Pia was sitting on the table with all her friends, apparently, they had planned to eat out today because Mia's father is visiting. And as she had suspected, today they are finalizing the wedding. Pia felt relieved for some reason, but somehow in a small corner, she also felt bad, for no apparent reason, maybe because whatever happened that night, she was still hiding it from her friends, and she never did hide anything from them.
"Mr. D'Silva, I am grateful for this meeting" Christopher said as they took their seats a little far away from the girls. "So am I, your father had kept a proposal of a business marriage with my daughter, so that we can unite in more than just as business partner, he thinks my daughter can be your perfect partner." Christopher nodded. "Yes, he told me that when he forced me to attained your party."
That party, that night, which had changed many, many things between him and Pia. He closed his eyes and the image of her moaning his name flashed in front his eyes. He shook his head. "Are you alright son?" He asked Christopher. "Yes, I am fine sir, Just a little headache nothing much." Christopher said. "So back on the topic, whatever I have, will be of my daughter Mia, eventually, and Pia will inherit her aunt's side of business. As my late wife had wished for."
"I don't think I am interested in knowing what properties shall your daughters be getting sir, I am just here to sign the contract for the deal and the marriage comes as a part of it." Christopher informed. "Yes, I know Christopher, you are just agreeing to this marriage because of your father and mother, but I want to ask you this, have they told you which daughter you should marry?" Christopher shook his head in no.
"Now let me ask my question again, which of my daughter you think you should marry?" "What kind of question is that sir? Of course, Mia is the choice in any world if we go around logically." George D' Silva chuckled at his answer. "Son, marriage cannot be done logically. Neither can love, both are so much illogical choices most of the time, my advice, listen to your heart and then decide whom you wish to marry, close your eyes and tell me who do you see, she is your choice in any world, because she had somehow captured your heart"
He followed the instruction, knowing he will not see anyone, because his heart cannot love, nor it is interested in any one that way. But as soon as he closed his eyes her face floated in front of his eyes. "Pia" He whispered. "You have your answer son, and that is the one you should marry." "B...But I don't harbour any kind of feelings towards her. Why should I marry her?" He asked. "You said yourself, it is a business proposal, isn't it? Think it like this, you will be getting the one whom you know better, and whom you can tolerate more."
"I don't know... should I" George patted his back "Think about it hard and then, let me know your answer, but let me tell you, I will be happier if you marry Pia, if you agree." "And if I choose Mia?" he asked. "Mia is not going to choose you I am afraid, she made that clear to me today, but if you don't agree then too, I shall do the deal, you can be assured of that. And another thing you can sure about is, Pia is going to leave for India sooner than you think. She have issues, many she kept hidden from everyone."
"Like her adoption?" Christopher asked. "One of many secrets, and she needs someone to make her understand that sometimes she can trust herself and her secrets to someone else too." Christopher knew that she wasn't very open to her feelings, same as him and she doesn't trust anyone very easily same as him. But can they trust each other with their deepest darkest secret? Can they?
"I will let you know, Sir" Christopher told him as Pia was watching them. "I think the meeting is done, and he agreed to baba's terms, so Mia, ready to be called Mrs. Woodland?" Pia asked. Mia smiled at her innocent question. She knew very well that even if Pia felt bad about this marriage, she will never reveal this to her or her father, because that silly girl puts everyone's happiness before hers. "Baba, what happened?" Pia asked George.
"Nothing, I have given him a little condition, and he told me he will think about it and let me know." "Well he would be fool to refuse the proposal and marry such a wonderful girl" Mia shared a secretive smile with her father.
"Miss Ray, can I talk to you for a moment?" All of them looked at Christopher and suddenly he felt very uneasy. This girl has a little too much defenses surrounding her. It is not going to be very easy to get her alone if he wished to.
"Go, see what he needs we will be waiting for you here." "but..." Mia pushed her towards him, he caught her in time. She straightened herself. "S...sorry Sir" She reminded herself that he soon will be his brother-in-law and she cannot just keep falling like this over him, even if she is born clumsy.
"When you will stop falling like this Miss Ray?" He asked, though she wasn't sure if he was angry or plainly annoyed. "Come we need to discuss something." He took her outside. "Miss Ray, Mr. D' Silva had given me a very unique proposal, but I am not very sure if I am ready to take that proposal yet." "And you are asking my opinion sir? How am I supposed to know what you should do? I don't even know you very well. You should ask Forrest about this."
He doesn't like to hear his best friend's name from her mouth. "You don't know me, or you don't want to know me on purpose? Because you think he is better than me? Tell me what is the real reason behind this?" She pulled his hand off from her arm.
"He is my friend sir, there isn't any rule against making friends is it?" It is when you get too much friendly with my best friend. He wanted to convey but he stopped and stayed silent.
"I thought so, and even if I do get to know you, what good it will do to me? You are not my friend, and you are my sister's to be fiancé, it is not like we are going to stay together for me to get to understand you. If you were having this talk with Mia, then it could have been understandable, but me? It doesn't really make sense. Now if you please excuse me, I think I should return to my friends. And you should do whatever you were planning to do."
"Mr. D'Silva told me you were planning to leave Woodland, is it true?" he asked and she stopped and turned around. "Yes, I am and I think Mia can be a very good research assistant to you Sir. She is perfect. I have many things to take care of, including, my aunt's life long dream. So, yes, I would be leaving Woodland soon. And if you ask me, you should accept the proposal, because baba is wise and he never suggest something until it can benefit the person in long run."
When she left, he was just recalling her words All he can hear was how much she do not wish to stay here next to him. But he is not letting her go this easily. So, he for the first time will follow her advice, he cannot let her walk away, he is selfish yes, and he likes to fight with her, he likes the rush of energy she fills him with.
He is selfish, he always had been selfish, he had taken what he wanted always, he had done what he wished for. It was his stubbornness that had made him the best he can be, now how can he let the one opportunity to grow go away?
He has to have her; she cannot just leave as she wishes to. "Pia Ray, get ready you have lots to learn about me, and little pixie, I shall be caging you in my personal dungeon, You will know me My darling, for no one can escape me once I have set my sight on them." He told himself and called Mr. D' Silva. "Mr. D' Silva set the date for the engagement, I am ready" With that said he cut the call and drove away towards his destination.
George looked at Mia and nodded a yes. "We all need to go to shopping, a lot of thing we need to buy, and a very special outfit for my maid of honour Pia. She needs to look beautiful for the event." Everyone agreed. "But..." "Pia, you are my sister and I want you to look beautiful, is there something wrong in that?" Mia asked softly. "Ok, if you insist, but I am very tired today, can we go and sleep?" Pia asked. And they all nodded.
Pia was sound asleep when Disha asked "Now Mia, you are getting married, we should do a bachelorette party, what do you say?" Reva nodded, and Mia smiled. "I am not the bride guys, the bride is resting inside," Mia informed them. "What?" Reva exclaimed. "Quiet, I know I was the one who was suppose to marry Mr. Woodland, but I saw them outside the restaurant, I never saw pia like that, so relaxed in a man's company. Like she was in Christopher's also, I saw how he was looking at her. You only look someone like them when you share a deep bond with that person, a bond of love. But as both of them are stubborn, I think this will be the correct push."
"But hiding this from Pia... is it right?" Disha asked concerned. "I think it is alright. Pia is a kind of girl who will think she is responsible for everything wrong happening in my life and we do not want her to do that. She couldn't know until she gets to that place of engagement. If she knew it was her who is getting married to Mr. Woodland and not me, then she will surely try to do everything to make sure mine and his marriage occurs in spite of her own feelings towards the person. And Christopher, will never do agree to marry her again. Once she pulls this stunt. They are both very much stubborn and they will never accept that they need each other in their life. This way at least, we can make sure that Pia, finds true happiness. Don't you want that? To her to be happy?" Mia asked.
"I do, still, what if she disagrees about this upon finding out?" Mia smiled. "She will never, because one thing she always does is do what my father ask her to. For her he is her hero. Pia deserve to be happy, we all know what happened in her past don't we?" All of them nodded. "So, we shall make her the best bride the world had seen and make sure that Christopher cannot get his eyes off her." Reva said. "Something tells me Christopher doesn't cares if she is wearing rags, for him she is beautiful as she is right now" They all looked at their friend who was peacefully snoring away.
Pia woke up with the shrill ring of her phone. She looked at the time it was three in morning, who could be calling in such odd time. She saw the landline number from woodland. She jumped up on the bed, almost falling down and landing on her injured foot. She cried out loud. No one was home. They all were gone for shopping for Mia's wedding and as usual, Christopher kept her in with lot's of work, now they had only twelve days left before the big day, and Christopher had been avoiding her again. Not that it's matters.
She felt the pain subside a little and she picked up her phone. "Dr. Ray, we need you, there had been an emergency, an accident and there are no surgeons here to assist Dr. Woodland, he had requested your presence." Yes, right after she came from a long shift she fell to bed and fell asleep. She was tired but it was no excuse she had vowed to save lives, didn't she?...
"Dr. Ray, shall I tell sir that you will be attending the surgery with him?" The receptionist asked. "Prep the OT, I will be there in few." Pia told her. She stood up still in pain, still very tired. She changed her clothes and put her wayward hairs in bun and pulled a coat walking out in cold. She boarded a taxi, wondering if he did this on purpose. She only is an intern, why he wanted her to assist him?
He could have called Forrest for assistance but he didn't was it because he wasn't at the hospital all day long? No, it cannot be true he is getting married to her sister and she is thinking it all wrong. It must be an emergency that is why he needs her assistance. Only that. Nothing else. The hospital came into view, she is here, ok, let's see how it all goes.
Word Count: 2288 Words