MARRIAGE CONTRACT

Eleanor held the pen with trembling hands, her conscience pricked her to back off while she can, but No, she can't. She needed the money for her family.

After moments of deep thinking, she eventually signed the paper and handed it over to the man next to her.

The weird looking man stared at the paper then to her, “You do know this contract lasts for two years, right?”

Without thinking twice she quickly nodded her head as beads of sweat formed around her oval shaped face.

“Good, I'll call you for further details. Good day” He said and walked out firmly without letting her say a word.

Eleanor looked at the figure that was retreating as it slowly disappeared away from her sight. She still couldn't fathom how she met herself in all this mess.

She sighed in distress as she sat on a chair at the restaurant.

Not quite long, a waitress who looked like she was probably in her early twenties walked up to her smiling.

“Good morning Ma'am, would you like to order something, we have varieties of meals and drinks for you” She said awaiting her answer.

Eleanor knew that any meal or drink here won't fit into her budget, she only came here to sign a marriage contract for goodness sake, not to eat. 

“Is there anything complimentary here” Eleanor quickly answered as she looked at the waitress in shame.

The waitress still smiled professionally and nodded “Yes there is, it's just water, should I get that for you?”

Without thinking twice, Eleanor quickly answered her “Yes please, I will order something after the water.”

The waitress nodded her head slowly and left. Eleanor looked at nothing in particular in pains as she couldn't control all that she has been going through.

Her mother now was really sick of cancer and she has to be flown to India for proper treatment, her dad put them all in a very serious debt, which led to thier bankruptcy.

And now, she was the first daughter who has to help her family out of all this mess, her two little twin sisters, didn't even understand the meaning of bankruptcy not to talk of helping, but thankfully a mouth watering opportunity knocked on the door for her and she had no other choice than to accept her fate.

Eleanor was Anxoiusly waiting for more information from the man from earlier. She needed that money, besides that offer was too sweet to decline.

Minutes later, the waitress walked up to her “Here Is your complimentary water, have you decided what to order yet?”

Through shame, Eleanor couldn't just say no, she promised the waitress that she was going to order.

“I will take the Cheese burger with an apple drink, please”

“Nice choice, Ma'am. I will be right back with your order.”

The waitress left Eleanor in her own thoughts, she can't believe that how tight her budget was, she still ordered something out of her budget.

Minutes after, the waitress strode to where she was and handed over her order to her. Eleanor eyes sparkled in content as she looked at the delicious meal before her waiting to gobble it up.

As if the waitress knew what she wanted “i will leave you to eat your meal now, I hope you enjoy it here”

As soon as Eleanor noticed that the waitress was out of sight, she gulped down the Apple drink in one go without caring for anything in the world.

“Ahhh”She sighs “This is just what I need to quench my thirst”

Everyone knew Eleanor as a full time foodie, there was nothing she couldn't eat nor drink. Especially her mother, her mother knew her too well.

“i wonder where you got that trait from?”Her mother would always ask, and she in return would just smile.

Keeping the thoughts away, she decided to eat to her content. Almost immediately, she took a big bite out of the cheeseburger in satisfaction. She munched away unknown to Her that someone was just a table away monitoring her every move.

She felt like a pair of eyes were gazing intently at her, but due to what she was doing, she didn't bother at all!!

Soon enough, the meal was nowhere to be found, it was already finished. Eleanor sighed in satisfaction as she called the waitress's attention.

“Waitress, over here please”She yelled as the waitress quickly walked up to her.

While smiling the waitress asked “So how was your meal? Was it enjoyable?”

Eleanor smiled brightly and said Sharply “It was the best I've had in years. Can I see my bill please?”

“Okay Ma'am, your bill will be brought to you in a short time.”The waitress said while Nodding her head. She knew for sure that this woman was going to enjoy the meal, she made sure it was one of their best chefs that cooked it. Although it was against their number one rule that it was only the best customer and also an influential person that was served by their best chefs, but it was like she felt great pity for the woman in front of her.

She left her to bring her bill. “Here's your bill Ma'am, if you are ready to pay, don't hesitate to call me. Do take your time.”

Eleanor gasped inwardly as she looked at the bill in front of her, where would she see this kind of money, or maybe they mistook her bill for someone else. So she decided to call the attention of the nice waitress.

“Uhm, I just wanted to be sure that is this my bill? Or it was someone else's bill”

Out of concern, the waitress stared at the bill that Eleanor gave to her. “Ma'am, this is your bill. You ordered a cheeseburger and an apple drink, and that's what is inputted in there. And I am very sure there are no mistakes in the bill. I will leave now, please take your time and tell me when you're done”

“A thousand dollars”Eleanor said Silently. If it was back when they were still rich, that was no problem for her. But now that they were in serious bankrupt, she couldn't afford to spend such now. She didn't know what to do anymore, and the only thing she could think of was cry. She burst into tears not caring that she was in public.

Soon after, everyone eyes were on her, some felt pity for her while some others just mocked her. A man walked up to her and tapped her shoulder. She was jolted out of her cries as she looked up. She knew she would probably looked hideous after crying but who cares!!

“May I know the cause of a beautiful lady like you crying”The man asked out of pity.

The old and rich Eleanor would have shove him off immediately, but who knows, maybe he could help her pay the bills if she told him about her present predicament.

“I didn't know that the food I ordered was a thousand dollars. And I don't have that kind of money as of now”

He looked at her in surprise “Is that it? Is that why you decided to cry it out.”

Eleanor nod her head as she let some tears roll down her chubby cheeks.

The man called his attention to the waitress “Waitress, over here please.”

Not long enough the waitress moved over to where they were.

He hands over a thousand dollar bill to the waitress “Here, it's for this beautiful lady's food bill”

The waitress smiled in delight “And I'm guessing you're her boyfriend”

“No he's......”The man didn't allow Eleanor to finish so he quickly interrupted “Yes, she is my girlfriend”

The waitress smiled sweetly “Thats nice, you are both a great match”

The man smiled back “We are, aren't we. Thank you. We will take our leave now”

The man held Eleanor's hand as they both walked outside. Eleanor didn't bother asking him what was that for. He was her saviour who saved her from being disgraced back there. She would have been the centre of attention if this man didn't came up to help her.

Looking straight to the pair of blue eyes in front of her “Thank you so much for saving me back there”

“Its nothing.”

“Is there a way I can repay you. But not in money way of course, I don't have anything on me”

“That's okay. You can repay me later, when the time comes, I'll tell you”

Eleanor didn't quite understood what he meant by 'when the time comes. I'll tell you'

She didn't want to press further by asking, Hence, she kept shut. Soon enough, her phone buzzed and the caller ID states Father.

She looked at the man in front of her apologetically “I really need to take this, if you don't mind”

“No, no, I don't mind at all.”

Getting his approval, she quickly went to where was quiet to receive her call.

“Dad, what's wrong? Why the sudden call?” She asked with Curiosity, one thing she knew was that her Father rarely calls her, only if it was very important.

“Come home now!!” Her Father said with a final tone of command as he hung up the phone. She knew it was trouble.