Bride Of Honor.

The contract marriage proposal.

I patiently waited to hear her response. I just eagerly wished she was not going to give me a negative response. “You haven't told me of any man called Jerry. How did this happen so fast?” She asked. This question actually taught me because I did not see this coming.

“Yes mum, about that…..” it was just like words left me, and I could not explain anything to her.

“Why do I feel something is not right somewhere?” she said. I knew I had made a decision, and deep down, something was not right, but I had no choice.

“It was a marriage contract, mum. He is just a random man I met at the bar. I don't know how he knew about your health, but he offered his help for a cost, so I gave in after giving it thought,” I explained. My voice was as calm as ever.

“So you're trying to tell me that you signed your life out to a man that you don't know. This sounds very ridiculous Vanessa.” I was in a condition where I had to watch mum do all mother's duties for me.

“It was because of you, mum. I had to do this because I didn't want to see you in this condition. Mum, I would gladly give up my life for yours” The moment was already getting emotional, and I could not hold back the tears that were pushing through my eyes anymore.

“Vanessa, come off that nonsense. I have lived my life, and you still have yours waiting for you. I just hope this man treats you well” she said. My mother is always caring when it comes to my affairs.

“I can't vouch for him, mum. I am just getting to know him….” Just as we were talking, the subject of the discussion walked right into the room.

“Greetings ma'am, my name is Jerry” he said respectfully as he stretched his hand towards my mother, requesting a handshake. He wore a soft smile and not a grim again. I don't understand, but something really didn't seem right about his approach.

“Nice name. You must certainly be the man we are talking about” Mum said, with a straight look on her face. I could sense some amount of rage embedded in her voice.

“You're right, ma'am. I actually felt it was OK if I came in person to introduce myself,” he said. I don't know why he doesn't love smiles, but smiles really do look good on his face. Gosh, don't tell me I am smiling while looking at him.

“So I think I deserve to know why you made my daughter sign a deal with you” Mum said with so much fury embedded in her tone. It is always rare to see Mum in this mode, actually.

“Easy there, Mama, I didn't force her or make her do anything. She signed this on her own. She wasn't under duress ” he explained. Judging from how it happened, he wasn't lying at all, but I knew deep within me that signing that document was not a decision I took on my own.

“So you're trying to say Vanessa signed the document where you opted for a marriage contract on her own?” Mum asked confusingly.

“You could as well ask her for yourself, ma'am” he said, as he looked in my direction. Mum moved her eyes away from him and looked at me, who was dumbfounded and didn't have anything to say. She just judged from the looks on my face and realized that all he was saying here was actually true.

“I guess I don't have anything to do here Vanessa. He is your husband, of course”, Mum said.

“There will be a wedding tomorrow,” he said as he left the ward. So, is that? There will be a wedding tomorrow, and he just walked out like that, without waiting to hear what I would have to say.

I was forced to quickly run after him to get an explanation regarding the wedding he just fixed to be the following day. “So my opinion doesn't matter?” I asked as I got to him and pulled his right arm, forcing him to stop.

“This shouldn't be happening here. I have serious things to attend to” he said with a straight face.

‘I am also important because I am going to be your wife. I guess that wedding date should be moved. Tomorrow certainly won't work out for me” I said, with a commanding tone. But his response was shocking.

“You will come for your wedding tomorrow, and I am going to make sure that happens. Know your place, young woman” he said as he gave me a piercing stare and pulled his arm out of my hand. His look drove terror through my nerves, and I literally stood on a spot and watched him leave the hospital.

This man just literally made me feel inferior to him. It was almost time for my night shift, so I quickly rushed back home without going to say goodbye to Mum. I didn't want to be late. I freshened up and had some change of clothes before I took a taxi to work.

“I thought you resigned.” That was the welcome I got from my boss as I walked into the bar. I looked at Ann, who was working, and then looked at my boss in shock.

“I don't understand,” I replied with so much confusion. I can't remember walking into this bar with a resignation letter.

“Your husband walked in and said he doesn’t want you to work here anymore. It's a bad thing you did not actually tell anyone you had a husband” he said. He was saying he was actually not making any sense to me at all.

I really don't understand why Jerry just decided to enter my life and behave like he owns me. Ann was just looking at me with a terrible look while my boss returned to his office to get some things done. I had two options, either I walk straight to Ann and give her an explanation regarding what she walked or walk out through that door and never return.