingly took the role of a liar as she spouted insincere words of
reassurances whenever he brought up the topic.
"We can get married anytime you want!"
Rufus straightened and beamed; it had been his long wish to be wed to her, after all. He would even go as far as asking for her
hand right at this moment, if he had not been consistently rejected in the past.
"No, we have to receive my mother's blessing before getting married,"
Cassandra objected softly, worrying about Edith's severe attitude towards him. She had never liked Rufus as an individual, and
more so as Cassandra's significant other. Cassandra could not begin to imagine what bigger fuss her mother would likely cause
over Rufus being her marriage partner.
"Don't worry, she will surely approve of us!"
Rufus said sweetly, a sly smirk accentuating the vagueness of his statement that did little to hide the secret he seemed to be
itching to tell her.

"How do you know?"
Cassandra raised an eyebrow as she appraised him, playing along with his little game. His behavior confused her and made her
raise suspicions of him deliberately acting just to throw her off.
He had been at the receiving end of Edith's rudeness the other day, so how could he be so certain that she would give them her
blessing without any drawbacks?
Rufus grinned and added, sensing her bafflement, "Cassandra, Auntie and Cloris are at the studio at present. I wanted to ask
them to come to our house, but they intended to leave soon so I hurried back to pick you up instead."
Cassandra's mouth fell open in disbelief at the news, her eyes shining with unabashed joy. She believed him without a doubt;
she had full faith and trust on Rufus, knowing that he was not one to lie to her.
"My mother and Cloris came? Why didn't you tell me beforehand?"
Excitement clouded her mind and filled her with unrestrained jitters. It was an unforeseen event, but meanwhile it was also a
welcomed surprise, especially since they even took the trouble to come to her studio.
"Then, let's go! Your family's in a very good mood today and has even shown quite some interest in the studio. What's more,
they've become really friendly to me, so I think I must've gained your mother's approval for our relationship!"
Rufus gushed as he began to head out the door in hurried steps. Cassandra listened attentively and nodded, hoping that what
he was saying was true.
"Is that so? Then, we should go quickly!"
She picked up her bag on the counter as she overtook Rufus in haste. She was afraid that if she were to arrive late, her waiting
guests would be gone.
Contrary to her concerns, she was greeted with the view of Edith and Cloris lounging on stray chairs as soon as they arrived at
their destination.
The studio was still unfurnished; the workers were still in the process of putting up wallpapers of her own picking. Despite the
lack of decorations, the visitors were leisurely surveying the room with absent curiosity as they anticipated the couple's entrance.
"Mom! Why didn't you tell me you were coming? I wasn't even prepared!"

Annoyance stained her otherwise tender tone, her complaint a mere facade to the clear elation brimming in her sanguine eyes.
She could tell that her mother was in high spirits due to the relaxed look she sported as she acknowledged their presence. If all
went well, Edith must have already settled on accepting Cassandra's bond with Rufus.
"I visited your father with Cloris and he told me about your studio. He was really happy about it, so Cloris suggested to take me
here for a visit. According to the reports Cloris saw, there'll be some activities for the benefit of the public here, right?"
Edith said in delight, her hands clasped in front of her in enthusiasm. She went to visit Vernon before coming to the place, which
had helped her overcome her worries. It was a blessing for Rufus, seeing as her hostility had disappeared with the emergence of
her sudden positive outlook of the situation.
Cassandra almost teared up in happiness at her mother's statement. She cast a grateful smile at Cloris, fully aware of her
participation in persuading their parent. Her sister did not look away like what she had initially presumed and even mirrored her
expression with one of her own.
"Sis, I read from the reports that you're the first person to build a studio like this in G City! They all said a lot of good things about
you."
Warmth flooded through Cassandra upon hearing Cloris use her past nickname of endearment. She was taken aback at the
action, and could not deny the butterflies fluttering inside her stomach at the unexpected affectionate gesture.
If this meant that Cloris had thought things through and decided to make up with her, then Cassandra would be more than glad
to start over.
Perhaps, it would have been a touching event to the eyes of others, but Rufus was no fool. He had been silent throughout their
whole discussion as he observed Cloris through sneaking glances, full of skepticism.
The woman was an enigma, a distasteful one that acted like a thorn in his cherished one's side. She swiftly changed between
acting like a good, lovely sister and stabbing her sister the second she went unsuspected from watch.
She did not deserve any of the trust her sister was willing to give her, and so Rufus kept her at the forefront of his mind just in
case she would threaten to hurt Cassandra again.