Why all these efforts

Later that Evening,

Tricia’s Apartment …

Tricia flinched slightly as a loud bang came on her door, the knock was loud, seemed impatient and continuous.

She huffed silently as she wiped her hands dry and walked towards the door, not bothering to take the kitchen apron off her body.

“Who’s there?!” She asked continuously a little above her voice as she made her way towards the door, but it seem like whoever was there decided to suddenly play mute.

She reached for the door knob gently twisted it and pulled it open, the door opened revealing an handsome guy, he was putting on a casual white shirt over a pair of stone washed blue jeans, he had a stud on his left ear and she unconsciously began to compare his looks with Harold’s.

“You’re not ready?!” Carl asked after siezing her from head to toe as his eyes slowly returned to her face.

“Ready for what?!” She answered with a question, the frown on her face deepening in confusion.

“We haven’t got all day, my boss doesn’t like to be kept waiting!”

“Who is your boss and what has he got to do with me?!” Tricia snapped, her patience gently wearing out as she stared at him.

“Look, I think you’ve got the wrong house,” she added in a mutter as she stepped back from the door.

“I have a lot of things to do,” Just as she was about to close the door, Carl stretched his left foot forward preventing her from doing so.

He gently brought out his phone from his pocket and held it out to her, turning the screen in her direction so she could read what was written on it.

She gently leaned in closer squinting her eyes as she tried to read it, her eyes went wide and her hands flung to her mouth as she stood up straight, immediately she knew exactly who set her up.

“Argghhh,” she growled her hands tightening into a fist, if she could lay her hands on Jane right now she could literally tear her into pieces.

“I have been instructed to carry you by force all the way there if need be!” He added, his voice clear and calm as if he wasn’t a bearer of bad news for her at the time.

She slowly turned back into the house and she saw Jane standing a few meter away, her box beside her, fully packed and ready to go.

“Really?!” Tricia mouthed.

“I love you sis!” Jane whispered in reply.

*****

“What are we doing here?!” Tricia asked, her voice suddenly tensed as she sat up in the chair and leaned in closer to Carl in the driver seat.

“An hotel?! Why am I supposed to meet your boss in an hotel!”

“Don’t play with me and stop the darn car!” She growled hitting Carl repeatedly on his back.

“What exactly do you and your boss take me for!” She yelled angry, Carl gently parked in the parking lot as if her blows were just feathers hitting him.

He turned off the ignition and slowly turned to her,

“Relax, …”

“How can you tell me to relax!” She growled cutting him off.

“You told me we’re going to your boss and now to bring me to an hotel ?! To do what exactly! I already told your boss I’m not interested in being his personal sex worker! How dare he deceive me?!”

“Personal what?!” Carl gasped his eyes growing wider.

“Harold wouldn’t do that! He won’t even engage the service of a call girl, he’s far more responsible than that,” he added, she rolled her eyes and scoffed.

“I don’t understand, Harold that …”

“Look, you’re going to meet my boss alright, but not like this,” he said, gently cutting her off as he looked at her from head to toe.

“You really don’t look that good, we need to glam you up,”

“Glam me up?! For someone that has already seen me at my worst?! Ohh please!” She muttered.

“I have no idea what that means, but can we get going now?! We don’t have a lot of time,” he said, she took her lips in her mouth, passed him one hard stare before reaching for the door and stepping out.

****

Harold stared down at his watch for the umpteenth time, Carl called about twenty minutes ago to say that they were few minutes away and they still hadn’t arrived.

He gently tapped his feet on the floor, effortlessly generating a rhythm, all day he couldn’t take his mind off Tricia, it seemed like she had him under a spell.

He couldn’t remember the last time he liked someone by just setting an eye on them, maybe because it had never happened to him. But everything about Tricia was so different.

The doorbell rang and he gently rose up from his seat buttoning his tuxedo.

The door slowly went open and Tricia appeared at the door, Harold’s jaw dropped as he stared at her, he blinked and swallowed hard.

Carl raised his hands behind Tricia in a thumbs up, before closing the door behind her and leaving them to do their thing, but Harold couldn’t be any less bothered to pay any attention to him.

His eyes were glued on Tricia, she looked so out of the world right now as she clutched her purse tightly and began to take slow steady steps towards him.

She wore a floor-length, deep shade of purple gown that gracefully flowed with each step she took.

The gown featured delicate lace accents and a subtle mermaid silhouette, which accentuated her curves. Her hair was meticulously styled in loose, cascading curls, framing her face in a soft, romantic manner. The subtle shimmer of her makeup highlighted her big brown eyes, with a smoky eye shadow and a hint of rosy blush on her cheeks.

Completing the look, Tricia wore a pair of stiletto heels that added a touch of sophistication to her look, she was very used to putting on shoes this inches high so she slayed it effortlessly and Harold couldn’t be any less impressed.

Tricia could tell Harold’s eyes was intently on her and she grew more nervous, she suddenly forgot how to walk.

“You look stunning,” Harold whispered as soon as she got to him, she nodded stiffly not able to meet his eyes.

“Thank you, you look good too!”

“Here, have a seat,” he said to her as he pulled out a chair for her.

“Thank you,” she whispered taking her seat.

“Why did you do all these?!” Tricia asked finally taking in her environment, her eyes darting across the dinning room, it was then she noticed petals of flower delicately and beautifully lining the path to the dinning room, she also noticed beautiful scented candles adnorning the dinning table, everything looked quite exquisite.

“Why all these efforts?!” She asked he shook his head lightly as he picked up a napkin on the table and laid it on his legs.

“Nothing, I just wanted to welcome you properly!” He replied.

“Welcome me properly?! As what?!”

“You ask to many questions Trish, consider this as a first date okay?!”

“Trish?!” She muttered finally looking up at him and holding his gaze.

“Yeah like Patricia, Tricia, Trish,” he replied, she rolled her eyes and looked away from him.

“I don’t even know you enough for you to further shorten my name!” She muttered also picking up another napkin and spreading it on her legs.

“Well that’s why you’re going to get to know me!” He said as he picked up a spiral binded paper beside him and slammed gently with a soft thud in front of her.

“What’s that?!” She asked.

“A compilation of important events in my life, and some little other details,”

“I also did a little modification to how we met,” he added, she rolled her eyes to the back of her head with a small scoff.

“So what am I supposed to do with this?!”

“Memorize it ofcourse!, we’re meeting with my parents tomorrow!”

Her eyelids flung open immediately as she glanced up at him.

“Y-your P-pa-parents?!” She stuttered her heart beat suddenly accelerating.

“You agreed to be my wife on contract didn’t you expect to meet my parents?!” He replied with a small shrug.

“Well not this early!” She snapped.

“Why not?! My parents can’t wait to see you!” He replied with a small smile.

“You told them about me?!” She whispered wide eyed and he nodded slowly.

“I did,” he whispered.

“Although i told them about you before we met, so there are somethings about yourself I put there too that you need to memorize!”

“You’re kidding me right ?! You want me to lie about who I am?! I’m sorry I can’t do that!”

“You’re already lying so what’s the big deal with that?!”

“You’re forcing me to do this!” She gritted between her teeth.

“Uh?! Nah nah nah! You agreed to do this!” He corrected swaying his index finger left and right.

She bit the corner of her lips silently cursing, blaming Jane for her woes, she gently picked up the book from the dinning table and opened a random page.

“You were married?!” She asked, her eye brows furrowed as she suddenly looked away from the book and up at him.

“You shouldn’t dwell on that! Move ahead!” He replied curtly and Tricia’s frown deepened, wondering why the sudden change of mood.