Chapter 2: The Union
1157 Words
“Hurry, everyone’s waiting.” Came a voice as the door was pushed open.
“I’m coming…” Audrey responded standing in front of the giant mirror looking at her dress.
“Oh my god! You look pretty”
She smirked, ignoring the compliment. This isn’t what she wanted.
“Anything else?”
“No.”
“Okay, let’s go.”
She gently walked down the aisle holding a bouquet in both hands and a white veil covering her face.
“Here comes the bride.” A voice from the crowd said and everyone gave a standing ovation.
“Wow! This is the most beautiful wedding dress I’ve seen in a while. It looks expensive.” Someone whispered as Audrey walked to the front where her soon-to-be husband and the minister were standing.
“To the groom, do you take Audrey Oliver to be your lawfully wedded wife…” the officiating minister started. “To love and to protect her as long as you both live? If you do, say yes I do.”
“Yes, I do.” Keen Pager answered almost immediately.
It was Audrey’s turn.
“Now to the bride, do you take Keen Pager to be your husband, to love and to honor him as long as you both live? If you do, say yes I do.”
There was silence. She took a deep breath. Her eyes scanned through the hall until they caught her uncle’s. She was only doing this because of him.
“Yes, I do.” She said after a long pause.
“I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss your bride.”
She tried to hide her disgust as Mr. Keen’s face drew closer to hers. She only gave in to save his face from embarrassment.
She was now Mrs. Pager. Never in her lifetime did it cross her mind, but here it was happening in real time.
“Pull yourself together! I hate when women do that in my presence.”
Mr. Keen was talking to Audrey, his new wife. The wedding had ended, and they were in his limo heading home.
He told her that because she was sobbing but she didn’t stop, she just ignored him.
“You know, one day you’d be grateful this happened, you’d see”
“Grateful?” She turned facing him.
“Just give me a male child.” Mr. Keen said not even looking in her direction.
“And if I don’t?”
“Well, let’s just say you will.”
The car stopped. She raised her head and looked through the window to see what was happening and her eyes beheld the giant structure of her husband’s mansion.
The exterior of the mansion itself was a testament to wealth as everything around screamed no other language but luxury.
While she was still lost admiring the beauty of the mansion, someone swung the door of the limo open for her to alight.
Was this going to be her new treatment? She wondered
“This way ma’am.” One of the escorts said pointing forward
As they approached the entrance, the 2 double iron doors automatically opened up for them allowing them into the building.
“Show her to her room.” Mr. Keen instructed the house servants as he walked away and did not look back.
Audrey entered her room, went straight to her bed, and laid down with her face looking at the ceiling. She felt tired and weak.
******
“What are you doing here Claire, how did you get here?”
“We need to talk.”
“Okay? I’m listening”
“You need to get a divorce!”
“Wait, what? I thought we talked about this already.”
“Yes we did but now I have a bad feeling about this.” Claire said folding her hands to her chest.
“I just got married, Claire. You’re making me scared, what’s wrong?”
“Okay, I just found out that….”
There was a knock at the door.
Audrey’s eyes opened. She had slept off earlier while still in her wedding dress.
“Oh my God, that was just a dream”.
Someone knocked on the door again.
“Hello ma’am, are you in there?” came a voice from the other side.
“Give me a minute.”
She opened the door and saw a middle-aged woman standing outside.
“Dinner is ready ma’am. You may now come downstairs. Everyone else is already seated.”
“Oh thank you…” Audrey said pointing her hands to the maid by the door. It was like she was asking for her name.
“Maria.” She added when she understood what Audrey was doing.
“Maria?” Audrey asked in surprise. That was her mother’s name.
“Thank you, Maria. I’d be downstairs shortly.”
She had no time to think about the dream and whether it had a meaning or not. She quickly changed and headed downstairs.
This was going to be the first meal she’d have with the entire family including the 3 older wives. She didn’t know how to feel about it.
It was like she was going to a room to stand before a panel.
“Salome, please introduce yourselves to the young woman.” Mr. Keen said without raising his head. He was already eating his food.
Salome was the first wife.
“Uhm uhm.” She cleared her throat.
“Hello Audrey, I’m Salome, and being the first wife, let me introduce you to everyone else in the family.”
Audrey nodded with a fake smile.
“Meet Catherine, the second wife.” Salome said pointing to her.
“Then….”
“Anything else chief?” She asked after she had introduced everyone on the table.
Wait, they address him as chief? Audrey thought to herself.
“I’d take it up from there.” He replied. “Now that you’ve met everyone, let me introduce you to the rules that exist under my roof.”
Rules? Is this some kind of prison? She questioned herself.
“Rule no. 1, you must not interfere with the business or affair of anyone else in the house other than yours. I have zero tolerance for that.
Rule no. 2, you have no right to make unnecessary financial requests from me. Everything you need as long as you are under my roof will be provided when I feel they are necessary.
Rule no. 3, never object to my decisions. Whatever I say or instruct is final.”
By this time, he was done eating his food, so he stood up and headed to his room.
“To hell with your rules.” Audrey whispered to herself in a low tone.
“What did you say?” Mr. Keen stopped and looked back in her direction.
Did he hear her word for word? She questioned herself in panic.
- Writer
