Ready or not

All night Avery turned and twirled on her bed, unable to get any sleep until morning. She was anxious about meeting Fredrick, when she signed the papers, it would finalize whatever reverse chance laid between them, but she was more nervous about her brother. How could she just spring up on him that she was getting married.

“The story just won’t add up!” Avery thought.

She swished and wiggled like a worm on the bed, frustrated that she had to keep this a secret from Adrian.

“I’m so sorry AD, it’s just this one time. Forgive me” she prayed silently.

Her body finally came to rest, she allowed herself drift away in sleep, tucking her phone away.

“What?! You’re getting married? Fredrick I didn’t know you were dating any one” Attorney Alex exclaimed.

“There are many things you don’t know about me” Fredrick replied in the most indifferent way, concealing his fear that he might be making the most impulsive decision of his life.

Last night, he didn’t think that his sudden decision to get married would affect other areas of his life, he was only determined to make Nei-nei happy, but he was getting to realize that this wasn’t just another work-deal to sign. This was marriage, he had a whole wedding to plan, and Avery would move in with him.

“When? How? Is she pregnant? Why the rush?” Alex continued.

When Fredrick had strolled into his office asking him to make a Prenuptial Agreement, it hadn’t occurred to him that he would be making that Agreement to wed his friend off.

“Can we get it done? I have other businesses to handle” Fredrick replied, he was certain that if he allowed Alex probe into his business, he would break down and he couldn’t have that. He couldn’t be vulnerable now, he had to protect Nei-nei from the prying eyes of the Press and he couldn’t also have anybody find out that he was about to get married on contract, not even Alex.

Alex sighed worriedly, but he also understood that professionally, Fredrick’s decision wasn’t any of his business.

“Well, you know the usual prenuptial agreement that we have, in the case of a divorce, your wife will take half your net worth as emotional support and…”

“No!” Fredrick exclaimed, startling Alex.

“Write this instead, “in the case of a divorce after one year, I will pay her off with the sum of ten million dollars.” Fredrick replied.

“Well, that is fair” Alex shrugged, he had a feeling that something was off about the marriage.

Having worked with Fredrick Hughson for almost nine years, they were practically friends now, he knew that Fredrick was far from husband-material, and the fact that he even considered it overnight was nothing short of a miracle.

“I’ll have the paperwork done in three hours” Alex confirmed.

“Make it thirty minutes” he said in that authoritative manner that Avery hated.

At that moment, his mind shifted to his wife to-be, he silently blamed her for Nei-nei’s decision to get them married.

All she had to do was stay quietly, smile and say goodbye, instead, she went ahead to be charming, confusing Nei-nei about the chemistry between them.

“It’s ready!” Alex announced.

“Competent” Fredrick nodded as Attorney Alex handed over the drafting of the Paperwork.

He read it over and over again, everything was perfect in the way he wanted. The only problem was that he had forgotten Avery’s surnames.

Alex looked at him horridly, “are you sure about this Freddie?” Alex asked, concerned now as a friend.

“It’s only a name” he retorted indifferently. He pulled out his phone and dialed on Avery.

“Avery! For Christ’s sakes!” Adrian exclaimed as he stepped into her room searching for the phone that was ringing tirelessly, he still couldn’t explain how she could sleep through the persistent ringing tone blaring from her phone.

“Avery, I think it’s important. It won’t stop ringing” he said shaking her gently but Avery was fast asleep. Looking at her intently, he noticed the eye-bags underneath her eyes and immediately concluded that she needed the rest.

“Hello, this is Adrian. Can I take a message?” Adrian said politely as he clicked the answer button.

Fredrick was astonished by the impressive voice of the receiver, what he could not explain was the sudden anger that accompanied the surprise.

“I need to speak with Avery, put her on the phone” Fredrick replied sternly, his tone depicting his angry emotion.

“She’s sleeping at th…”

“Wake her!” Fredrick raged cutting Adrian in.

“Avery, Avery” Adrian called as he shook his sister,

Fredrick listened on patiently, his heart racing with anger at the though that his wife to-be was living with another man.

Contract marriage or not, he was going to put an end to their relationship. He couldn’t have rumors going round about the wedding.

Alex silently observed his expression harden as he spoke on the phone. Knowing him too well, he could tell that he was clearly angry at something.

“There’s a scary man on the phone” Adrian said weakly after he had successfully woken his sister.

Without looking at the screen, she pressed the phone to her ear and began

“Hello…”

“Where are you?! I’m coming to get you” Fredrick blurted out, he himself completely shocked by the sudden change of heart when he only wanted to ask her name.

“I’m at home” Avery answered groggily, her brain hadn’t registered the voice on the phone because she was still half-asleep.

“I’ll be there soon” Fredrick said as he hung up.

“I’ll text the name” he said, directing his gaze at Alex as he walked out of the office.

Adrian sat by his sister’s bedside staring at her with sympathy and wondering about the arrogant man. He was sad about the kind of disrespectful treatment she tolerated only to make ends meet for the both of them. He gently removed the phone from her ear and placed it on the table.

Suddenly, he noticed a beautiful little dress on the chair in the room, it looked too expensive to be owned by Avery. He heaved a sigh at the thought that she had broken her savings only to buy a dress, although he was more concerned about the reason.

“A.D!” Avery called in a low voice at the sight of her younger brother.

“Awake?” he said excitedly as he crossed over to her bedside.

“Where’s my phone?” She asked amidst stretches.

Adrian quickly grabbed the phone and handed it to her.

“My goodness!!!” Avery exclaimed.

“How could you let me sleep this much? It way past noon”

“It’s almost evening” Adrian teased.

“By the way, who was that scary man?” Adrian asked curiously.

“What scary man?”

Adrian snatched the phone from her and showed the screen to her.

The initials read “F.H”

“Him, he called” Adrian said.

Fredrick took a turn to the right, passing by the exact spot he first met Avery, he caught himself smiling as he remembered the shock on his face when she demanded for settlement.

“Spectacular” he muttered, he quickly shook the daze off him as he pulled over at Avery’s house.

This must be it, he thought.

He took the time to straighten his designer suit, making sure it fit flawlessly. He looked effortlessly graceful and exuded confidence as he made his way towards the door he suspected to be Avery’s, mentally preparing to assert his dominance over the man he encountered on the phone.

As he knocked on the door, his mind replayed the tensed exchange between he and Adrian, he would be sure to introduce himself as Avery’s husband to-be.

A few seconds faded into a few minutes, then finally, the door was creaked open by a man he suspected as Avery’s boyfriend.

Adrian was surprised by the imposing figure that stood at their doorstep, Fredrick’s piercing gaze locked onto Adrian’s innocent face and without an utterance of a word, the tension in the air grew thicker. Adrian leaned in slightly, his voice dropped to a feeble tone,

“w…who are you looking for?” he stuttered.

“Avery Graham” he announced. Fredrick was taken aback by the sudden remembrance of a name that had brought him to this doorstep.

“Avery Graham Bells” he repeated.

The man before him couldn’t help but feel uneasy, he felt the need to protect his sister from this imposing gentleman.

Adrian closed the door behind him as he stepped outside.

“What do you want with her?” He replied, his eyes sparkling with recovered energy and composure.

“She’s my wife to-be” Fredrick exclaimed, his words dripping with authority.

Adrian struggled to believe him, this man had gotten his sister’s name right but that didn’t mean he was qualified to call Avery his fiancée.

“A.D!” Avery called out, interrupting the tension that was brewing outside.

She pushed the door open and was beaten by surprise at the sight of the figure in a designer suit peering at her brother with the determination to dominate him.

“Fredrick!”

“Are you getting married?” Adrian asked with abating anger. Avery had never seen him this furious, she was worried that something serious had transpired between them to make him this angry.

“Yes, we are” Fredrick replied, unaware of the situation that Adrian was Avery’s brother.

“I am against it” Adrian declared, his core shaking with anger.

“Adrian, it has already been decided” Avery interceded, her heart sank at Adrian’s reaction to the announcement. She had decided against telling him until the time was right for this very reason, Avery was surprised at the petty side Fredrick displayed. She hated the drift that he had caused her.

“Why are you marrying him? Is he the reason you bought that trendy dress?” Adrian continued with tears building up in his eyes.

“Adrian please…”

“We don’t need your permission to be married” Fredrick retorted.

“Yes, you do. This is my brother, my only family, can you stop talking down on him?!” Avery yelled, she was getting frustrated with his incessant pettiness.

At this realization, Fredrick’s shoulder dropped in defeat, he felt embarrassed at his pettiness, but his determination remained unchanged, he had to marry Avery.