My Dream Marriage

We have been friends with Jackie for two years, since I started working at the bookstore. Although we share a good relationship, it isn’t deep like the one I share with Azila. I introduced Azila to her in one of Azila’s birthday party. So we have been friends since then. We get to go out with her sometimes, share some light moments, she knows my parents too but my coolest buddy is Azila. We can talk about anything even the deepest secret, and Jackie knows it. She also has the one she calls BFF. That’s why I chose Azila as my maid of honor.

As I rummage through my clothes searching for a perfect dress for the day, I can’t help thinking about what might happen when I meet Edward. This is our first meeting. I have no idea how he looks like. Is he grumpy, perhaps serious faced like his father or better a spoilt brat like Azila said. I don’t know what I’ll do or say. Maybe he is the coolest guy, on the positive side, so decide to give myself the benefit of the doubt. After bidding my parents goodbye, I leave for work. I have to work until noon before closing for the day. Mrs Lawanson sent me a message telling me the address where I need to go for my fitting. I will have to inform Azila as soon as I get to work. From the details of the address it seems like a high-end shop in the biggest mall in the city. My oh my. This is really new to me. I really don’t know what to think of this whole new experience. I take a taxi to work and in few hours time I will be done.

***

“I am coming to pick you up. I have a car remember? Don’t stress. I have all the time today. I took the whole day off,” Azila says. I told her about the venue and she said she knows the place. I have no doubt since her clothes are designers so those areas should be her places of shopping for them. “When are you getting here?” I ask her and she gives me a satisfying answer, just what I wanted to hear. I have an hour to get there and given the time, there could be some traffic, and I don’t want to be late on this appointment with this international designer. I also want what is best for my dream dress.

I give Jackie a goodbye wave when Azila calls to inform me that she is outside. I dash out of the building and I spot her car just across the street. I cross the road, get to her car, open the door and get in. She flashes me a big smile and I can’t help asking her why she is so happy. “Iam going to the mall on a weekday, shopping for my best friend’s wedding. And just so you know, I didn’t want to go to work today so I took the whole day off,” she says and I get a little jealous of how she can easily get away with a simple excuse to get off work. “Good for you, am even jealous,” I say and she chuckles. “Don’t be, it’ll be better soon. You will have your days off and the cherry on top will be your honeymoon. Where are you going to anyway on your honeymoon? Bali? Or Maldives? I prefer Seychelles if you ask me. And I hope you have taken enough off work days for the honeymoon, especially if Edward decides to take you all over the world,” she says. “I took two weeks off, some days before the wedding and a week after the wedding,” she almost slams on the brakes and asks in shock,”what! Two weeks? Don’t you love yourself, Neera. Think beyond the after-party Neera. What if he wants to take you on a long vacation? You also would need some rest after the honeymoon you know. A month would be better,” she says. “Iam okay with two weeks. I have work to do; I have to take care of my family. Edward is the CEO of his company, he cannot stay away from work for long. Two weeks will do. And I don’t know yet where we are going to.” That reminds me, how are we going to meet with him? I don’t have his contacts and I don’t know him so it will be kind of hard to spot him even if he comes to the boutique. Just as I am thinking about that my phone rings and I open my bag to retrieve it. There is a new number calling me. “Is it Edward?”Azila asks and I shake my head. “It’s a new number, I don’t know who it might be calling me,” I tell her. “Just answer it, it might be the designer,” she tells me assuredly knowing that I have an issue with answering unknown calls. I nod and press ‘receive’ on the phone’s screen.

“Hello?” I enquire and a male deep voice answers on the end. The sexiest voice I have ever heard, “Hello, this is Edward speaking. Am I speaking to Neera?” Dear Lord. I just spoke to Edward! His voice is so enticing! I am perplexed and Azila looks at me curiously. “Hello? Are you still there?” His voice reminds me that I am on a call. “I… yeah,” I stammer and I can feel his smirk from the other end. “Good. As you know we are supposed to be meeting at the mall, so I’ll be there at 2. 30, see you there then,” he says then ends the call. Straight to the point. “What happened, who was it?” Azila asks me. “Edward,” I answer. “Oh, that explains your flushed face. You are blushing right now. Nice one. That shows a good starting point for you. Is he coming?” “Yes, he will be coming at2. 30,” I answer and she nods and continues driving.

I have never been here. The stunning building with beautiful logo designs on different levels of the building, people walking in and out of the building elegantly, most of them carrying pretty shopping bags. I am sure am the only one among these people who have never visited this mall. I give myself a silent thumbs up for bringing Azila with me and also thank goodness that she is familiar with this place . We take the elevator to the second floor, take a right turn and as I look on the headboards just to familiarize with the shops maybe I could get another chance to come here, I bump into someone. I could hear the clattering of broken glasses. I look up and I meet a furious face of an angry woman, although she wasn’t the one I bumped into. The one I bumped into was a guy who looks like he works at the shop they came from. She looks younger than me. If looks could kill, I’d be dead by now. Her made up face is cringed and I can swear I see steam coming out from her ears. The shop from which she came from looks like one for home decor and when I look down there are broken glasses scattered on the floor. I clasp my hands in supplication and tell her that I am truly sorry. “Sorry? Really? Will that give back my expensive chandelier? Do you know how much I spent on that? Do you know that that was the only design in the whole country? You even don’t look like you can afford it. This alone can buy your entire family! ” She screams at me. Azila pulls me to the side and holds the woman’s collar,” what? Who are you to accuse her? You should blame him too, he was carrying a delicate object but can’t walk carefully.” “And so what? You have to pay for it! You don’t belong here and yet you come here and bump into people’s things. Either you pay for it or I call the police!” She says and I start to panic now that she makes her point clear.

“What is happening here Sara?” A familiar male voice captures our attention. “It’s this witch who broke my chandelier I just bought and she doesn’t seem like she’ll pay for it so Iam calling the police, ” she says and I turn to look at the man whose voice sounds familiar to me. Our eyes meet and I recognize him instantly. Aniston? And the girl’s name is Sara. They know each other. “No need for police here. This is a small matter,” he says and Sara pulls me by the hand shouting, ” a small matter? If it is then tell her to pay me right now Aniston!” She barks. Aniston pulls her hand from mine. “Sara, I said this is a small matter. Don’t worry I’ll pay for it. Let her go,” he says and I am shocked beyond words. “What? You’ll do that for this filthy woman,” Sara says and I wonder what else she finds so offensive from me apart from breaking her item. “She said sorry, and this gentleman offered to pay for it, why are you so bitter about this. Are you jealous that we are prettier than you?” Azila says and Sara raises her hand to slap her but Aniston holds it mid-air. “Do you know who he is? This man here is my brother and I won’t allow him use his money to get you out of trouble,” Sara says and I am shocked again that Aniston is his brother. “Sara, stop this. We are going home and I said I will pay for this,” he says and I can’t help but be grateful to him. “Thank you so much sir, I have troubled you today,” I tell him sincerely and he smiles. “It’s nothing actually. Iam doing this for our friendship. Nice meeting you. We are leaving now. Take care,” he smiles at me and takes his sister’s hand and leaves. I look at them until they disappear at the corner. “Wow Neera, you just got a fan there, you two seem like you know each other,” Azila diverts my attention back to her.Ccontent © exclusive by Nô/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

“Oh, yeah, I delivered some books to his office and that is how we met,” I say and that confirms her suspicions. “Oh right. Her sister is bad news. Is he from Aniston Group?” “Yes he is. At least he offered to pay for the damages. I would be in police custody by now,” I say and she nods in agreement. “Come, we have an appointment to get to.”

We get to the reception area of the boutique. We meet a middle aged woman at the reception who greets us warmly. “My name is Neera and we have an appointment at 2. 00,” I tell her and she checks her computer. “Oh yes, Mrs Lawanson informed me that you will be meeting with Simon Cooper, the designer. He will be here shortly. ” She ushers us to a room inside which has mannequins with drawings on them I guess they are used by designers to draw a design for the clothes. “Would you like something to drink?” I look at Azila and she nods,”yes some juice,” I tell the woman and she leaves to get our orders. She comes back with two glasses of orange juice and gives it to us. “I am Judy by the way,”she says. “Thank you Judy,” I say. We sip slowly while waiting for the designer to arrive.

Simon Cooper is a bubbly man with long hair with which he has dyed it red. It suits the sharp features of his face, sharp nose, thin lips and small eyes. He isn’t as serious as I thought him to be. “Hi beautiful girls. I bet one of you is Neera,” he says in a fake Italian accent making us laugh. “Yes, I am,” I say and he comes to touch my face. “Oh Bellissima Neera. You should be one of my models. I guess my design will look great on you. Come,” he leads us to another room which has the most beautiful white gown whish occupies the centre space of the room. “Ta da!”He gestures towards the gown and a big smile can’t help forming on my lips. “Wow, this so gorgeous, Neera,” Azila exclaims and I can’t disagree with her. As much as I had felt a little upset about not being the one to choose my own wedding gown, this is so beautiful. Simon is really good at his work. “Now you have to fit it so I can see if there are any adjustments I need to do. “Alright,” I say and both him and Azila help me wear it. It is some kind of hard work. I couldn’t imagine a dress could require so much hard work to put on. One person cannot manage this.