Love by Contract

Not my dream wedding

Just so you know, I had never seen or met my husband-to-be until today. So I was surprised at his question. Although I thought he would have done the math in his head.

I was obviously wearing the white gown, yet Brendan wanted me to go through the pain and the stress of explaining myself to him.

I opened my mouth to speak, but no word made it out of my mouth. I had suddenly lost the ability to use my brain.

Maybe it wasn't my brain. It could be because of what my eyes were seeing.

The mere sight of Brendan all blooded up, made me shudder, and I feared what would become of my life when I get married to this violent drunk.

Brendan stared at me from top to bottom, and didn't even care to hide the disgust in his eyes.

I wanted the ground to open and swallow me.

I lost the bare minimum confidence I had gathered while standing there.

Luckily, Roni saw through my ordeal and came to my aide.

"She is your wife, Keisha. Now move over to the altar for the ceremony". Roni said in a low growl, as he held Brendan up while the two men supported him to his feet.

I held my breath as they made their way to the altar.

Brendan had blood all over his face and no one offered to get him amother clothes or something to clean up.

"Alright priest, you can start now". Rone said to the priest, with a huge smile on his face.

Just like that?!

I couldn't keep up with the change of mood in the Wilcox's family!

Roni said that he had not been the one who was responsible for the blood all over the groom.

I snuck a look behind me.

The horror written on everyone's face was as glaring as dirt on a white shirt.

I mean, it's not everyday you get to see a blood-covered groom, right?!

Just as the priest was about to commence, Brendan tore out of the grip of the men holding him, and walked out of the altar.

His action attracted yet another gasp and the people covered their mouths in shock.

"Hey, I'm sorry to interrupt your happy ending, father, but I will only get married to one woman. Her name is Charlotte, who clearly is definitely not that lady at the altar there! ". Brendan turned to Roni and said, with hysterical laughter as he staggered around.

"Brendan??!!! ". Roni thundered, and yet again I flinched.

I would need to get used to his voice, or it would start telling on my blood pressure!

Roni stormed out of the altar, and so did his men. They tried to keep Brendan hostage, but he began to fight them off.

Brendan didn't know the moment his father came from behind and punched him, and he fell limb and became unconscious.

They tried to resuscitate him, but he wasn't making an effort to wake up.

And then chaos broke out in the church, and everybody began to run away.

I looked at the sight before me and sighed deeply. Carrying my gown in my hand, I looked for a nearby chair and sat down.

Today has been a bad day for me!

Obviously, I wouldn't be getting married today, but I would definitely be married to this handsome man who was more of a stranger and less of a husband to me.

Gradually my mind began to drift back. And, as in a depth of many seas, I began to recall the events that led to the scene that was taking place now.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"Keisha!!". I heard my grandfather shout on the phone.

I was in the market, which was miles away from home,

"Yes grandpa, I can hear you". We were listening to each other perfectly well until a big truck horned, which made my grandfather startled at the other end of the phone, and cursed.

My grandpa might have been the strongest man on earth, judging from the way he worked, but he hated one thing.

Noise.

He just couldn't stand the noise. So when the truck horned, I cursed underneath my breath because I knew the effect of it on my grandfather.

"Keisha, just hurry up and come back, and I hope you have everything on the list!".

"Yes grandpa, you don't have to worry yourself too much. I will be home soon". I assured him.

Grandpa had always been a worrisome person.

Getting off the phone with him, I increased my pace and walked towards the market.

As I was about to cross the road to the other side, I saw an old man. He had with him a bag and a piece of paper, and he was trying to cross the road; but the cars would not just let him.

I walked up to him.

"Sir, are you alright?". He nodded pitifully, with his gaze still on the road; looking for an opportunity to cross.

"Here sir, let me help you with the bag and let's cross over". I said, as I held his hand to cross the road.

He looked up at me and smiled.

Actually, he grinned. And he looked so handsome. And a bit agile for his looks

I never knew old people could also be this good-looking.

" Thank you so much, you are kind-hearted". I smiled back at him, looked left and right, and we crossed.

When we crossed, I asked him what brought him there, and he gave me an address written in a piece of paper in his hand.

""I don't really know this area very well". I said to him, disappointed that I couldn't help the old man with that.

"It's alright, you have already done more than enough. I will just sit here and wait for the bus".

"Okay then, I'll have to be on my way now; my grandfather is waiting for me at home right now". I said, waving goodbye at him, and he did the same too.

When I had gone a little bit far, I turned and found him still staring at me.

I found that kind of odd, but I brushed it aside.