My Dream Marriage

I don’t want to go home yet, despite the numerous calls from Grace. This has to stop at some point. I will have to talk to Edward thoroughly about this. I am his wife for Christ’s sake, he has to tell me about whatever that he plans to do. I don’t deserve this at all. Is he still in denial that he is married because this wedding was sudden? Did anyone force him? This was planned a long time ago but why is he behaving as if he was told about it yesterday? I wasn’t ready for this and I have to talk to him. I can’t ask anyone before I talk to him. Of all the days since we got married yesterday was the only day that we got to sleep together. I wonder where he stays every other night or does he work until morning or better still doesn’t sleep at all. As much as I try to calm down, this place isn’t helping much as it always does. The quietness makes my mind too clouded with negative thoughts.

I should probably go somewhere that I should at least put my thoughts at bay. But where? The beach. Yes that is it. It is not far from here, just a walking distance. I pick up my phone and start walking towards the beach. This place is really easier to master places and directions easily since some places are just nearby. Also it’s like a plateau, so you can see views of the city from a distance.

My phone rings for the umpteenth time and I decide to shut it down. Alex’s name flashes on the screen and I just decide to talk to him before I shut it down. “Hello Alex.” “Hello ma’am, where are you?” He asks. “Don’t worry about me, I am okay. Tell Grace not to worry, I will be back later. Cancel that trip to the museum and I will call you when I want you to come and pick me up,” I say. “Alright, I am not currently at home, I went to check on my boss’s project before I go back.” “Right then, lastly, make arrangements for my journey back tomorrow morning.” I say switching off my phone.

The beach is crowded just how I wanted it to be. I buy a bottle of cold juice and sit on a lonely chair under a shade, I am not in the mood to talk to anyone. I watch in silence as people play with each other, laughing happily and throwing water everywhere around them. I put my bottle of juice down but it gets knocked over by a young boy who is running after a ball that was kicked in my direction. “I am sorry miss, I wasn’t careful,” he says apologetically. “I understand it was an accident. Just be careful next time okay?” “Okay miss, thank you,” he says and runs off to get the ball. I wasn’t careful myself for putting it down before I could close it.

“Mind another drink?” A hand stretches forward a glass of juice. I look up and Aniston smiles warmly handing me the juice. “Thank you, but why would you take the trouble of getting me juice? And how did you see me here?” “Well, I just saw a boy knock over a bottle of juice but I didn’t know that it was you. I was watching him play with other kids, he is my colleague’s son so his father offered to buy another one for you but something drew me to bring it and surprisingly it is you. So here I am,” he says. “What a coincidence,” I say. “A really big one, what are you doing here?” I frown a little, of course this is a public place. “I came to enjoy the beach.” “It doesn’t seem like you are enjoying it. You could be swimming or playing around but you are seated here all alone.” “Okay, I wanted to find a place to forget about something.” “Are you okay? Did something happen? Is it a really bad thing that you want to forget?” He asks. “It’s not so bad. I just wanted to forget it for today. This place sincerely speaking doesn’t do it much for me. Tell me,” I get closer to him so that I can whisper an idea that just popped in my mind, “do you know any club in this place that they open during the day?” He registers his surprise, “what? At this time? You are not telling me anything and from the way you are talking, you have never been to a club before,” he concludes. I chuckle at his keen observation,” you are right, I have never been but I wanted to try today. So, are you going to tell me or not?” “No. That is not a place that is suitable for someone like you. Whatever happened should not let you lose your principles like that,” he says. “What are the places that are suitable for someone like me? Do you have somewhere in mind?” I ask him. Where does he think it could be ideal for someone with a clouded mind as like I am.

“If you are willing to come with me, I might know the perfect place in mind. Follow me if you are willing to of course,” he says and I don’t have the time to think twice. I get up and follow him willingly to wherever he is taking me to. “Is it far from here?” I ask. “No, it’s even a walking distance.

We walk to where his colleague is and he talks to him about our small tour. “We are going somewhere for a bit but I will call you when I return. If you need to go, feel free and I will see you later,” he tells him. “Okay but wait a minute, isn’t this Edward’s wife? I might have seen you from your wedding. Nice to meet you. Is Edward here with you?” “No, he isn’t here with me. Nice to meet you too,” I say. “Neera is my friend, no worries,” Aniston says. “Sorry for my boy’s behavior earlier, by the way you can call me Henry,” he says. I nod and Aniston adds, ” remember our meeting later, you can talk to Michael in the meantime. You tell him I’ll be back in a moment.”

We walk away from the beach to a road that stretches towards a park. He doesn’t talk much as he looks like his mind is elsewhere. “You didn’t tell me what is bothering you so much to the point that you wanted to go to a club at this time of the day?” He asks. “Nothing much, just a personal matter,” “Which means I am in no position to know about it,” he says. “You can say that.”

“This is an amusement park. Won’t it be weird that we came here as adults?” I didn’t know Brian Aniston likes nursery games. “Oh you will be surprised at which ages of people come to this place. This isn’t a place for nursery kids only,” he says but I don’t think I said my thoughts out loud.

“So this is our first stop,” he says, stopping at a point where people are getting ready for a ride. I fasten my belt ready for my first thrilling roller coaster ride. I have been to a carousel and others but a roller coaster wasn’t one I preferred because I was afraid of them. I used to when I was still a child. I wasn’t ready for the adrenaline rush just yet. Today, I can do anything to keep my bad thoughts at bay.

My hair is disheveled and I have been screaming nonstop. Aniston who was beside me was calm all the time and was just shaken a bit. “Neera, this is just the beginning. We still have more to enjoy.” Aniston says. “Exactly how many have you planned?” “As many as you want for as long as you are willing to stay here. You have got time right?” He asks. “I have all the time in the world so let’s go.”

“I think someone is following us,” Aniston says, pulling me to a corner away from someone’s view I haven’t seen. “What! Who?”

“I don’t know him but I have been watching him closely because he has been looking suspicious to me the moment I saw him. Wherever we have been he has been there too. When I got away from the cafeteria, I saw him looking in all directions like he was searching for something or someone. So yes, we are being followed.”Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

As if on cue, a camera light flashes and I instinctively cover my eyes. This is not good. Aniston looks at the direction the flash came from and a slim guy, with a cap that covers his face takes off and Aniston runs after him but he disappears before he could get to him. He comes back and asks me, “are you okay?” “I am not okay, Aniston. Some paparazzi just took a photo of me and I have no idea why and what he wants to do with it. Moreover I wasn’t alone, he took a picture of us together.” “Let me call Michael to come and pick us up,” he says, fishing out his phone from his pants pocket. “It is okay, let me call Edward’s driver, I had told him I will be needing his service later,” I say but my phone is switched off when I try to unlock it and call Alex.

“Michael, can you come and pick us up?” He beats me to it. He gives Michael a detailed direction on where he is supposed to pick us up.

We are in the car and I am trying to switch on my phone. The first person to call me just a few seconds after I do is Edward. I don’t answer the first time and I can see that he has been trying to reach me several times. He calls again and I pick it up.

“Neera, where are you? I have been trying to reach you but your phone is switched off.” “There is no need. I am already on my way home,” I tell him. “Did you order a taxi, or who are you with? That man?” “What are you talking about Edward?” What? “Neera, do not play smart with me, you know exactly what I am saying. Why would you go out with him again? Didn’t you have enough of him that you couldn’t stay away from him for long? You are so bold, a married woman like you. Or have you forgotten that you are married that soon? I left you and it hasn’t been a day and you are already on the streets,” he accuses. “What? This is entirely your fault. Actually you should be the one asking yourself that question,” he is now getting on my nerves. My cool demeanor might explode now that he is accusing me of things that he caused by himself.

“Neera, you went out by yourself again without telling anyone. And guess what? You were with that Brian Aniston and this is the second time in a row. What are you doing Neera? You even switch off your phone,” he goes on. “I haven’t done anything. I just had to cool my mind off after you left in the morning without bothering to let me know. I was just at the amusement park and wait; were you spying on me? Did you send someone to follow me?”

“You seem to have forgotten who I am, Neera. I am a man with resources and whatever happens I have to be in the know. So whatever you do, be aware that I am ware. Now, wherever you are, get out of that car because Alex is on the way to get you.” “I am not. He will drop me home in no time so you don’t have to bother Alex,” I say and hung up.