CHAPTER THREE

Its nine am at St John's church as Richard stood at the altar in awhite suit with Jude beside him as they waited patiently for his bride. Looking down the aisle, he saw her approaching with her uncle. She looked so beautiful and was glowing. He could feel his heart swelling as he thought to himself that in the next hour, she was going to be his wife. 

“Whoa, she looks charming,” Jude murmured.

George smiled and without taking his eyes off Irene , he answered,“I know.”

When they were close to the altar, he walked up to them and Joshua handed her to him with a, “take good care of her.”

George nodded, “with all that I have.”

Irene chuckled at that and they both turned to meet the priest while Joshua went to sit beside a smiling Elizabeth. It was a beautiful wedding and everybody was satisfied with the outcome as they left for the reception. 

At the reception, Thomas stood up to make a toast on his son's wedding, he noticed the day was beautiful day in his family because everyone one was present, both his family and friends. “can I have everyone’s attention please?” that got everyone looking at him, “I want to make a toast to my son and his wife, I pray and wish them a blissful marriage with this keys to a Mansion at Beverly hills in New York.” 

With astonishment, George stood up with his wife and rushed to hug his father, he was surprised and never expected such a huge gift from his parents.

Vanessa looked at their mother, “I hope dad would give me something this big at my own wedding,” she stated.

Erica stared at her, “try and have a serious relationship first then we would talk about your wedding gifts.”

She rolled her eyes at that, never expecting her mom to mock her with her unsteady relationships, “whatever.”

With gratitude and happiness, George  appreciated his family and friends who came to join him in his most happy day. And after everything, he and Irene went to the hotel they booked for their wedding night, tomorrow, they would fly to their new home and have their honeymoon there.

***

At Beverly hills, there was a very big house with flowers planted everywhere. It had a beautiful garden which had the scent of freshly bloomed roses and lilies. There was a colorful walkway from the gate to the porch of the building and with fleet of cars and power bike, “what a beautiful house and cars,” Irene said with a smile, “your father really gave us the best.”

“You like it?” George asked her.

“Like it? I love it honey.”

A man approached them with a smiling face, “welcome ma’am, sir, I’m Lucas, the security.”

“Nice to meet you Lucas,” George said and Irene nodded.

“Thank you sir, let me get this for you,” he said, going forward to carry their bags.

“Thank you,” Irene said sweetly as she went into the house with her husband only to wow again at the interior of the house.

***

“What should I do and how again should I do it? It’s been two years of our marriage and this is the second miscarriage. I tried my best keeping it, I stopped working and I don't stress myself. What else am I supposed to do?” Irene wailed, all I hope has been on the pregnancy, to finally give George his own family.

George hugged her and tried to console her as much as he could, “sweetheart, it's not your fault, you heard the doctor said it’s certain uterine abnormalities or weak cervical tissues. Please,can you stop crying? Okay, we are going to keep trying until we get our own child, moreover I love you and that's all that matters okay? Please.” He kissed her and held her in his arms till she fell asleep. While holding her, he thought of things to do to help her, he is not often at home and he needed someone to watch over her, especially this moment, in the state she was in, he fears of what he might come home to meet one day. Irene has been having a little depression since losing their first baby and hasbeen recovering slowly ever since they found out she was pregnant again. Now that she has lost it, he fears what she might do to herself and because of that reason, he was even afraid of leaving her to go to work the next day.

An idea struck him and he slowly laid her head on the pillow and left the room, Irene loves delicacies, it was a habit she picked after their marriage, and if there is something to make her better is to have different types of delicacies before her every time she was hungry and that is something he can’t do due to the nature of his work. He decided to hire a great cook and at the same time, someone that would be staying in the house with her and keeping an eye on her.

He went into his study and turned on his laptop then he searched for any chef in need of a job or a cook or someone that can really cook. He made up a work form and left it online; stating boldly that what he wants was a good cook before retiring to the bedroom.

The next morning, the first thing he did was to check the work form and he was surprised to see many applicants, he arranged a meeting with them immediately and on a second thought, he decided to let Irenehandle it, it would brighten her day and would also keep her busy till he returns later in the evening. He also loved the idea of her choosing who it would be, after all, she would be the one spending the whole day with whoever it may be.

He made a simple breakfast and carried it upstairs, Irene was still lying on the bed, and he knew she was awake and probably thinking about their lost child. Placing the tray on the vanity, he sat beside her on the bed and kissed her softly on the head, “hi, good morning.” She didn’t reply him and he wasn’t surprised, “I made you breakfast.”

“Thank you,” she murmured without much enthusiasm.

George sighed but thinking of what he wants to tell her, he smiled, “I know of a good way for you to spend your day.” When she didn’t reply, he continued, “I have arranged an interview with a lot of cooks, they would be coming today and you have the whole day to interview them and choose whoever you want by the end of the day.”

Irene looked at him then with a frown, “a cook? What do we need a cook for?”

“Well, let’s say…um,” he licked his lower lip, “someone to cook all those delicacies you always show me that you saw online, you know. And also, you need rest, you don’t have to bother yourself with anything, just lay in the bed looking pretty while someone does everything for you. Don’t you think?”

Irene lay back on the bed, she wasn’t interested, nothing would interest now unless she would be miraculously be told that her baby is fine, “fine, whatever.”

“Come on honey, don’t be like that.”

“George , it’s okay, I will do whatever you want, you know that.”

“You will interview them?”

“Sure, it would be better than lying on the bed all day.”

George smiled, “that’s my angel,” he kissed her on the lips and stood up, “why don’t you have your breakfast while I prepare for work, the first applicant will be here by twelve.”

“Okay,” she nodded but still lay on the bed, George sighed and went into the bathroom, he was almost late to the hospital.

***

A man stood in the living room, he has rich brown hair andalluring gray eyes, his lips were a think pink line and he has a perfectly pointed nose. With one look at him, one could see that he takes his workouts very seriously. He was muscular, dressed in a black pull over that enhanced his abs and his biceps. He had on a blue jeans and a white sneakers. He stood staring at the beautiful wedding pictures in the living room, a cold glint flashed in his eyes and just then, he heard footsteps behind him and turned to look at the woman who was coming down the stairs, no traces of his coldness available on his face. He flashed the woman a beautiful smile and watched as his charm worked on her as it does every other woman.

Irene had been interviewing a lot of people today and was tired as well as annoyed because none of them had an inkling of what to she wants and most of them were elderly women, she wouldn’t want an elderly woman in her house, who would be taking care of who between them? The others were school girls and boys and for some reason, she wanted them to concentrate on their studies, she never jokes with studies. She had went up to her room after interviewing the last of the applicants and wasthirsty and decided to come down for a glass of lemonade when she saw the man standing in her living room and watching her wedding pictures. 

When he looked at her and offered her a smile, she felt her missed a beat, what would a man like him be doing in her house? Fighting over her attraction to him, she asked, “who are you?”

“Forgive me ma’am but a job online stated that you are looking for a cook?” he asked. Even his voice was calming; it was deep and velvet, almost like a feather caress to her heart.

She cleared her throat and abolished the stupid thought, “yes?”

He approached her at the foot of the stairs, “I have come to apply for the post, ma’am,” he smiled.

Irene frowned, he is a cook? Mere looking at him doesn’t suggest that, he should be a gym instructor or even a model. But even though she thought, she ended up asking, “what’s your name?”

“Francis  Bills.”