My Dream Marriage

“I am so sorry, miss. Don’t you have anywhere to go to?” I nod. “Miss, I can only give you a place to stay tonight because it’s getting late. It is not a comfortable place but if you are willing to stay there then you can for the night then tomorrow you can see your way forward. I am only helping you because when I saw you, I remembered my wife and I couldn’t just leave you given your situation.” He says with a genuine smile on his face.

“Your wife is pregnant too?” He smiles from ear to ear. “Yes she is.” “Congratulations, when is she due?” I ask, genuinely surprised that we are getting along like long lost buddies. “She still has like one or two weeks to go.”Copyright Nôv/el/Dra/ma.Org.

“That explains the excitement you have on your face when talking about her.” “I actually am nervous about this.” He confesses. “It is allowed. It can be scary too, but you seem to be a good man and good things happen to good people,” I say. “I think you are a good woman too and I see good things happening to you.” Me? I thought so too but I have nothing. I don’t know where I could get the good things.

“I don’t think so. The time I could have got the best things has long gone so I have accepted my fate.” Maybe I could have acquired all I wanted from my former marriage but no, I ended up getting divorced with nothing to write home about.

“I see otherwise. When you get better in life, don’t forget me,” he says and I laugh loudly because that only sounds sarcastic. I think I should be the one telling him that. “Please, this is not funny at all. It should be the other way around. You have helped a pregnant woman in distress so it is only fair that the heavens should bless you abundantly.”

“Yes, this is not funny and I hope after tomorrow everything will go as per your wishes. Come, you seem too tired. Are you hungry?” He is too caring. “Yes, I could eat an elephant right now.” He laughs. “I hope you can finish all of it.” “You could try me right now and see.”

He takes my suitcase and I follow him behind as he enters the building through a smaller exit. He takes the stairs that lead to the basement where there are only three cars parked. Should he be taking me to sleep in a car? Is it his car or someone else’s?

“Don’t just stand there. We have somewhere to go, or were you admiring the cars? I know they are one of the expensive ones and anyone who doesn’t would wish to acquire one.”

“I thought you wanted me to sleep in one of these. I was wondering how rich you are to have such kind of a car. Are you a rich man in disguise?”

“Oh please. I can’t do that. If I am rich then I won’t have to hide my identity. And no, you are not gonna be sleeping in the car.” He assures me. “Alright then, show me. These legs are killing me.” I really want to rest, drink and eat.

“I can see that, follow me.” He leads me to one side of the basement where I can see a door and he pushes it open. “Here, you can stay for the night.” “Thank you so much,” I don’t know his name yet. “It is Charles but you can call me Charlie.”

“Thank you so much Charles.”

“You are welcome.”

“How come there are only three cars here or has everyone left already?” Surely this is a big building so I expect more vehicles parked here. “Actually, this is the CEO’s personal parking. That’s why there are only a few cars. He has some business associates today that’s why you see two extra cars in here.”

“Oh right.” I sit on the chair and I can feel my body overwhelmed with everything that has happened today. “There is some water over there, and I will have to get you some food. As you can see, there isn’t any elephant I can offer you,” he says and I laugh.

“I am sorry that you have left your post to come and attend to you.” It has been quite some time since he found me sleeping outside. “I was just breathing some air when I spotted you. Thank God we are two of us although my partner might be wondering where I went. In the meantime, I am going to get something for you to eat and talk to him so that he doesn’t freak out in case he finds you here. Make sure my boss doesn’t see you here.”

“Okay then, you don’t have to worry. You have done so much for me already. You have my word,” I say as he leaves. I need to get some water. I hope and pray that this night goes well and that no one that is against me finds me. Also, if his boss finds me here, he may charge me for it or chase me away. Given that I don’t have anywhere to stay tonight I wouldn’t want to ruin the only hope I have. Worse still I could make Charles lose his job after trying to help me and I can understand that he needs his job especially with the newcomer that is on the way. I just have to be quiet and make sure everything is alright. When his boss leaves then I will have a sigh of relief because as Charles said no one could access this place except for the boss or his colleague security guy.

I can feel my baby jumping in my womb and I wonder why it is so happy in this kind of situation. I stand up to go and fetch some water to drink but my head spins and I feel my ears buzzing and everything around me spins as well. I hold onto the chair for dear life but it can’t contain my abrupt pull and weight and everything goes dark.