Bryan's POV
I couldn't believe my ears. What was my dad saying? "I'm getting married?!" I asked. It sounded like an awful dad joke to me. I sincerely hoped it was.
My dad laughed. "You make it sound as if I'm forcing you into marriage now. You are still going to get married in your early twenties, don't worry."
I let out a mild sigh of relief, letting myself relax into the chair, inhaling the familiar scent of coffee that his home office had.
My dad had asked to see me immediately he came back from work. "You are getting married," he'd said when I entered his office. I was frightened by his sudden words. 'What brought about marital discussion this evening?' I'd thought.
"Remember Mr. A I told you about last week?
"Yes! The one that owes you 52 million," I recalled. "Have you found a way to deal with him?"
"I have. A very good way to deal with him indeed." He scoffed.
"So... what's the... deal? I asked, wondering what mischievous idea my dad had come up with.
He smiled sweetly making me shiver. Someone meeting him for the first time would think he is nice and caring just by looking at his smile, this smile in particular. How deceptive is this man?
"I decided to forget about the debt and also support his family by getting a decent job for him and his wife, as well as a brand new car. Plus, I will be paying the school fees of his children and other stuff like that-"
I was impressed at what he had said so far thinking that he might not not be as heartless as I thought he was. I was so wrong, however.
"-if only..." he continued. "If only his first daughter gets married to you in the nearer future."
"What?!" My head started spinning. So that's why he told me that I was getting married. "Dad, why?!"
"Come on son, it is a harmless thing. The girl is very pretty, she's courteous too and seems like wife-material."
"So?! What is my concern with her prettiness or her courteous-ness?" I yelled. "Does that mean I want or would want to marry her? How can you arrange a marriage between me and Mr. A's daughter because of whatever conflict you have with him? Like, must you involve the children?"
"Don't use that tone on me. Don't question my actions either. You will marry her. That's final!" He laid emphasis on the last two words.
"And how does the girl feel about this? Have you even met her in real life? Who suggested this as a remedy?" I couldn't think straight. Everything was so confusing.
"For your information, I was the one who suggested this as a remedy. And yes, I've met the girl before, I met her today. She also threw a tantrum when she found out, her tantrum was even more than the one you are throwing now." He gave me a quick disgusted look. "Also... I'm setting up a meeting for the both of you, you guys can talk and get to know each other better then."
I was hit with another bombshell before I even recovered from the first one. "I still don't get it. What do I stand to gain in all of this? What do you stand to gain in all this?"
"You will gain a wife that is respectful, smart and hardworking, diligent and loyal, rather than any random rich spoiled brat. What I will gain? Unfortunately, that's none of your business."
I gasped slightly. "How are you even sure she has all those good qualities?" I asked, ignoring the fact that he spoke so cruelly, completely disregarding whatever little feelings of mine could get hurt by his words.
"I have a talent of seeing through people," he said. "That's how I know."
"But-"
"No buts. You can go now... this discussion is over."
I exhaled deeply. I had to conceal all the words, emotions and thoughts I so badly wanted to express. I was angry. I was confused. But I couldn't say anything, I had to be an obedient son, so I stood up and left without saying a word.
"Get ready to meet her this Saturday!" he said as I was about closing the door. I silently hissed and retired to my room.
"Dinner is ready, Bry.," Flora told me as I lay on my bed like a helpless person. I looked at her, she had been taking her break up with Micheal and the hurt of his betrayal very well. "I'm gonna skip dinner. I'm not very hungry."
"Okay! I know something's bothering you but I won't bug you about it, when you're ready, tell me." She walked over to my bed and sat down at it's edge. "How was the talk with dad?"
I sighed. "Not so well." Before she could inquire further, I asked, "Has dad told you about Mr. A? Some classmate of his that was a successful businessman?"
"The one that has been taking money from dad for years?"
"Yeah! When did he tell you about that?"
"It was mum that told me. It was an awkward discussion, she never looked at me as she talked. She just stared at inanimate objects and looked at random things like they were trash. Typical mum, I guess."
"Yeah. When was that?"
"Just a few minutes ago. While you were talking with dad. She told me that dad decided to forget about Mr. A's debt and give him and his wife stuff, she didn't mention what the stuff was though...", she paused for a few seconds. "Where was I?"
I laughed. "Dad decided to give Mr A and his wife stuff," I reminded her.
"Ehen! She said that daddy would give Mr. A stuff if only Mr. A ensures something happens. I was wondering why she was telling me that, it was, weird. After she finished talking, she did not even wait for my response sef, she just walked out of the room."
"Typical mum!" I chimed. "Did she tell you what Mr. A had to ensure?"
"No, she didn't. Did dad tell you about Mr. A? What sort of name is Mr. A sef?"
"Mr. A is just something dad calls him, maybe it's an initial of the man's actual name. I don't know, and I don't care."
"Ha ha! Mr. A!" she mocked.
I laughed at her silly antics. "Anyway, from what dad told me, the thing Mr. A has to ensure is the marriage between his daughter and me." I raised my head to see her expression. She looked confused. 'Did I say it too quick?' I thought.
"Wait, sorry, you lost me. You are getting married to his daughter?"
"Yep!"
"That's madness! Why should you have to give up your future happiness because of Mr. A's foolishness and irresponsibility?"
"Na person's father that you dey call foolish and irresponsible."
"Bryan shut up. You don't know how to speak pidgin so just forget about it. And what is my business if he is someone's father? He was foolish and irresponsible."
"Still Flora, you shouldn't say such." She hissed while I just sighed. "Dad told me that Mr. A's daughter is also not happy about it. You know, at this moment, I have hard feelings towards her, whoever she might be, but what's happening to us is unfair. We don't deserve to suffer because of our dads and their decisions. And I also don't want to be in a loveless marriage... I don't even want to think about marriage now. I just want a normal teenage life." I exhaled deeply and sat up, leaning on my sister's body so that she can pat my back.
If there's anything I'm grateful for, it's the relationship I have with my sister. We had to become best friends since our parents were always busy acting weird and crazy.
"This is not fair at all!" she comforted me. "And you and Isabelle are getting closer these days."
"Yeah! I... I don't want to have another girl on my mind. I want to daydream about me and Isabelle, perhaps even daydream about marrying her, but now, I have to think about my fiancée. My life is so messed up right now."
Flora patted me on my back gently as I thought of Isabelle. I got informed from Sharon, just today, that she likes me. And though I know that she will never let me date her, I wanted to tell her that I liked her or something, but now, I have a wife-to-be to think of and force myself to like. I groaned inwardly. Why me? Why?!
Suddenly, the door flung open startling me and Flora. "Why aren't you guys at the dining table? I've been waiting." It was mom. Speaking with no emotion, staring at the wall instead of looking at us, talking as if she was reading words from a piece of paper. She sharply turned to me, glaring at me and rolling her eyes. Then she left as quickly as she came.
"Weird!" Flora and I exclaimed simultaneously as mom left.
"I think I should go downstairs and have dinner. Should I ask the cook or someone to send your food here?"
I really was not in the mood to eat so I told her 'no'. Flora left and I was all alone with my thoughts. I sighed.
Grabbing my phone from my bedside table, I decided to check my messages and missed calls. I found out that Chinonye, Belema and Peter were on a group call so I joined them.
'Look at the latecomer," Belema announced.
"Sorry guys, I was just having a bad day."
"Cheyah! Are you hurt because Isabelle is not feeling fine?" Chinonye teased.
"It's not that. Far from that actually." I told them.
"So you have gist. Aya start talking abeg. We've run out of things to talk about," Belema admitted.
"Guys!" Peter finally spoke. "I have to call Sharon right now. I promised her that I'll call her."
"Are you guys dating?" I asked
"Getting there!" He said before he left the group call.
Belema hissed. "All these young lovebirds around me!" He hissed again. "Aya Bryan start talking. What's the gist?"
"You'll never believe what's happening to me." I told them.
"Anyhow. Anyhow. We'll find a way to believe it," Chinonye convinced.
"Bryan abeg talk!" Belema added.
I took a deep breath and told them all about Mr. A and my arranged marriage.
"Ha! Your life has turned to Nollywood film oo!" Belema exclaimed.
"No be small oo! What will happen to you and Isabelle na?" Chinonye added.
"I don't know oo. I'm just so tired. And my mum has been looking at me up-and-down since." I hissed. "I don't just know what to do."
"Chai! I feel for you!" Chinonye consoled in a very mocking way.
"Hmmm! Who has done Chems. assignment?" Belema changed the topic making me feel rather sad, he couldn't even comfort me or at least attempt to.
"Not me!" I said.
"Same! It's like I'll dub it from Isabelle or somebody tomorrow." Chinonye contributed.
"Dey play! Who told you say Isabelle would give you her assignment for you to dey dub."
"Bryan please shut up!"
"I swear! Your pidgin is horrible, just stop trying. Be the ajebo boy who speaks only good English."
"I don't blame you people."
"You don't need to blame us." Belema reassured. "Anyway, I'm going. Let me find a way to do Chemistry assignment. I don't want Mr. Akpanisi's wahala. Bye guys!" With that, he left the call.
"I'll go too then. I need to talk to my gf."
"When will you tell us who you are dating?" I asked Chinonye.
"When I'm ready." He left the call, and once again, I was all alone with my thoughts.
A/N: The end of the fifth chapter guys. What do you think? How do you see Mr. Jide so far? Do you like or hate him? What do you think of Bryan's mum also? And how was Bryan's pidgin?
Please share your thoughts with me by commenting. And please vote too.
Sorry for not putting slang meanings. I sincerely apologize.
Thanks for reading!