My Dream Marriage

A sunny morning. I have been tossing and turning in my bed for the whole night. I could say I am nervous for a reason. Today is the day, in my twenty-five years of living, this is my first time meeting a high society class of family.

I have had few contacts on rich people, but those were the parents of some of my colleagues at college. I attended a public college in my neighborhood as my parents couldn’t afford to pay for a world-class university. A good number of students there were mainly middle-class.

“Neera, aren’t you up yet, we cannot be late,” my mom shouts from the outside making me stand up from the bed. “I’ll be there mom,” I assure her.

I dash to the bathroom to freshen up before heading to the closet to search for something to put on. I ransack through the line of clothes but I don’t seem to get what I want. Actually I really want to impress on my first meeting with this world class family, but my wardrobe is not helping much.

I have been working the past few years since college but given my position as a sales assistant my salary could only compensate for groceries and repayment of my student loan and little savings for my own upkeep. My mother works partly as a housekeeper and is responsible for my father’s medical bills, after he got into an accident years ago. He was working in a transport company but the worst happened, rendering him handicapped, losing the use of his legs and his heart weakened due to a metal that pierced him. He now stays at home, attending physiotherapy lessons which I think are of no use. Please, it’s been a while since he started this and no improvement. I get upset sometimes thinking about this, he hadn’t wronged anyone in any way.

I hear my phone ringing and I see Azila’s name flashing on the screen. “Hey,” I say. ” Neera, did you forget about your promise?” ” Promise?” I ask with genuine surprise. “Are you really my friend? You told me I could be your sidekick in this meeting, you know. If he proves unworthy then you won’t marry him. This rich kids are usually spoilt brats you know.” She says and I chuckle in response.

Eric Lawanson’s family, a well-known business owners in all sorts of pies in Sura city. They are also known as the first family in Sura city. This was a shock to me when my mother informed me about getting engaged to his second son.

” How mom? He is a Lawanson for Christ’s sake.” “Neera listen, this was an agreement between old Lawanson and your grandpa. Mr Eric, old Lawanson’s son was supposed to marry your grandpa ‘s daughter but he had a son, your father. So it had to be passed on, and that’s when it came to you,” she says. “What was the agreement?”

“My daughter listen, this was signed years ago and failure to that, we face legal consequences,” she holds my hand, looks at me and leaves. I am left wondering about what could lead to such an agreement.

“Are you still there?” Azila’s voice breaks my reverie. “Look, I am coming to your house now and I have a gift for you.” “A gift? Wow I bet this is going to be better than I thought.”

“So, Neera, just freshen up but don’t put on anything, I got the right ones for you, I mean it,” she says and hangs up. She really bought me clothes for my meeting, I am lost for words. She did just the right thing at the right time. She just saved my day.Published by Nôv'elD/rama.Org.

I am sitting on the bed waiting for Azila’s arrival when I hear her greeting my mother. My mother seems surprised to see her from her tone of voice. “Neera didn’t tell me you were coming. We need to head somewhere right now and we seem to be getting late. Neera should be here by now.”

“She told me about it and I am accompanying her,” Azila replies. “She did? No Azila you are her friend but you can’t come with us,” my mom says. “Okay, then I will talk to her before you go.”

“Hey friend,” Azila hugs me when she gets to my room. “Hi, I heard your conversation with my mom, am so sorry about that,” I reply. “It’s okay, besides this is a family matter right?” ” Thank you for understanding, if it was up me, you would be with me in this,” I tell her and she smiles.

“You know Neera, I thought I would be the first one to get married between us, you didn’t even have a boyfriend in college and now you are going for introduction, am shook,” she says and I nod in agreement. “I didn’t. I actually haven’t got one to sweep me off my feet yet.” I have never dated before, there were guys who were interested in me but I didn’t think I was ready for it. I adored happy endings so dating in college was a no for me. I saw how couples would break up and start dating others again and that kind of irked me. I vowed never to date before I could be stable in life, and then this arrangement came as a shock to me. This didn’t leave me a choice, although I viewed it as a direct passage to marriage, without any break-ups.

“You have to kiss as many frogs before you get to your prince charming” was Azila’s usual comeback but I could as usual brush it off with my perspective in mind.

“So, here is your gift, Neera,” she says handing me a carrier bag. I dip my hand and in I fish out a yellow dress. She urges me to try it on and the does some magic to my face. She goes back to the bag and brings out a pair of black heels. I appreciate silently when they seem to be only few inches high, not like those of Victoria’s Secret models. She takes me to stand before the dressing mirror and I can’t believe the woman staring back at me. My makeup is minimal with a little blush and a pale pink lipstick. The dress hugs me and accentuates my soft curves. The round cut neck is not so lowly cut, conservative at the same time giving out the sophistication and elegance. It reaches just below my knees with a short slit at the back. I look high class now. “Thank you Azila. I will update you on everything when I get back. You really are a life saver.””No worries Neera anything for my best friend.” We leave my room and head to the sitting room where my mom is.

She registers her surprise with my appearance, complimenting with a nod of her head. “The car is waiting, they sent a driver to pick us up,” she says signalling for us to leave. I bid Azila goodbye, sighing at the black Mercedes Benz packed infront of our house. I really thank Azila for her thoughtful gift, I think I might blend in a bit. The driver greets us and opens the door for us. We get in, speeding to the destination of my grandpa’s choosing.