My Dream Marriage

“Neera, are you okay?” Aniston asks me the moment we get into the car. Michael is driving with Aniston beside him while Sara and I sit behind. “Aren’t you going to ask me as well?” Sara asks.

“I thought I already did that?” Aniston asks her. “Well then but Aniston, you need to catch those fools and teach them a lesson. Why would they want to kill me? I thought I am a simple girl and not a troublemaker.” “Sara, I will make sure of it. Rafael died on the spot after he was shot.” Oh no, that is Sara’s bodyguard I think. “How did you know where I was? That place is like a jungle.” “I tracked your phone. Those good-for-nothing fellows took your phones with them and your phone has a tracker that’s why. I could have come earlier but the police kept us with Rafael’s case and I couldn’t let them know of your kidnapping because I know that could put you in danger.”

“I am so tired, I really envy a hot shower and a long rest. I feel so gross.” Sara laments. I am just listening to their conversation while thinking about having a rest too as Michael speeds into the night. I want to get home as soon as possible and possibly end everyone’s mystery. I know they are worried sick about me and wondering where I could have gone to.

“We shall be dropping you at your place, I hope you don’t have a problem with that?” Aniston asks. “No, thank you.” We are almost there and I thank the heavens for saving me.

When we reach the gate, I get out of the car and Sara too follows me out. “Sara?” “Yes Neera, I want to apologize to you. First, the first time we met, it wasn’t on good terms. Second, I have no words to tell you how thankful I am for saving me. I could have died today if not for you. So, Neera, if anytime comes that you may need help, I hope I will be the first person you could think of. I will give you Aniston’s card because I don’t have mine here so whenever you need me, just call him and let him know that you want my help. Even though I know that you are married to the most influential man in this city, I still hope I can repay you one day,” she says and hugs me tight, probably her emotions pouring out right now. She disengages and wipes the tears that have fallen off her eyes.

“You are welcome Sara.” She goes to the car and talks to Aniston through the window. She comes back with a card in her hands and hands it to me. She hugs me again before getting into the car. I watch as the car drives away before I turn and enter into the gate towards the house.

“Where have you been?” Piper asks the moment I get into the house. “I just went out for a minute but I got kidnapped.” I say. “A minute you say? It’s been hours since you went out and now you say kidnapped? By who?”

“I have no idea who.”

“If you say so, how did you manage to escape?”

“We had to cut the restraints and escape through an opening in the roof and disappeared into the woods.” I need to rest, really. “We? So you were not the only one who was kidnapped?” Piper doesn’t seem to get it. “Yes, I was kidnapped together with Sara, Aniston’s sister. She was at the cemetery as well. He is the one who found us and also brought me here.” I watch as Edward’s expression changes and I see a dangerous sparkle flash in his eyes before he narrows them at me.

“Aniston again? Tell me Neera, does it always have to happen not without that man being involved? First it was in Marina, then one month ago you were spotted with him and now today? You just have one thing to do in this house, one thing and that is to stay in this house. Why? Is it that hard for you to do? Are you that irresistible to that man?” I can’t even hear him well, my ears are buzzing and if I continue standing here I may even faint. I need to cool down my body.

“Give me a minute, I’ll be back,” I say, running to the stairs and entering our bedroom without bothering to close the door behind me. I still have the dirty camera but the card that Sara gave to me isn’t with me. I might have dropped it somewhere in the house. I open one of the drawers and throw it in then proceed to the bathroom and open the shower to splash cold water all over my body. I don’t even have the energy to stand so I lie down and let the cold water fall on me.

“Christ! Neera, what the hell? Help!” Martha shouts, waking me up. “What happened? Why are you shouting?” I don’t understand why she is looking terrified right now. “Are you seriously asking me that? Please take a look at you, you were lying down in cold water, actually you had fainted. What happened?” She is still scared. Was it that bad?

“Oh? I remember now. I was feeling so hot and decided to take a cold shower. I wanted the cold water to fall on me so that I could cool down,” it now dawns on me that I had lost consciousness. “, I am so sorry for scaring you.” “Neera, are you sick? You don’t look fine at all,” she asks me, concern etched in her eyes. “If I say I am okay I’ll be lying. I am far from being okay, I feel dizzy, exhausted, I don’t even understand my body at all.”

“Martha, what happened here? Why are you screaming the house down?” Edward asks getting into the bathroom. “I found her on the floor so I thought she had fallen down.” “Neera, what is going on?” His mother asks, joining us in the bathroom together with her husband. “I was so dizzy so I might have passed out.” “Are you sick?” Today it seems like it’s International Ask Neera Questions Day. “Yes, I feel exhausted, dizzy and even bloated. A long rest could do.”

“Come on, get a change of clothes and you’ll have to visit the doctor tomorrow.” Piper says. Edward’s phone rings in his pocket and he picks it up. He listens for a moment and shouts, startling everyone present, “do you take me for a fool? I already know where they are and you are going to give me a good explanation why you let her…” he doesn’t finish his sentence but instead looks at me as if remembering something but he finds us all eyes on him. He leaves the room with the phone still on his ears and so as to finish the phone call elsewhere.

Martha pulls a towel from the rack and hands it to me. Piper and Eric exit leaving Martha and I alone in the bathroom. “What would you like to eat?” Martha asks me and I suddenly feel like every food is tasteless. I don’t have any appetite. “I am good.” “Not at all, I know since the time you left here you haven’t taken anything, let me bring you something at least,” she says and leaves without giving me a chance to protest.

I remove the cold clothes from my body and wipe my hair thoroughly before drying the entire body. I wrap the towel around my body and go to the closet to put on something warm. Edward comes in and pulls a coat and puts it on. He is going somewhere. “Where are you going at this time?” I ask. “It’s really none of your business. You ruined my plan and you are the reason I am leaving at this time.” He is clearly pissed off. “What did I do?” “Enough of the questions, you won’t understand because you clearly don’t know how to follow simple instructions. From now on, don’t meddle in my business, better still don’t even dare to ask me about where I go or what I do, understand? Just in the kitchen, you are better there.” He looks at me for a long fleeting moment dangerously and leaves.

I sigh and move to the window and watch as his car leaves the mansion. I draw the curtains back and I don’t wait for Martha to come so I get onto the bed and cover myself fully. I know it will be a matter of seconds before I fall asleep.

***

I wake up and feel the space beside me. It is empty and cold like it wasn’t occupied the entire night. Edward really slept out last night. I won’t even have to ask him where because he made it clear to me that I shouldn’t. I stand up and almost fall down but I sit back on the bed for support. I still feel the same way I did yesterday and even worse. I feel nauseated but don’t even have the urge to vomit. What kind of a feeling is this?

I get into the shower because last night I didn’t even get to wash my body after all that I went through last night. I feel bad about yesterday, no one made even a single effort to report the matter, like it wasn’t a big deal. I am okay with it though, I escaped the jaws of death. I am only grateful to God for protecting us and also Aniston for coming to rescue us. Although he didn’t entirely rescue us, his part is a major one. I am truly grateful for that and I wish I had a brother like that who would protect me at all costs.

I put on a black flare dress, that could be suitable for a hospital visit. I don’t know if anyone is there to take me but any way is fine with me. I find a neatly covered plate of food and I know that Martha really brought the food but it seems she found me asleep. I carry it to the kitchen and warm it up in the microwave. No one is in the kitchen, not even Martha. Is it still too early, I didn’t even check the time.

As much as I feel the way I am now, I have to try and eat something. Maybe I will even throw up and do away with this nauseous feeling. I don’t like it. I might even get sicker since the last time I ate was yesterday morning.

I sit on the stool at the kitchen island and dig in. It is delicious and the way Martha prepared it makes it suitable for me because I feel hungrier the more I swallow it.

“You are already up this early?” Martha asks me entering into the kitchen. “Yes, good morning Martha. I came here the moment I woke up, I don’t even know the time.”

“Good morning, I see you are hungry. I came into your room last night and you were already fast asleep.”

“Yes. I couldn’t stay awake any longer, I really needed that rest. This is yesterday’s food by the way,” I say, almost finishing up the entire plate.

“You could have asked me to prepare another dish for you Neera,” she says. Leftovers are food too, could she have thrown it away?

“It’s okay Martha, as you can see, I am totally enjoying the food. I never even thought that I could have eaten even a quarter of the food.”

Piper comes into the kitchen as well. She doesn’t seem like someone that is going anywhere and it’s on a weekday. “Good morning mom,” I greet her. “Good morning Neera, you seem fine now. Do you still think you need to go to the hospital?” More than ever. “I need to mom, I still feel like I did yesterday. I am even ready to go.”This is from NôvelDrama.Org.

“Alex is waiting outside then. You don’t have to pay anything, here is Edward’s health card, use it.” She says handing me a white and red, printed and laminated card. I need to get my phone and purse. I may need some identification. I hope by the time I get back here, I will no longer be experiencing these kinds of symptoms. I don’t think I am still suffering from gastroenteritis.