My Dream Marriage

“Mom, I am ready,” I call out to my mom when I have finished packing up my suitcase. I have selected the dresses I will be wearing at my new home. They aren’t much and my suitcase isn’t a big one. Anyway incase I may need more I will come back. I pull it behind me to the sitting room. I go back to get my phone and I look around the room, thinking about the time I have spent in here. It holds a lot of my memories since it is the only house I have lived in. My mother always praises dad saying that he made the right decision in buying the house. I take one last look at my room, I’m gonna miss it. I close the door and my mother emerges from their room pushing my father’s wheelchair. We head to the sitting room. “Neera have you packed everything you need?” My mom asks. ” Yes I have. Azila will be picking me up soon.” Right on time I hear the sound of a car outside. She is already here. “Take care Neera, we will meet you tomorrow,” my dad says and mom adds, “make sure you get enough rest. Tomorrow will be a long day.” “Hello Mr and Mrs Brown,” Azila says. “Oh hello there Azila. How are you?”My mom greets her. “I am fine thank you, I see Neera is ready,” she says looking at my suitcase. “Yes,” I say and she helps push it to her car. We follow her and I hug my mom and dad. “Take care girls, we’ll see you tomorrow, don’t do anything stupid. Take enough rest for tomorrow is a big day,” my mom says. “Don’t worry mom, we will be fine,” I tell them and give them and give them a wave as I enter the passenger side of the car driving off towards the Attic.

The Attic is a tall building comprising of twenty two floors. It is painted white and has palm trees lined on either sides of a road that leads to the parking area, though there are no visible cars parked anywhere. I think it is an underground parking lot. There are beautiful azaleas on raised flower beds around the fence of the premises and a large compound with scattered trees that provides dark shades on the manicured green grass. There are some arm chairs under some trees on which people are seated. A cool breeze gives a breath of fresh air to the environment. A lady and a young man in black and white uniform comes to greet us and leads us towards the reception area.

“Good evening ladies, may I have your information please?” The beautiful receptionist asks. “My name is Neera and this is my card,” I say and fish out the golden card that Edward gave me the day we went out for lunch. She takes it and scans it. “Oh, right. Edward Lawanson booked it in your name. This is your room number and the card is also the key to your room. Will you be expecting anyone else?” She shows me the numbers 1412 indicated on the card. “Yes, our friend, Jackie Nelson will be joining us later,” I tell her and she says, “alright. Just scan the card on the screen inside the elevator and it will take you to your floor. Enjoy your stay.” We thank her and head to the elevator. We get in and I scan the card and number 22 flashes on the screen. The upper floor of the building. I look at Azila and she smiles and gives me a thumbs up.

The elevator comes to a halt when we get to the twenty second floor and we walk out. There are only four doors on this floor and we look for the door number 1412. I scan the card again on the screen beside the door and we enter into the most luxurious presidential suite a hotel could possibly provide. I have never been in any star hotel before but have just read about them. So this gives me the idea that it is the most luxurious one. Azila screams in delight and falls on a white leather sofa that has red throw pillows. The thick red curtains goes well with the white sofas and white walls and a golden chandelier that hangs at the center of the ceiling. There are red roses in a glass vase on the glass table between the sofas. There is a knock on the door and I go to open it. There stands the chauffeur who drove our car to the parking with my suitcase and some papers in his hand. “Hi, this is your suitcase and these are the details of the services you will be enjoying at our hotel. Enjoy,” he says handing me the papers and my suitcase. “Thank you,” I say and he leaves and I close the door behind him. “I thought it was Jackie,” Azila says. “I thought so too, but it was the chauffeur, here,” I hand her the papers. We sit on the sofa and begin to take a look at them.

Included in our package is dinner, drinks, breakfast and anything we could want to take in between the meals. There is a restaurant and a club on the rooftop.

“Neera, we didn’t even take a tour of the suite,” Azila says and I agree with her,”yeah right, let’s go,” she drops the papers on the table. The presidential suite has two bedrooms each en-suite and a kitchen. I wonder why there is a kitchen when we could order anything we want.

“Do you have any plans for the night?” Azila asks me. “No, just staying indoors and order for anything I want,” before she could answer me there is a knock on the door. “That should be Jackie, I will get it,” Azila says and goes to open the door. Jackie storms in and she screams too in delight just as Azila did earlier before when we came here. She comes to hug us and sits on the sofa. “Wow. This is so comfortable. I mean, can I stay here longer?” She says and Azila chuckles, “sorry to break this to you Jackie but you can’t stay here after today. Unless you want to pay for it,” she wiggles her eyebrows at her. “Oh, Azila unless I sell my boyfriend so as to be able to pay for it,” “Is he worth it?” I chip in,”of course, he is tall and muscular, who wouldn’t buy him,” “unless they won’t afford him,” Jackie adds and we laugh it off. “I asked at the reception if they have a bar and guess what? They have a rooftop bar and a restaurant,” Jackie says and we are shocked at her audacity. “What! You actually asked for a bar. You haven’t even settled in and you are thinking about drinking. Are you serious Jackie?” Azila asks her and she laughs, “oh Azila. You know it is not everyday that I get to come to The Attic. This is like a once in a lifetime chance so I have to use it well. You two get up and make yourselves available,” she says excitedly. Azila looks at me and adds, “Neera let’s celebrate this. This is supposed to be your bachelorette party. You are getting married and there won’t be enough time to do this things, you know, your husband, the kids…” “Stop it Azila. Okay I will come with you.”

We are seated at the rooftop of The Attic when the waiter comes with our cocktails. “Cheers to a happy marriage,” Jackie says and we clink our glasses and sip our cocktails. The rooftop overlooks the city with the golden city lights illuminating the night. The bar is almost full of people who drinks in such a manner that it doesn’t seem like drinking at all. I guess it is because I have seen wild drunkards and haven’t experienced this kind of drinking before. I had even declined having this cocktail since I have never taken that. I only tasted wine that Edward offered me. Azila and Jackie sweet talked me into it. We have ordered some pizza and I am glad that they prepare almost every dish in this restaurant.

Azila added some wine to the list of the orders we made.

“Be careful, you might trip and fall,” Jackie tells me as she leads me to my room. Azila is already in her room sleeping. She had too much to drink as for me, ass much as I didn’t drink so much as her, I am drunk too and I can’t take two steps before I lose my face. Jackie seems like the sober one although she drank as much as we did. I flop on the soft bed and Jackie helps me remove my shoes. “Take a rest, I will join Azila,” she says pulling the covers over me and leaves the room, closing the door behind her.

***Belonging © NôvelDram/a.Org.

I look up at him as the priest says, “you may kiss the bride.” Edward takes my veil and pushes it at the back of my head. He leans in bringing his beautiful lips closer to mine. I close my eyes and drown in the sensation the kiss is giving me. The crowd cheers and we break apart. I can see my mom smiling at me and I look back at Edward who is now husband and he winks at me. He whispers in my ears about me being stunning and I blush. I hope my make-up is helping by hiding my red as a tomato cheeks. We are now inside a room decorated with pink flowers. There is a large mirror facing the door of the room and I walk towards it. I take a look at myself and my beauty is on another level. I feel Edward’s fingers circling my waist and I gasp. “We look perfect together, don’t we? And you are so pretty. You look stunning in white. I can’t wait to take you out of this dress,” he says and his hands move towards my back and starts unfastening the strips that are holding my dress intact. I turn to him and say, “I love you, Edward,” and he seems shocked by my words,”please love me too,” I add and lean my head onto his shoulder.

“Neera, what are you saying?” He asks and Iam confused by what he is asking me. He shakes me and asks me again, “Neera, what are you saying?” I open my eyes and I hear Jackie saying, “I told you we should just let her have her rest alone, now we can’t sleep in peace with all her noise.” “What are you two doing in my bed?” I ask them and Azila says, ” I thought it wise to come and keep you company but it seems you are okay without us, what was with all the noise, what were you dreaming about?” “Nothing, just a normal dream,” I say and Jackie chuckles, “a normal dream huh? I bet you were dreaming about Edward. It seemed like a romantic dream.” “You are actually right, a hundred percent,” Azila agrees. “Guys I need to rest, what time is it anyway?” I ask and Jackie points to a wall clock. It’s some minutes past 2. 00 am. ,”Alright but we are going back to our rooms,” Jackie says standing up but I pull her back to sit on the bed, “please don’t leave, I promise I won’t talk in my sleep again. It would be better if we slept together, that way we can keep this memory maybe this is the only chance we can get, okay? Besides, this bed is too big for just one person.” “Okay, Neera, goodnight girls,”Azila says and we all retire to bed. I can feel a surge of emotions engulf me when I think of the things we have been through together as friends, especially with Azila. I hope we would keep our friendship going even as I am getting into a new chapter of life.