My Dream Marriage

I am sitting on my bed after getting off work. The meeting with Samara wasn’t so bad as I anticipated. She granted me two weeks leave like I wanted; the last week of this month which will have the weekend that I will be doing my wedding and the next week for my honeymoon, then I will be back to work. My parents are not in the house right now so I am alone in the house. I think about making my way to the kitchen to start making dinner when an unknown number buzzes flashes on my screen. I anticipate ignoring the call, since I don’t really like receiving calls from new numbers, or rather unknown numbers.

After a little debate with my brain I decide to pick it up. A familiar voice answers from the other end which I recognize instantly, her stern and commanding voice not to be mistaken. “Hello Neera, how are you?”. “I am fine Mrs. Lawanson, how are you?” I answer. “I am good. I wanted to inform you of something. I have booked a designer for your wedding gown and you are supposed to go for the fitting, so on Friday afternoon you should be available, and don’t get late he is an international designer you wouldn’t want to miss this appointment. It is at 2. 00pm so make sure you are there.” I am puzzled that I am going for a dress fitting even before I gave out my measurements to the designer. Is he so talented that he can guess my size, no wonder he is an international designer, fantastic. But I didn’t give him any details on how I want it to look like. Maybe it should be off shoulder, or a v-neck. No, a white as snow off- shoulder gown with a long train that would sweep the red carpet as the choir sings a sweet melody capturing the hearts of the attendees as I walk down the isle.

“You said fitting, is it ready?” “Yes it is, I already told him your estimate size so I know he can’t go wrong with this, he is an international designer. So you go and he will see the necessary adjustments he will have to do. So make yourself available on Friday afternoon.” Her tone signals no questions allowed so I decide not to question further. ” Okay, thank you Mrs. Lawanson, I will.” “Alright, nice evening and greet your parents for me. And before I forget, Edward will join you, so you two can get along,” she says and hangs up.

Edward? He will be with me? I don’t know what to think now about this. The first time I will be meeting my fiancee. Fiancee? We didn’t even have an engagement, anyway I have the ring. Back to my gown, how the hell did she choose my gown? She didn’t even ask about my preferences. Come to think of it, she is Mrs. Lawanson. She comes from the highly influential family in this city. She surely knows how to choose. Maybe I should be grateful that someone like her chose a gown for me. It must be a masterpiece for sure. Instantly I get excited about this, I can’t wait for Friday. I have to meet this designer and see this gown Piper Lawanson got for me. This time Azila will not miss. I have to tell her in advance. I will call her after dinner.

I proceed to the kitchen to make some macaroni and cheese. Just as I set the table I hear a knock on the door and I know my parents are here. In no time we are seated digging into our dinner. “Mrs. Lawanson called,” I break the silence. “Oh she did, what did she say. Is there any problem?” My dad asks. ” No dad, she was just telling me that she booked a designer for my gown and that I have to go on Friday for fitting,” I say. “Gown fitting? Is it already ready?”my mom’s turn to ask.”Yes mom, she said it’s already done so I am going to fit it so the designer would do the adjustments to it if necessary.” My mom looks at me as if I have grown wings, “Neera, aren’t you supposed to choose your own gown, you know what you want your dress to look like, so why did she do that. Or did you let her do it for you?” “Mom calm down, it’s okay. Besides, her social status cannot allow her choose a bad thing. And it’s her son’s wedding she can’t afford embarrassments.” “Neera is right, maybe she wanted the best for her daughter-in-law,” my dad says. My mom looks at him them back at me,”are you okay with that Neera?” “Yes I am, don’t worry. Infact I am excited.”

After the dinner I wish my parents goodnight before heading to my room. I plop on the bed and take out my phone to call Azila. I know she will be happy after she didn’t escort me that day. I call her and she picks immediately as if she was waiting for my call.”Neera, I have missed you. Where had you gone, I called you earlier and you weren’t available, or had you gone to your husband’s house? Don’t tell me you are married already,” she asks and I laugh at that,”stop joking Azila. My phone’s battery died down and that’s why I was not available. And do not worry I am not yet married. That I can’t do without telling you. You are my maid of honor remember? That brings me to my reason for calling you. Edward’s mother called me and told me that this Friday I have to go for my gown fitting. So will you be available in the afternoon so you can go choose a dress for yourself?” “Of course I have to find time. I can’t miss this for anything in the world. Wait, fitting? So you already chose one for yourself?” She asks as if I did something offensive to her.”No, the one and only Piper Lawanson got one for me. He even got a designer just to make the gown. Isn’t it awesome? I was shoked too.” ” Neera, you know this is your wedding. So you have to choose the color theme of your own wedding on everything, starting from the decorations to the colour of your bridesmaids’ dresses. Did she choose one for me too? Because I won’t accept it,”she says. “She didn’t choose one for you. Concerning her decision to choose my wedding dress, I am not offended. Simply because one; she is high class and it is her son’s wedding so she can’t just choose anything for me and two;she is my future mother-in-law so it is not a big deal. And since they are paying for everything that now seals the deal.”

” Even if she is your future mother-in-law, will she be choosing everything for you? Neera think about it,” she says but I brush her off. “Girlfriend, there is nothing wrong about that. You know what? I didn’t tell you about his son going with me,” she exclaims on the other end registering her surprise.

“You mean Edward will be with you on Friday? I can’t believe this. Finally we shall get to meet your husband to be after hiding from you for so long. Where will you be going to fit the gown anyway?” Oh. I hadn’t thought of that. “I have no idea about the place, I will have to ask her about it. But I think she will let me know beforehand. And no, Edward did not hide from me, he was simply busy okay. Don’t stress about it. I will let you know the venue as soon as I get to know.” ” Okay then, get your rest. You only have less than three weeks of freedom you know. Goodnight, talk later.” “Goodnight too, see you soon,” I hang up smiling, she really likes to make fun of situations. At least that brings light to dark situations.

As I lie on the bed, Azila’s words ring in my mind. Freedom. Freedom from what? Singlehood? Yeah. She probably meant that. Marriage is a lifetime commitment where each partner gives his or her 100%. From wedding, the vows ties up everything. The rings symbolizing eternal commitment to each other, the families, kids… Kids? Oh no. Azila was right, am I ready for this. I should have thought about everything. I didn’t think deeply now everything comes to mind. Holding a crying baby while he doesn’t want to quiet down scares the hell out of me. Will I be a good mother? What about Edward, does he love kids? Oh rather how many kids would he prefer? Two? Five or maybe more? This is getting harder than I thought. It is not just a wedding, it has a lot of additions to it. This requires thorough thinking on it than anything close to what I thought. My father could have done me big a favour if he had postponed it again, but now Eric Lawanson claimed that it was too late to postpone again. My God, please help me.

***

“Sir, you need to see this,” the secretary walks into Edward’s office making him look up from whatever he was typing from his computer. “What is it Alex?” He asks as his secretary strides to his side of the desk and stretches his hand and shows him a picture on the screen of the iPad he is holding. “What?”Edward is shoked to see a picture of him and a woman having dinner at a fancy restaurant. It seems like a romantic setting. “Sir, there is someone threatening to post this on the internet if we don’t meet his demands.”Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

“What does he want, and do we know him?”Edward aks again and the secretary thinks for a moment before saying,”for now we are not sure yet but he sounded like someone who knows you. He wants a ransom. Two million dollars to keep his mouth shut. That is a big amount just for a picture if you ask me, so that means he has more with him than just a photo. What do we do sir? I have already started looking for some information that could tell us who he is. Should I send our men to take him down?” The secretary asks and Edward waves his hand,”no don’t take any big action. We have to know what he has up his sleeve and if he knows a lot than he should be before deciding what to do with him. We have to gather this information first so keep him hopeful while I plan our next action. Inform our men to find out what he has, they have to keep a close eye on him. Go,” he dismisses his secretary who leaves immediately while dialling some numbers on his phone. Edward stands up and moves next to the window while in deep thoughts.

***

I have been busy since I got here in the morning and it’s past lunchtime when I decide to go to the restroom. Surprisingly I don’t feel hungry as usual. I meet Samara on corridor leading to the restroom. She tells me to meet her in her office that I have an important errand to run. After I finish up I go straight to her office. “Neera, the bookstore has received a purchase and the books are supposed to be delivered ASAP but the delivery driver is already on another errand, so I need you to take them to Aniston Group. You already know them right? They have been out clients for a long time. They usually buy business magazines from us.” After that she gives me a list of the magazines I need to package. I get on the task and she gives me money for the taxi to Aniston Group which is twenty minutes drive from here. I take my phone together with the package and leave for Aniston Group.

I arrive at my destination and pay for the taxi. I walk into the building with ‘Aniston Group’ emboldened on the front side of it. I get to the reception area and meet a short lady with jet black hair that greets me all smiles. It is a reception thing, I get it. I tell her where I am going to and she directs me to the elevator. I have to get on the sixth floor. I get in and I sigh in relief when Iam the only one in the elevator. I am not in the mood for curious eyes as this is my first time coming here.

The elevator dings and I step out. The silent unfamiliar surroundings makes me nervous so I decide to take a deep breath before I proceed. Before I know it my legs give out and now I can see my face getting nearer to the ground. Blackout.