5. WEDDING PRESENT

BRANDY

Death came for me in the shape of a loud blurring sound.

I groaned out loudly, the throb in my head deadly itself. 

As I drifted more into consciousness, the pain grew and the sound grew impossibly irritating. 

“Can you move?” A voice came, so near. 

I groaned again, wanting to move but my body felt like concrete. 

It was a debate between switching the alarm off or staying exactly where I was and the alarm soon gave me no choice. 

“Hell.” I groaned out, nausea hitting me hard and taking my mind from the hard object poking my abdomen. 

I rolled so fast jumping out of bed to stop and bend as the room span so hard. There was no escaping it so I hit with all fours and quickly crawled away to the bathroom where I threw up in the toilet bowl. 

The smell of wine hit hard and it smelled fermented and awful. I quickly flushed, feeling a bit lighter. 

A heave pulled from me, my hair sticking to my forehead. 

I crawled to the sink, pulling myself up before I rinsed my mouth then brushed my teeth. 

The door swung open, my eyes snapping to it. 

Someone was in a bad mood. 

My husband stormed in the room and for the first time my eyes lay on his face and body!

The man was naked for crying out loud. The briefs hid nothing to imagination. 

His tattoos left my eyes going wider. I had never seen so many on a chest and sleeves. 

His legs! His abs! I chocked on the toothpaste, leaving me in a fit of coughs. 

Tears streamed from all the coughing, embarrassment leaving me red. 

Quickly, I spat out and rinsed my mouth. 

He closed the shower door, the water running with me collecting myself. I ran the image of him in my mind and the man was handsome to say the least. 

My body ran hot, my cheeks pruning even more. I quickly scurried from the bathroom, ready to get more needed sleep yet it hit me. 

I got up, quickly made the bed then cleared my mess in the living room. 

The door opened, quickly turning to be smacked in the face by shock. 

He only had a towel wrapped around his waist and once again I got distracted by his abs, not getting a good look of the face. 

The door to the closet shut hard, snapping me from it. 

I shook my head, quickly rushing to the door without thinking to open it just as he was dropping his towel. 

White butt staring right at me. 

The gasp escaped me, quickly squinting my eyes. 

“Get out.” His voice was stern and frightening. 

I jumped, running out to close the door. I recalled just as it shut what I was there to do. Without thinking, again! I pulled the door open. 

“Uhm, sorry, sorry.” Eyes shut. “My eyes are closed. Are you going somewhere?” I asked politely. 

Frightening silence met me and I swear I could feel his eyes on my skin, just drilling the anger on me. 

“Can I get a ride?” 

No response. 

“Okay, thanks, I will be done in no time.” 

I quickly closed the door, my heart hammering so hard with no idea where I got such courage but I did not waste time. 

I showered so fast it should have been in the Guinness record book yet as I stepped out I heard a door close. 

All I applied was deodorant before sliding out of the bathroom, the room empty. 

Shit! 

I ran to grab a fresh shirt and shorts, pulling it on as I ran for the door. The steps were gulped in large jumps.  

He would not leave me, would he? 

The engines could barely be heard but suddenly doors closed.  

I took a large leap over what was left, crumbing down on the floor to get up, feeling eyes and hearing gasps. 

“Sorry!” I scurried as I pulled the door just as the cars began to move. 

That fucker. 

I lost no hope though, running down the steps. I was ready to run after the cars but luckily they stopped. 

I couldn’t even breathe, moving to grab the door I suspected my husband was behind. I jumped in, closing the door to lean back in the seat, a breath escaping me, sure having broken a sweat. 

“Thank you.” I finally said after calming down. 

“You can just drop me off in town.” I added, not daring to look at him because somehow I could feel his anger and disgust. But curiosity got the best of me and that scorn did not disappoint. My throat bopped, turning away quickly. 

I rubbed my hands against each other, suddenly aware that I was barefooted and my hair was probably a bird’s nest. I was not making the situation better. My head hung, recalling that he was tied to me. 

My nerves took it up a notch, my skin prickly in a painful way and my head had not let ease. I just wanted to lay my head on the headrest and sigh but I held myself up.  

The hour was long and cold, the weather grey. From the many phone calls I learned that my husband was leaving that afternoon. Would he take me with him? It sounded like his primary residence was somewhere else, away from my family. I nearly begged him to take me with him. 

The cars slowed down and I snapped to realize we were in town. 

My heart hit the back of my throat as my gut turned. 

“Uhm, I actually don’t have money to spend at the moment. Can I have a card?” 

Truly I was testing my luck. My head bowed, my voice laced with sweet respect. 

I dared not stare at him, feeling the heat of his stare but he was my husband, he had to take care of me at least. He could afford it, I knew. He gained something in the marriage, I should not have been ashamed of asking for his money but I was, just a little. 

The door opened, turning to see a guard waiting to assist me out. 

I shifted in the seat, climbing out to turn and finally stare at my husband with determination to not move until he gave me a card. 

He shook his head, fishing out his wallet to slip out a card, holding it out. My smile was so wide, stretching to take the card. I was going to have fun, it being my first time in a mall, shopping!

“ Thank you.” All my teeth out. 

“ Handro, go with her, be at the airport at the designated time.” 

“ Yes sir.”! 

Even I was nodding my head, too excited I felt like jumping around. 

I vigorously waved goodbye as I stepped back, closing the door and waving the cars away. 

As they moved, I suddenly saw the passerbys gawking. They probably thought I was insane. My own husband probably was questioning my sanity. 

“ Ma’am.” 

“Yes Handro, lets go have fun. First I need a proper outfit, I am a wife now. Maybe get my hair done in a proper parlor then we go eat breakfast before we start shopping. I need a laptop for my work, a phone, a tablet. I also need a desktop but I can buy that later. I need to my own card but I can do it when we are settled.” I sighed out of my blabber to stop as we entered the mall, seeing the map and list of stores. 

I located where the parlor was, heading there.

My husband’s shirt hung so loosely I kind of liked it. Somehow I did not want a change of outfit anymore, maybe some shoes. 

We got in the parlor, them doing my hair and my nails. I cleaned and got a foot massage. It was the best thing ever. Handro went out to get me sneakers and socks. 

From there it was breakfast before we dived into shopping. Who knew spending money could be so amazing? 

Mine was stuck in my account, compounding and rarely being used. I had been excited to splash it all and I was still to. 

Bags swung from both hands, Handro having a whole pile of his own. Everywhere I looked my eyes widened and sparkled as I saw something I liked. 

There was some much I had missed out on, so much to do. 

I tasted everything, the mall my own castle but time flew and soon we had to leave. 

A car waited for us, the driver helping with the bags and it was when they filled the back that I realized how far I taken my shopping spree. My husband was going to kill me. My hands lay on my mouth, eyes wide. He was going to murder me and bury me alive. 

I did not even want to know how much I spent. The gadgets on their own took over seven thousand, the rest who knew. I had been too excited to look at the price tags.

Maybe life wouldn’t be so bad. 

We took a turn after a thirty minute drive and all I could do was suck a breath as my eyes lay on the black and silver jet. Again, my first time seeing the damn thing. 

Cars lined before it, guards moving about with some loading the jet. I jumped off our car, moving to the back, fishing through my bags. I took all those from the gadget store, then toiletries and a few clothes before I picked up the delicious treats I bought. 

The guards were already taking them away. 

I rushed to the steps, looking around to get one last good look before I shuffled in the jet. My eyes moved over and it was not what I expected, far from the normal flight I took back home. 

The couch leather chairs; humongous and comfortable. The plush carpet, the glasses, and the bar! The television! It was stunning. My breath got caught, spotting a head I recognized. He looked good even from behind, his voice serious. I moved towards his seat, paperwork splashed on the desk in front of him, his bag on the seat next to him. 

Even as my heart betrayed and threatened to kill me, I lowered to the seat opposite him, placing my bag and paper bags on the chair besides me. I stood up, the stewardess ready to assist as I asked for water. 

“How long till take off?” 

“Ten minutes ma’am.” 

“I can grab a quick shower then, thank you.” 

I wasted no time, taking a shower. I pulled on leggings, socks and a sweater. As I came back I felt way better, relaxed, clean, and ready to dive into my purchases. 

I strapped down, Husband still on a call. I stole a glance of him as he held a document to his eyes. 

His eyes looked bloody, dark under eyes. His hair had a fair share of tousles. His tie was undone, his shirt ripped open to show his neck. 

“Yes, I do not want to repeat myself.” 

Warmth spread, everything about him setting me hot. 

Never had I imagined myself there, married to such a man. He was powerful, his cologne to be my new weakness. 

To save myself I turned to my paper bags.

I was too excited to set up everything but first, my first ever phone. I had watched too many tutorials back is school to ready myself for this day. I knew exactly what to do. The seal peeling was as satisfying as I thought. The phone itself was more than I could ever dream of, the largest storage I could get. 

I ran my fingers over the sleek back, so inlove I was in awe of myself. I took a good two minutes just creepily touching it. Finally I turned it on and spent thirty minutes setting it up. The next was the laptop as the phone updated itself. It was just as gorgeous, same color as the phone. My watch was next then my Airpods and Airpods Max. I had the full ecosystem. 

A throat cleared and I looked up, eyes on me. My gadgets were all spread on me and the chair next to me. 

My eyes widened, his phone in hand, probably still on a call. 

“Can I have my card back?” 

The guilt washed over me, pulling a guilty smile. If only he knew there was still more I bought. 

“Yes, sorry.” 

He could take it as his wedding gift to me. 

I fished for the card from the tiny bag I bought. 

“Here, thank you so much.”

No reply, sure I would not be getting that card anytime soon but that was okay since I did have my earnings. 

He went back to work and I went back to my unboxing. Next was the kindle, just in love but fun could wait. I slipped on my Max’s and went on Spotify. From there I installed all the software I needed, downloaded my apps and logged in before pulling my work from the cloud. I packed all the other gadgets away, leaving my station clean before I continued working on my current orders. I had four more clients in line, deadlines quickly approaching. 

My snacks were brought out, legs crossed on the seat with me eating, bopping my head now and again and working. 

I picked up the iPad, syncing all I had on the laptop to it, working on both for efficiency.