Married at First Sight

Chapter 7 - Helen Hanks

Just when she thought everything was going great, this had to happen. Throughout the whole argument, Chris held her hand tight, a silent reassurance.
  "Why don't you just go. This is not up to you, Mother." He said adamantly. "Let me walk you out."
  "I know where the door is." She put her pen and her cheque book back in her bag and stood up. She walked towards the door but then stopped beside Chris staring at him angrily.
  "Christian, you better get a divorce today or you'll regret it." Christian waved his hand at her and she walked away. Summer gave a sigh of relief and Chris placed a hand over her shoulder pressing her close to him.
  "You are the first girl who has ever stood up to mother." He laughed.
  "What? Did I not show your mother enough respect?" She replied sarcastically. Chris shook his head.
  "Quite the contrary, I fucking loved it." He smiled at her and she smiled back. He loved the fact that she was bold and brave and not scared to express her feelings, no matter who you were. That was what made him love her even more.
  "Come on, let me drive you to work baby." He said then led her outside to his car. Cecelia didn't pick him up today, he had told her he wanted to come himself. They both got in and out on their seatbelt. Well, Summer struggled to get hers in but it just wouldn't budge.
  "Let me..."
  "No no, I've got it, just give me a minute." She said. She wanted to do it herself. She wasn't some damsel in distress. After struggling for a while she gave up.
  "Let me help you." Chris reached for the belt and locked it in. He was strong and tough she wonder how he did that. Or was it because she had spaghetti as arms?
  "Wouldn't want you to go late then get written up and get called into the boss' office." He said ironically. She laughed. What a clown.
They got to the parking lot close to the office and Summer asked him to stop. The last thing she wanted was people seeing them together and gossiping about her sleeping with her boss and spreading false rumors.
  "What's wrong?"
  "Just let me off here, I'll walk down. I don't want people seeing us together." She confessed. Chris nodded. He understood the implications. He wasn't ready to announce he was married to her just yet. He just needed a little more time. But he didn't care what people said anyways.
  "How long do you plan to hang around my company for?" Summer knew he wasn't staying long. Just temporarily and then he would go find another company's journal to purchase.
  "I don't know, till I'm bored?" He stated. She nodded. Life of a rich entrepreneur. He could do whatever he wanted. "And who cares what people say about us?" He asked.
  "I do. I'm too competent for people to call me a bimbo gold-digger." His mum's impression really left a number on her, now she was just paranoid of anyone else saying the same thing. Chris laughed. Bimbo gold-digger? Really? Her sense of humor was off the roof.
  "Okay." Whatever she wanted. As long as she was happy. "I guess I'll see you in there." He looked at her lips longingly. She sensed that but smiled and didn't give him what he wanted.
  "Bye" she unbuckled her seatbelt and got out the car, making sure to protrude her ass in the sexiest way possible. Chris knew exactly what she was doing. He smiled. She was definitely the one.

  "Oh my gosh, is that Helen Hanks?"
  "She's my favorite actress."
  "First Mr Norton, now Helen Hanks, this place is swarming with celebrities."
Summer was just coming from the printing room no less than 30 minutes than she arrived at the office. People were busy gossiping around and she wondered what all the fuss was about. She sat on her desk, a bunch of files in her hand. Jess wasn't at work today. She had called in sick. So she wanted to help her out with some of her paperwork. She looked up at her computer and from the corner of her eye, saw Chris' mother. Oh no. What was she doing here? Following her was a pretty, busty, dark skinned lady. She was thick in all the right places, he hair glimmered in the sunlight and her skin just glowed. She had dark shades on and expensive jewelry as well. Oh, she had seen Helen Hanks on a show before, but she never liked the show. Mrs Norton seemed to be scanning the office for Summer. Summer looked down hoping and praying she wouldn't see her. But, she was unlucky.
Mrs Norton walked to her desk, Helen, following her closely. Summer shifted in her seat, an uncomfortable smile on her face.
  "This is Helen, Christian's childhood friend." She introduced. Summer knew where this was going, but she had to be nice at least. First impressions mattered.
  "Hi, Summer Cale, nice to meet you." She extended a hand. Helen moved back, a look of disgust on her face as if she was somenkind of disease or something.
  "Sorry, I just washed my hands." She remarked. How quaint. Summer wished she could slap herself for being nice to her. How bad she wanted to snap back at her, but she didn't. Mrs Norton turned to face everyone in the office.
  "I'm Christian's mother and I'd like you all to meet his fiancee, Helen Hanks." She announced and Helen faced them and gave a queen wave, smiling widely. Everyone nodded their heads in approval and gossiped too. "And let this be a friendly reminder to all you gold diggers..." She turned to face Summer at the word, then turned back to them. "... trying to crawl your way into high class." She them turned to face Summer again, gave a grin and walked towards Chris's office, Helen right on her tail. Summer sat down. Her heart thumped in her chest. Why did it hurt? Why did she feel her whole world came crumbling down? For the first time since she met Chris, tears welled up in her eyes. But she held them back. But Chris didn't want her, right? This was just his mother trying to chase her away and force Helen into his life. She didn't know what to think anymore, she stood up and went to the bathroom. She shut the door behind her and bit her lips hard. Gosh, why couldn't she had this one thing? Uninterrupted Happiness. She poured water on her face and rubbed her eyes. She wasn't the make up kind of person. So she could rub her face all she wanted. She really needed to talk to someone but no one knew she was married. Not even Jess. She wanted to keep it that way. She didn't want her secret all over town. It would be unbearable. She breathed. Composure, composure. She had been all about composure and she was not about to lose it. She looked in the mirror, wiped her face dry with her handkerchief and smiled. She knew she would be fine.  She had Christian. She proceeded to walk out the door, then then it swung open and Helen walked in.
  "I know about you and Christian."
Oh no. Not this bitch.
  "I've always liked Christian. See, I would've married him a long time ago but, my acting career was jusy getting started."
  "That was your choice. I had nothing to do with it." Summer snapped. Why was all the hate taken out on her? Helen heaved.
  "Now that my career is settled, and I'm on the A list, my PR team..." She stopped them retraced her words. "I mean, I, think it's the perfect time to get married." She smiled. "Christian and I will be together soon." She walked towards Summer and whispered him her ear. "Very soon."
Summer had had enough of this nonsense. She came her to clear her head, not get confronted by Helen. She tried to get past her but Helen kicked her in the stomach. Summer fell to the floor in pain.
  "Stop with the melodramatics. I didn't do anything." She laughed.
  "Just get out of my way." Summer tries to stand up but the pain was immense. Helen rolled her eyes and left the rest room, locking her inside. She took the sign from the other toilet door "out of order" and placed it on the door she locked Summer in.
  "What no, please, let me out." Summer screamed.

Chris examined the proposal his mother brought him. What even was she doing at his office? Why couldn't she understand that he was desperately in love with Summer and nothing she could say would make him leave her.
  "Now that Helen has agreed to marry you, you can finally divorce that woman and don't you worry, I'll get you the best lawyer." His mother spoke, seated opposite him, with Helen by her side.
  "Christian, please don't be mad at me." Helen said in the sweetest voice she could muster. Christian tossed the file in front of them.
  "I never wanted to marry Helen." Yes she was a childhood friend, but she was just a friend. Nothing else. He never had any feelings for her whatsoever. Helen and Mrs Norton looked at each other and shook heads. "Summer is and will always be my wife. I suggest you should just leave before you embarrass yourself" he pointed the door to them.
  "Is that how you talk to your mother? I only want what's best for you. I don't want to see you throw everything away on that thing, when you can have Helen Hanks." She said again. Helen patted her hands.
  "If you ever speak about my wife that way again, I'll..."
  "It's okay Mrs Norton, let's give Chrissy some space, he'll come around." Helen interrupted. How he hates being called Chrissy, but Helen loved it. He turned away from them. Cecelia barged into his office.
  "Sir, Miss Cale passed out in the restroom." She said, urgency in her voice. Chris sprung to his feet and raced to the bathroom. She was there, unconscious, what even happened?
  "Get the car! Hospital, now!" He lifted her. Cecelia nodded and left to get the car ready.