Chapter 6
"Well, last night, Graham asked me a very important question. A question that will change our lives," Mandy explained.
Keely wrinkled her nose.
"He asked me to marry him," Mandy smiled. "And I said yes."
Keely smiled in disbelief. "I'm sorry, run that by me one more time. Because it sure sounded like you said that you were getting married…"
"I did," Mandy said slowly, as if waiting to see if the bomb would explode, or just lie there.
Phil sat there, his mouth opened. Whatever he had expected out of this dinner, it had not been this.
"What? But…why? But I don't even know him. But…" Keely stammered, not knowing what to say.
"Well Keely, how could I say no?" Mandy smiled, looking up at Graham, with an expression that could only be described as love-struck.
Keely folded her arms. "Very easily. N. O. It's only one syllable. Not that hard. Here, practice. Mom, can I have a car?"
"No," Mandy said, automatically.
Keely threw her arms up in the air. "See? It wasn't that hard. You managed to say it without hesitation to me. Why the heck couldn't you say it to him as hastily?"
"Because I love him," Mandy defended herself. She hadn't expected Keely to resist this much. Resist, yes, but not this much. "Why are you resisting me?"
"Because I don't frikin want a stepfather. And I don't want a replacement for dad. And I don't want to attend a wedding. And I don't want…" Keely ranted.
Mandy held out her hand. "We'd be moving out of Pickford."
And just when Phil had been thinking that nothing worse could be happening.
"What?" Keely screamed, causing diners in the restaurant to look over at her.
"What?" Phil cried at the same time.
"Well, Graham has just accepted a job in Los Angeles," Mandy smiled, obviously expecting this piece of news to calm her daughter down.
"No frikin way!" Keely screamed, not caring at all whether the restaurant staff wanted to throw her out. They certainly looked like they did.
Mandy wrinkled her nose. "Well I thought you wanted to move out of Pickford. You were forever telling me that you wanted to be somewhere more exciting."
"I told you that three years ago. Before…" Keely screeched, but trailed off, looking over at Phil, who hadn't moved since Mandy had told them that Keely may be moving.
"So you don't want to anymore?" Mandy asked, looking confused.
"Do I sound like I frikin want to?" Keely cried, now standing up, towering over her mother.
Graham looked shocked. He had been told that Keely was a charming, funny girl, yet this person yelling at them wasn't either of those things. But Mandy had warned him that Keely may not take this news all that well. He hadn't expected this though.
"Mrs Teslow, are you begin serious?" Phil asked, leaning across the table, wondering whether this was all part of some sick joke.
Mandy nodded. "Of course I am."
"Well that's all I need. Stupid Saturday job, schoolgirl crush and to top it all off, my mother is getting married and relocating anywhere that isn't Pickford. Doesn't anything else matter to you?" Keely cried.
By now the staff were crowding round the table.
"Excuse me…" one of them asked.
"I'm talking," Keely snapped at him.
Mandy tried to talk. "Keely honey. We're only thinking of you. You've always wanted to be a singer. LA could give you a bigger boost."
"That shows how much you know about my life, then doesn't it Mom. I haven't wanted to be a singer for about a year. But you don't care about me, do you?" Keely asked, horrified that her Mom hadn't listened when she had talked about her dreams.
Phil looked horrified. "Mrs. Teslow, why are you doing this?"
"I love him," Mandy answered, as simply as possible.
Keely scoffed. "Why haven't you told me about him before. Obviously it's serious."
"Obviously," Phil chimed in.
"Well I didn't think you'd handle it well," Mandy explained.
Keely rolled her eyes. "Because I'm reacting brilliantly to it now, aren't I? In fact, I'm so brilliantly happy, and I'm bouncing off the ceiling."
"No need for the sarcasm now Keely," Graham butted in. It was his fault as much as Mandy's.
"You shut up," Keely barked.
"How the heck are you going to get money? Your business is here. And how are you going to see your friends? What were you thinking?" Phil asked, joining in on Keely's side.
"We love each other. And that's all that matters," Mandy smiled.
"Well I frikin love Phil, but you don't see me moving into his house to prove a point," Keely cried, her mouth moving before her brain had the chance to process it.
"Yeah," Phil agreed, and then he realised what she had said. "Hey, what?"
Keely went red, but then just turned on her heel and stormed out.
"Well, that went well," Graham sighed.
Phil turned to look at him, shot him a glare, and then leaned towards him and Mandy. "You guys are ruining her life. I think it's great you love each other. But think of Keely. Her whole life is here, and you're moving her away from it all. I'd seriously consider what you're going to say before you speak to her again."
Mandy looked on the verge of tears, but all Phil wanted to do was get to Keely. Tell her he loved her as well. Tell her that she could stay with her.
An arm grabbed him just as he was walking away.
"Phil. Tell Keely I'm sorry," Mandy whimpered.
Phil shrugged her off. "Tell her yourself. When you regain her trust. Until you get her to listen, don't expect me to. Night Mrs. Teslow."
And then he walked off, leaving Mandy and Graham wondering if they'd made a big mistake.
Shortest of my chapters, but this was the most important parts. And I really couldn't make it any longer. I tried. But if I made it any longer it would just be boring. Yawn.
So, will she move, or will she not?
You only get to find out if you review. Mwahaha! I'm so evil.
