Yearning for Love

When Love knocks

The wedding happened as lavishly as Mrs Paks predicted. The family invited as many guests as they could, and the hall boomed with loud music. Caroline was the happiest she’d ever been. Everything was almost perfect, that she didn’t noticed Andrew try to feel comfortable with the entire situation.

The marriage reception got over and they got into the car, ready to leave for his home. The drive was silent and peaceful, since they were both tired and had no much to say. While the drive went on down the busy street, Caroline had her head rest on his shoulder and slept soundly.

The next morning, she woke on his bed, still dressed in her reception gown and looking messed up due to her make up. Andrew sat on his sofa, reading through a newspaper, oblivious of her waking. When she sat up, he got drawn by her noise and placed down his newspaper.

“How do you feel?” he asked.

“I feel weak and nauseous.” She confessed, placing her hand slightly to her forehead. Unable to bear the discomfort she felt, she rushed to the washroom and threw up.

“Millie wanted to help you out of your outfit, but you were so adamant on sleeping, you refused her help.” He informed her of the previous night incident.

She could barely remember, nor was she in the mood to think. All she wanted was more sleep.

“Could you turn off the AC? I feel cold.” She requested ones she was done cleaning off her makeup.

“What? I can’t stay in a hot room. I can only operate when the room is chilly like this.” He explained in reluctance.

“Andrew, you aren’t the only one here now. You need to moderate it.” She insisted, taking off her wedding gown.

“Caroline, I can’t do that. You just come to this house. You can’t be making the rules….”

Caroline felt slightly drowsy and had her leg almost knocked on his side stool.

“Fine. I will turn up the temperature. Do not start acting dramatic now.” He insisted, reaching for the AC remote.

“I am not acting dramatic. I just don’t feel good. I think I need to take a shower and sleep again.”

Andrew said nothing. He watched her take off her entire clothing before him without shyness, before reaching for her towel. She had a very beautiful body and a nice smile. Once her towel was wrapped around her, she picked up her dirty wedding gown.

“Leave it. Millie will help you with that.” He informed her.

“Alright.” She smiled at him, but he looked away unmoved. Caroline said nothing and walked into the washroom.

While she showered, she remembered his conditions on the kind of woman he wanted. Was she being sneaky by not telling him she was uneducated? Would he hate her to her guts if he found out?

Just as the conditions stood, her dad visited later that day to introduce Andrew to the business idea. It was fun watching them speak and converse like they’ve known each other for long. What she couldn’t understand was the cold shoulder Andrew gave when she tried initiating such conversations with her. He wasn’t even paying attention to her at all. It was as if she never existed.

Later that night, she summoned the courage to place her hands down to his thigh. He stopped her instantly.

“Leave for the guest room.” He insisted. She was shocked.

“Why?”

“It’s my house and I make the rules, now leave! I do not know why you didn’t tell me you were fertile at that time!”

“Now you are blaming me?” She asked. “You were the one who seduced me that night.”

“It doesn’t matter Caroline. You could have told me I was risking so much by being with you that night.”

“What do you mean risking so much? You told me you loved me….”

“Why would I love you? I only needed you for your father’s business. Your family proved stubborn and I lost interest in you all together. We both know you are an illiterate and it would be tough introducing you before my friends.”

Caroline was shocked. She stood up from the bed instantly, with tears rolling down her cheeks.

“This is just the second day of our marriage Andrew. Why are you just telling me this now?”

“I do not owe you an explanation. I never loved you, I never will. I have never loved anyone except Jenna. Your freaking child is tying me to you now!”

Caroline sighed finally getting what was happening.

“That’s why Millie warned me about you. That’s why you wanted to go on a vacation a week before our wedding. It wasn’t a vacation you were going for! You were trying to flee.”

“Any influential man in my shoes would have done that.”

“I hate you so much, Andrew. You disgust me.”

“It will be better we don’t see each other’s faces for the meantime.”

Caroline felt stressed out, she almost slumped. While Andrew tried preventing her from falling, she pushed him off and hurried to the entrance. On opening the entrance door, sh saw Millie standing before the door and staring at them both. How long had she been there?

“Stay….” Millie advised.

“What?! No! Not with everything he said to me.” Caroline sounded stubborn.

“I understand, but this time you are pregnant. You need the father with you. Just stay for now. After seven months, you can do whatever you want.”

Caroline turned back to Andrew for a while running her hands down her hair.

“I need air.”

She said before walking out.

*ANDREW POV*

Andrew hadn’t cared Caroline rushed out. It wasn’t his headache anyway and he had lots of decisions to conclude on in regards his work.

“You will just let her walk out?” Millie asked, hugging the blanket she held. “Why am I asking? Of course you are that way.”

“I am sure you saw this day coming.” Andrew pulled the newspaper closer to him.

“Yes, I did but not this fast. She’s pregnant for Christ’s sake. You should take good care of her and not stress her.”

“I never asked to be a father.” Andrew dropped the newspaper down with a squeezed face.

“You’re one now, so deal with it!” Millie walked out with these words.

Andrew groaned. Although she was his maid whom he paid every month to support her children, he never saw her as one. He saw her as a second mother. One who he could barely raise his voice at. He adored and respected her to the point, hurting her was the last thing he thought of doing. She raised him from the time he was 10. Andrew recalled vividly his mum kicking out their former maid Ola for being a gossiper. He remembered her bringing in Millie the next day and introducing her as a responsible helper.

Andrew hadn’t liked Millie at first due to how elderly she looked, but she was more than that. Her supportive and open nature drew him to her, causing them a stronger bond than he had with his mum. Millie was always there for him and never went on senseless business trips like his mum.

She held him on the arm while he sobbed for Jenna and supported him with some cookies. The old lady meant a lot to him and he wasn’t ready to hurt her no matter what.

“Millie, wait!” He stood from where he sat and rushed after her. She hadn’t stopped. Instead she walked her old legs down the stairs. “I am sorry….”

“Don’t apologize to me!” Millie lashed at him. “Apologize to the lady you hurt and bring her back into that room!” She insisted.

Andrew sighed in reluctance and stared back at the open balcony.