THE MARRIAGE CONTRACT

The doctor's new decision. Lila slumped on the couch where she had been sitting for the past one hour as her eyes found her mother's figure again. This couch had been her bed for almost 64 hours and even though it wasn't the most comfortable thing in the world, she had grown fond of it. Besides it allowed her sleep so close to her mum and made her available in case something came up. It had been a rough 64 hours for them both, Lila acknowledged as she fluffed the pillow the nurse had given her. A very rough one that could have gone terribly if the results of her mother's diagnosis had been different. The diagnosis wasn't favourable still, she reminded herself as she rested her head on the pillow. No, the doctor had said in very simple words that there was nothing he could do for them because Ellen's case was beyond their control. India. The doctor had mentioned that there lied the solution to their problems. Ellen would have to go to India if she wanted treatment for her illness.

Victor Williams walked into the office aware of how quiet everywhere was. He wasn't a monster, at least he didn't think he was but they all treated him as such. He wasn't bothered though, he reminded himself, he was all for it if it'd get the job done. He texted Ema to meet him in his office as he walked past the reception. His office was on the fifth floor which meant he had to use the elevator even though sometimes he opted for the stairs. Elevators weren't his cup of tea and after all the bad news he had heard about it, he didn't want to get trapped in it ever. He was claustrophobic and he couldn't stand it if the elevator were to stop working while he was stuck inside. With that final thought, he took the elevator all the way to his floor. "Victor, welcome." Victor looked up and smiled at his assistant. He knew he stressed Emmanuel a lot but he had never complained. Victor knew how competent he was. "Mr Anderson." Emmanuel was reading out his schedule as he'd usually do bu

“Lila?” Emmanuel Anderson asked looking up from the documents he had been going through. His best friend walked into his office and collapsed in the chair across from him looking exhausted. “When was the last time you had a decent night’s rest?” he asked worry dripping from his every word.Lila shrugged her shoulders but didn’t answer his question. “About yesterday,” she started staring at him with hooded eyes. Emmanuel frowned realizing that she was putting up an unreadable face as if she was trying to hide something. Would she really hide anything from him especially after what they’d been through?“It was my fault Lila, I said some mean things.” He ran his hands through his hair. “I should never have said those things to you; it was completely disrespectful of me and insentive.”“I don’t think you were insensitive, if anything you were saying the truth.” She shrugged her shoulders again and Ema frowned.He leaned over the table to touch her forehead. “Are you feeling okay? What

She opened the message.“Meeting with our lawyer by weekend. Don't dress like a parent.Your fiancé.”Don't dress like a parent? Seriously? Lila snorted loudly and made to toss the phone right into her bag but Ema was already reaching for it."Who was that?" He asked."No one important." Lila answered.She knew it was a lie, literally. Victor was going to be an important person in her life soon."You look like you're bothered. Are you sure it's no one important. My hunch tells me-""I'll go to my mother's bedside. She is already awake." Now it was her own turn to feel awkward."Mother. I have been waiting for you to stir from your sleep. You sleep so much these days." Lila said softly to her mother who smiled weakly."Those sedatives knock me out everytime. I wonder how much longer I'll have to live on it. Is that Ema? Did you two quarrel?""Don't talk like that, mother. I'll be paying for your treatment before the month ends and we'll be flying you to India so you can get well again.

The next morning when Lila woke up, the outing was the first thing she thought of.She stood up and went to her bathroom and after some minutes, she came out with a towel wrapped around her as she used it to clean her hair.She sat in front of the mirror and combed her hair and applied some lotion on it.Then she went to her wardrobe."What do we wear?" She asked herself and picked out a light black dress. It was made out of a material that showed everything worn underneath although there were black bum shorts attached to it and the only thing people would see were her beautiful legs.It was the perfect outfit for the beach. The breeze would blow it perfectly and it wasn't as exposing as the clothes girls loved to wear on the beach.After dressing up, she went out of her room and down the stairs and as she got nearer to the kitchen, she could perceive the heavenly aroma of something delicious cooking.She made her way to the kitchen and met Victor there cooking.He had a few food box