CHAPTER FOUR

PATRICIA.

“What the fuck!” I exclaimed barely above a whisper. 

How will I be getting married to a man who could barely stand on his feet? Jeez… I can't believe this honestly.

Is this what my father wants for me? I prevented the tears from strolling from my eyes.

No one came alongside him. What about his parents? These were the questions on my lips.

Wait.. this man was literally the person I saw at the hospital with my father two days ago. He was stable on his feet or my eyes were deceiving me.

Did he just have an accident? What the hell was going on? I tilted my head to look at my Dad as we walked to the Altar but his face seemed calm.

Somebody really needs to explain to me about everything that is going on. Too many things are just happening and if you don't call it drama, what else would it be?

Even if he is actually crippled, You won't expect me to back off. He paid for my Dad's medical bills which I'm grateful for.

But this is too hard to take in anyways. At this point, we were facing each other as he handed me over to him.

I was made to wheel him to the Altar a bit further. Gosh, is this what I'm here for? 

How would I cope? I tried to compose myself till after the church service. My husband wasn't even charming like I expected him to be.

“Do you Patricia take Ignatius as your lawfully wedded husband?” The priest asked.

I hesitated for a while before responding, “yes, I do.”

“Do you Ignatius take Patricia as your lawfully wedded wife?” He asked the man on the wheel chair. Well I chose to call him that because he is not my husband yet. 

He looked at me as if he was just seeing me for the first time. “Yes, I do.” He responded.

Did I just see a smile on his face? Seems he doesn't even know who he is dealing with.

“I now pronounce you both husband and wife. You may now kiss your bride.” 

I almost erupted into laughter. How would he stand up to kiss his bride? Or is he expecting me to stoop down and kiss me.

Everybody present was anxiously waiting for us to do the needful but I didn't bulge. Instead I wheeled him back to our seat.

After the service, we signed the marriage certificate. Pictures were taken and we were about leaving for our home when a voice yelled out my name 

“Patricia!!!”

That voice sounds familiar. I turned to see the person that shouted my name. Alas! It was my mum.

Where had she been all these years? How did she know about my wedding? I don't think my dad told her because they lost communication. 

We haven't spoken for a while either. Hope I'm not expecting another round of surprise again. Things are getting hand of hand.

“Who invited you to my wedding?” I blurted with a stern look on my face. 

“Won't you give your mother a hug?” My mother asked while freeing her hands for a hug.

“You have not answered my question.” I yelled. I sighted my Dad approaching us.

“My child, that's a story for another day.” She replied as she tilted her head towards Ignatius and beamed with a smile.

Ignatius reciprocated and waved at her. It's obvious they are familiar with each other. My mother stared at my father for a while before walking away.

****

We arrived at the big mansion and one of the maids rushed towards us to wheel Ignatius to his room.

“Thank you. But I have a wife now, let her do it.”  I heard him say.

“Ignatius or whatever you call yourself, I'm here as your wife and not your maid.” I snapped at him.

“Then behave like one.” He spat and I rolled my eyes.

“I think this is the joke of the century. You should be grateful that I agreed to be your wife. I yelled at him while I moved into the house.

What was he thinking? That I would just do as he says. No no.. I can't be treated like a maid in this house never.

If he won't treat me like the princess that I am, what is the use of getting married to him?

Besides, there are a plethora of maids and bodyguards to flaunt orders at. As soon as I turned to my left, I saw a toddler walking up to me.

What is wrong with everybody huh? Do they all want to make me go mad?

“Hey who are you?” The child asked. Oh he is a silly one.

Can you imagine the guts? I scanned the child from head to toe with my eyes. “Don't you have manners?”

“Weren't you raised?” He fidgeted and almost teared up. From the way he behaved, I guess he was scared already. 

I watched him as he ran off to meet whosoever. Hope I'm not also here to babysit a child because there will be war and I'm not joking about it.

I stepped into the cosy room and I covered my mouth in awe. This is heaven on earth. Men, this room is tushed.

The room I stayed in earlier was a bit different from this one. One of the maids made me understand that I will be entering my matrimonial room once I'm married to Ignatius Carter.

I sat down on the bed. The bed was so soft that it could take you to another planet once you sleep.

The thought of my lover came flashing through my mind, and a strange feeling came rushing in. Something must be wrong. I thought.

I scrolled through my phone in search of his number and when I found it, I dialled it and it wasn't reachable.

Then I made up my mind to go see him the next day.