Chapter 3: The Mother-In-Law Has Arrived
The interview went well. Alva had a nice appearance, good skin, and a gentle aura that was well-suited to cosmetics sales. She started working the very same day.
Alva worked in the Itokin Building. It was the largest shopping mall in Virginia and catered to mid-to-high-class consumers. It saw high volumes of traffic every day.
Alva worked hard. She was the first one to come in and the last one to leave every day. She learned about cosmetics, took notes, shadowed other clerks as they sold products, and put what she learned into practice immediately. In just a few days, she was already familiar with the process.
The store manager noticed her effort and was very satisfied with her work ethic.
One day, Alva successfully sold one of their products and was seeing the customer off when her phone rang.
Alva said to the store manager, “Manager, I have to take this call.”
Bosses tend to like hardworking and motivated employees. Naturally, they can be very accommodating to said employees.
“Go ahead.”
Alva walked inside the storage room with her phone. When
she saw the word mother-in-law displayed on the screen, the smile on her face froze and was soon replaced by
nervousness.
A year ago, when Uriah wanted to marry her, the Irwin Family strongly disagreed. But no matter how much they insisted otherwise, they could not deter Uriah.
They had no choice but to compromise, but the two elders had never recognized her as their daughter-in-law. Uriah fiercely defended her and told her that she had no
obligation to give in to her in-laws’ demands. Aside from the first time Uriah brought her home to meet his parents, she had never laid eyes upon them again over the course of
a year.
Now that Candice Florice was calling, it was impossible for Alva not to be nervous.
“Mom.” Alva’s voice was so soft and gentle that there was no way you could hate the speaker.
“I’m waiting for you at the Thia Restaurant next door. Get over here now.”
Candice’s tone was awful, but she seemed levelheaded. She didn’t lose her temper with Alva over the phone.
That said, her mother-in-law hung up after saying her piece.
Alva looked at her phone and thought about calling Uriah to tell him about her meeting with his mother.
But after considering their current relationship, Alva slid
her phone into her pocket and went outside to ask the store manager if she could get off work early.
Ten minutes later, Alva arrived at the restaurant next door and the waiter led her to the private room.
Aside from Candice, there was no one else in the room.
Alva walked over and muttered softly, “Mom.”
Candice looked at Alva, her eyes sweeping from the top of her head to her feet and back again, her brow knitting tighter and tighter, “Have you forgotten who you are?”
She had something to do over here and stopped by to see her son as well, but before she could go see him, she saw her daughter-in-law selling cosmetics.
When did the Irwin Family run out of money for their daughter-in-law to take up such a mediocre job?
The very thought made Candice twist her features into an ugly scowl.
But instead of answering her, Alva looked at her in surprise.
Mom doesn’t seem to know that Uriah and I are divorced.
Candice’s expression darkened when Alva didn’t say anything. “Are you listening to me or not?”
What kind of family were they? No wonder her son had also thrown etiquette out the window once he left the house!
Alva reacted and hurriedly waved her hands, “That’s not it,
Mom. I…”
She was interrupted by Candice before she could finish her sentence, “What isn’t? I saw you with my own eyes! Do you want me to catch you red-handed before you admit it?”
“Alva, I’m telling you, the Irwin Family won’t abide by such shameful behavior!”
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: Let Love Takes Away All This Pain By Jenna Writes