CONTRACT MARRIAGE: THE HEIRESS NEEDS A HUSBAND

Chapter three: A Temporary Love Story

Kendrick walked into the hospital where sleepy Sofia laid on her bed. He took a long cursory look at Sofia.

Her cute oval face still retained the beauty, KENDRICK saw when he walked into her life. He gave a faint smile and walked to her bed. He dragged a seat, and placed his bum down on it. Sofia groaned softly. She saw Kendrick beaming a smile to her, she sat up smiling shyly, as she cleaned her eyes of the remaining sleep that tempted for a return. Covering her face with her hands. "Why are you so beautiful, barbie?" Kendrick asked, curiously, still smiling. "And why are you so handsome, Birdie?" Sofia replied, bopping her head girlishly. He was a little strong now, after she had taken her complete dosage of drugs administered to her.

Sofia laughed tenderly, her voice, as soft and smooth as silk. She had a tiny voice used by professional voice over artists. A field, she had a zeal for; radio and television broadcasting. She had interned with several media houses, but never had the opportunity to be on an actual job offer. Something she dreamt about. She had graduated from media and communications field at the Sucrelous College of Media studies, before the ailment.

"How much of the world i wouldn't give to have you in my arms if you took a miss from me" Kendrick flattered Sofia to a blush, as she held up her face that was lavished with smiles. "And i, You" She replied jumping to his embrace. "I love you birdie" She spoke softly and passionately. She stared deep into his eyes. 'I love you too, barbie" Kendrick replied softly, gently but tenderly locking his lips on hers. "Ehemm!" The doctor, cleared his throat startling the two lovers lost in each other's embrace back to reality.

"Sorry Doctor" said kendrick, shyly. "Nah! it's fine. It's okay" The doctor replied, trying not to show his happiness. "Just some routine check of how you doing today and you two lovebirds can carry along from where you stopped" The doctor said smiling, while he spoke in an animated tone. Sofia and kendrick cackled in laughter. "Okay, seems to be normal" The doctor mentioned scribbling down unknown words on his paper, clipped to a book.

"Okay. Seems we good here. So i will be out of your hair now" He said, beaming a jovial smile as he retreated his steps and a low thud followed after him. "How are you feeling?" Kendrick asked, gazing at the heart-rate beeper hung on the wall, below sofia's bed. "Oh well! better than yesterday for sure. Just some slight pains in my tummy every now and then" She said casually. "The doctor told me i need to be proactive about my past due surgery. He said it's inimical if it's allowed to spread again, since the drug has curtailed it a bit" She added, causally again. Kendrick held up her chin and pecked her on the forehead. "You will be fine Barbie. I will make sure of it" He said with a reassuring smile. "I know you will always be there for me" Sofia whispered softly, while Kendrick held her hand tenderly. Kendrick smiled, as if remembering something he adjusted his seat close to her bed. "You know where we would have being, if not here?" Kendrick asked, rhetorically. "Where?" Sofia asked, curious of the answer. " Okay, not gonna give the answer though but a hint will do" He said, chirpily. "Pink flower garden, blue pool, blue skies, and a dual-lover boat ride" Knedrick said, smiling extravagantly. Sofia chuckled jovially. She patted his shoulder playfully. "Oh my God! Havend' France" Sofia replied , laughing.

"You never forgot?" inquired Kndrick. "Why would i when it was one of the most beautiful and memorable moments with you" Sofia said, smiling as she pecked him on his cheek. "I remeber you snoring on the boat ride, cos you were exhausted of the boatman's ramblings" Sofia laughed on playfully. "Oh yeah! i do remeber that. He was a bad chatter. Trying to chat me to death. And i slept so hard that i almost fell into the pool" Kendrick said smiling faintly. "You know what i wonder sometimes? how you survived his boring chat. How?" Kendrick asked, surprised. "I was technically to the point of death" KENDRICK added, gasping plafully with his two hands on his neck. Sofia laughed hysterically, that she coughed lightly, but sipped water from her can to calm her busy throat. "Well, i was always immune to boring chats" She repied bopping her head girlishly. "Oh really? that means you've being able to carve out ways to survive mine as well" kENDRICK jumped on his feet, and stretching his hands on her body he tickled her to laughter. She moved left to right laughing cutely, revealing her gleaming dimples. "Nope! you never bore me out. Ido that when iam in such a talking mood" She said, chirping happily. " Still remember when wesat out in the field. We were on the swing and i had talked so long that i didn't notice you were drowsy, next thing i knew you were on the ground "Sofia laughed hyterically. Kendrick covered his face in shyness, smiling casually.

Meanwhile, Maya had tossed and turned to sleep off but her dad's words still rang as a bell in her mind. She jerked up, sitting erect. it's true what the dad had said. He had no fair share any longer with time and all she could do for him now was make him happy. Her mind drifted to Sharon's advice. She rolled to face her lampstand. Her duvet covered to the tummy. She focused at the lamp as Sharon's words bellowed clearly in her ears as she pondered deeply. "Sharon does have a point". Shs whispered, thinking on her words. "All i need do is have him sign the contract marriage for two years, and we part ways after then" She muttered in a whisper. "It's not like it's gonna be a serious one. He could still be my chaffeur, but disguised as my husband outside" She smiled slyly to the coverted plan she crafted, as she pondered. She unwrapped a gum by the bed side and flung it in her mouth , as it danced vigorously. "The primary thing is to make dad happy that we married, and after two years i could tell him it didn't work between he and i" She giggled lavishly at the thought of the plan. Bouncing her body on the bed in glee. "I need to get him to sign the contract as soon as possible" Maya blurted out loud. She nodded in affirmation, swooping her phone she dialed Kendrick.

"Hello! yeah, Kendrick where are you?" Maya asked uninterestingly. "Anyhoo! I don't care just get your bum here, right away" she instructed. "Yes. miss Maya i will be right with you in af...." she hung up before he completed his words.

"Barbie! i've got to go now" Kendrick said softly. Sofia didn't want him to leave, and though she had agreed for him togo, kendrick still saw the sadness and lonesomeness in her eyes. Sofia was good at concealing her expressions, but not to Kendrick. A part of him Sofia loved a lot. " But i will be back as soon as i have free time, okay?" Kendrick said kissing her forehead reassuringly. "It's okay birdie, i understand" Sofia said still hand to hand with him. 'i Love you, birdie" She said in a tender and soft tone. "I love you too, barbie." Kendrick replied immediately, stuffing his phone in his pocket and he bolted out the door. Sofia's eyes swam with light tears as she recognized how lonesome and empty it felt without him.

"Have a seat kendrick" Maya said smiling slyly noticing his hesitancy and unwillingness. "Come on! sit down. Not gonna bite. Trust me you don't need to be shy about it" Maya said, trying to sound convincing. She chuckled softly. Her cute blue eyes shone under the well-lit room. Her cuteness resounding to kendrick's eyes. He sat on Maya's bed, with Maya sprawled on her bed. She had her crop top and her stumpy jean knicker on, leaving most of her laps bare and exposed. "Look, i know i've being mean to you as my employee, and i just want you.." Kendrick mind had shot to the thinking Maya was about to apologise to him. HE was about to be shocked. "To know that, it's not even an important interest right now. Let's shove it by the side" Kendrick thought wrong. Maya would be the last person on earth to let herego give way for an apology. "I need you to sign a contract marraige with me. You gonna be my husband, temporarily though" Kendrick suddenly jerked up in bewilderment. Nodding in disapproval. "Hey, chill! look it's a temporal contract and it's going to run for two years. Trust me it's for both our benefits" She spoke assuringly. "I just want to make dad happy. If not that, you wouldn't be here with me and i am trying to talk some sense into your dim-wit of a brain, all because i'm trying to convince you" Maya snapped, seeing how hesitant and unwilling Kendrick was.

Kendrick wasn't moved by her anger, seeing it as typical MAYA. He was unbothered about that. What concerned him was "why him?". "But, miss maya. why me? afterall i am not even in your level of men to be with" Kendrick asked curiously. "Don't you get it? My dad likes you. He has alwyas liked your humility, good heartedness, loyalty and discipline. And think about all the benefits he could accrue to you, plus the two million dollars i am offering to you, now" Kendrick was startled in surprise and dumbfounded. He was unsure what he heard. "Sorry miss Maya, did you say you offering to pay me two million dollars?".

"Yes, yes, yes,dim-wit. Of course it's two million dollars" Maya answered digusted. Her head ached an she wanted to grab a shut-eye any time soon. "So do we have a deal?" Maya inquired. Kendrick exhaled. He would be betraying his love for Sofia, but on the bright side he would finally save Sofia. "Two million is more than sufficient to foot her hospital bill and buy her happiness" He had thought deeply. "I can't let sofia die! No way! Besides i just need to act this marriage for two years, just till the contract is expired. I can conceal it from her till after two years then i'm free" He continued in thought. In an instant he was brought back from his thought with a call. "Muppet! do we have a deal or not?". "Oh! yeah yeah. We do miss Maya" He answered almost immediately. He swooped the pen MAYA handed to him and he scribbled down somethings, and Maya did same.

"If i were you i would be unreservedly committed to this contract. If not, the consequences would always bite on you" Maya threatened, handing him a similar ringshe wore on her left hand.

"Sure thing Miss Maya. I will" Kendrick replied faintly. He jerked up and in swift moments he was outside Maya's room leaping in cheer. "He was going to save Sofia, afterall". Maya felt weird after Kendrick had left her room. She stared endlessly at the ring on her finger. To her it didn't make sense. "So this is the whole fuss for?" she muttered in a harsh tone. She rolled to the other side of her bed, and took up the contract paper. Her eyes perused it again word for word. Immediately, a thought crept in her head. " What if i get to fall in love with him in the space of that two years?". "No, no, no, no, no . You are not doing that Maya". jerking up hurriedly to sit on the bed. "I have to know how to keep my mushiness at bay". She said casually. "I will treat him as trivial as i can to disappear emotions and feelings in that regard. That should stay any emotions from stirring" She added prancing around her room. Arms crossed and face lost in oblivion. But her mind still raved about Kendrick's brawny looks. "Nice shape though". she said, smiling lewdly. She gasped in surprise covering her mouth. She didn't know when the words came out. Walking to her bed, still lost in her thought of him. She yelped in pain, limping. She had knocked her leg against her bed- side desk. "Can you leave me be, KENDRICK?" She asked, rhetorically. She gave an exasperating sigh, dying the lamp by her bed-side she covered her duvet and her consciousness was swallowed by a hard sleep.