Unwanted Matrimony

Chapter11

Tiara’s POV

I tossed and turned as my nightmare marred my sleep again. I really needed this sleep, but now it has been ruined.

I sighed and got out of bed and walked into my bathroom. By the time I got back out, my sister was seated on my bed, using her phone.

“What’s up?” I asked as I climbed my bed.

“I’m good. I just wanted to check up on you”, she said and turned towards me. “How are you doing?”

“I’m fine”, I replied with a shrug, searching for my phone.

“Yeah, I can see that”, my sister said sarcastically, forcing me to stare at her. “How are you coping with the break-up?”

“It’ll pass”, I said, avoiding eye contact.

I removed my face from my sister’s hand and continued the search for my phone.

“Yeah. It’ll pass, probably for Nathan because he never actually gave up anything for your love, but you did many times”, My sister said, hitting the nail on the head, while I sighed and picked up my phone.

“Does what I gave up matter if the effort was never valued?” I asked and stared at my sister. “I’ll outgrow my grief; I’ll be fine, and my shattered relationship will pass”.

“But will things ever go back to normal; you, always happy and smiley without ever thinking about the time you wasted on a relationship that was never fruitful”, my sister questioned.

I could feel my eyes turn moist as I blinked rapidly.

“Why are you trying to make me feel worse than I already am? I asked as my tears rolled down my cheeks.

“I’m not trying to make you feel worse, but it’s the only way I know you’re alive. I used to know you’re alive by how you light up a room when you walk in, how you smile whenever you lend a helping hand to someone or how you do anything that makes you happy. Now, that’s no more. You’re either faking a smile, frowning or absent-minded”, my sister said, tears coating her eyelids as she held my hands in hers. “And if crying is the only way to know my baby sister is alive, I’ll milk her till her last tears.

It felt uncomfortable knowing someone could see right through me, especially that someone was my sister, but we both laughed at her later statement with tears in our eyes.

“I feel dead sometimes. I feel like I’m drowning and there’s no one to pull me up”, I said, staring into nothing.

“I’ll always be here to pull you up”, my sister said, turning my face towards her and kissed my forehead, before hugging me. “I’ll always be here whenever you need me”.

“Thank you”, I said with a sigh and melted into her hug.

We pulled apart, and she smiled at me, and she stood up.

“I got you a little something for the pool party”, my sister left my room to get her little gift and came back almost immediately with a shopping bag.

“What’s in it?” I asked, staring at her suspiciously as I collected the bag from her.

“Check it”, my sister said excitedly.

I dipped my hand into the bag and began shaking my head as I revealed the contents to myself.

“I’m not wearing a two-piece to that pool party”, I shrieked, and returned the bathing suit into the bag.

“You don’t like it?” my sister asked, already picking up her phone.

“No! no! no! I love it, it’s pretty. I just can’t wear a two-piece” I said with a sigh, scratching the back of my neck. “I can’t body a two-piece”.

“Oh! You can. You can body anything”, my sister asked with a raised brow. I’ve seen you body so many dresses that made me want to drop to the floor and worship the ground you walk on like “I’m sorry for living in your world”.

Her statement caused me to laugh.

“You’re being dramatic. I feel rather covered in a dress than in a bathing suit”, I said with a smile while my sister grinned like a Cheshire cat.

“I knew you would say that, so I also got you a beautiful Kimono jacket to go with it”, my sister said, and pulled out a green floor-length jacket from the bag she gave me.. “Now you have no excuse”.

I blew out a resigned sigh as I tried to hide my smile by lying on my bed.

“Fine… I’ll wear the stupid bathing suit” I said, rolling on my side while my sister muttered a “yes”.

“Ryan is calling”, my sister said excitedly as she showed me the screen of her phone that displayed her husband’s name with four heart emojis.

She kissed my forehead again and left.

I opened I and Amira’s chat to catch up with her.

Tiara:

Mr. Mystery is a family friend, and we met at the airport, boarded the same flight and had the same chauffer pick us up from the airport.

Amira:

Shit! I knew you guys were meant to be. You owe me. What’s his name?

Tiara:

Reuben Cephas. I have a pool party, and I need help with getting dressed. Also, I have something to say, but promise me you won’t freak out.

Amira:

If it has to do with Mr. Mysterious, I’m already freaking out. I’ll help you get dressed, just face time me when you want to start.

I left our chat and went to have my bath, so I could join everyone for breakfast.

“Grandma?” I questioned as I got downstairs. “Why are you here so early?”

“I’m here to make preparations for how the pool party is meant to be”, Cephas' grandmother replied and engulfed me in a hug.

“Oh! Good morning”, I said, and turned to my parents. “Good morning. What’s for breakfast?”

“Go to the kitchen and find what you want”, my mum said, and looked up from her clipboard while I stared at her with a raised brow, causing her to sigh. “We don’t have breakfast and lunch together anymore, just dinner”.

“Alright”, I said and left for the kitchen. Something doesn’t add up.

I got to the kitchen and checked the pantry for something eatable, I found granola.

I began preparing it when someone interrupted me.

“And what’s my pretty girl doing?” the person asked, causing me to look up.

“Dave!” I shouted and slammed my body into his for a hug.

“Hello pretty girl. I see Chicago has been treating you well”, he said, laughing as he wrapped his arms around me. “Why are you putting your breakfast together yourself?”

“It’s not too much work, it’s just granola cereal”, I said with a nervous laugh, and put a distance between us. Chicago has been treating me well.

“It’s what I’m paid to do, ma’am”, Dave replied jokingly and tried to collect my spoon from me.

“Yeah, I know”, I replied, keeping my spoon away from him. “But I’ve got this”.

Dave gave me a once-over look before resigning and walking out of the kitchen.

I finished making my granola and added some more dry fruit to it.

I took my breakfast back to the dining table and sat with the adults, who were making adult decisions.

“Where is this party taking place?” I asked, my mouth kind of full.

“Table manners, Tiaraoluwa”, my mother reminded me, not raising her head from her clipboard while I rolled my eyes.

“One of your parents’ hotels; Luxe Haven”, Cephas Grandmother replied.

“The new one?” I asked and shoved a spoon full of granola into my mouth.

“Yes, the new one”, my mother replied with a sigh.

Jeez! Why is she so cranky this morning?

I finished my breakfast and went to drop my plate in the sink.

I laid around for the rest of the afternoon and checked up on Rosalie.

***

The evening rolled by quicker than I expected, and I got up to start getting ready for the party. I laid out the items and outfits I would need and facetimed Amira.

She picked immediately, grinning like a Cheshire cat.

“Is Mr. Mysterious going to be there? That’s one of the few reasons I would put in more than extra effort”, She said and bit into a turkey drumstick while I raised my brow at her.

“Yes, he’s going to be there. But I’m going there to have fun and build a network”, I said sternly and pulled of my bathrobe, already wearing the brown two-piece my sister got me.

“You’re going to need your waist beads and gold jewelry”, Amira said after staring at me for a while. “If you still have your locs in, you’ll need hair charms”.

“Don’t you think all that would attract too much attention?” I questioned, skeptically.

“That’s the point, to draw attention. I want everyone to know an ethereal being has walked in”, Amira said with a devious smile. “Pack your locs in a bun after adding the charms. Ensure the bun is at the middle of your head”.

I did everything Amira instructed and posed in front of my phone for her.

“Now that’s what I’m talking about. You’re a masterpiece”, She said with a broad smile and called Chloe and Selah, who shoved their heads into the screen and started bowing dramatically.

“God is being so impartial”, Chloe groaned, throwing her head backwards while we all laughed.

“I’ll send you guys pictures when I get there”, I said as I slipped my legs into my platform slippers. “I love you guys”.

I disconnected the call and went out of my room, just to find my sister staring at me.

“Holly Molly!” my sister said agape while I rolled my eyes. “What did you do with my baby sister?”

“I killed her for the night”, I said, chuckling. “How do I look?”

“You look fantastically beautiful”, My sister hyped and sized me up while I rolled my eyes.

“You girls should hurry up!” my mom shouted from downstairs while we giggled.

“We’re coming, mom”, I said, and my sister and I headed downstairs.