MRS McCALL
White ceiling, blue-themed room. I blink a couple of times. "I am alive." I murmur to . The last thing I remember is falling into the middle of the road after a car hit . I thought that was the end of me and my miserable life, but it seems my time is up yet. I don't know whether to be happy about that or not, though. Wait. where I? This sure is not a hospital bed. This heavy-duty mattress, how many inches is it ? And this expensive white bed, I think it's what they call king or queen size?
Did I wake up in paradise or am I in the afterlife? My head hurts, but I pull myself up sit up, leaning backwards to support my bandaged head. I am glad I don't have bones, but a side of my hip hurts, alongside my bandaged head and arm.
The door opens, which is quite a distance from the bed because this room is enough to five more beds of the same size. A man walks in. American height, size body with finest jaws. This is a bit confusing now. If I got into an , wasn't I supposed to wake up in a hospital or in my house? Who is this, cold guy? His eyes are cold enough to command anybody to submit to whatever sin he summon, and I bet his voice would hold such demeanor too. His stand and confidence and authority. Where am I again?
"Who are you?" I ask, as he walks to stand beside me, giving me the honor of in his richly sweet scarlet scent. I have never smelled something as sweet as , and that is why the butterflies in my stomach are surprised.
"Your husband." His voice is as I expected - icy, cold, but sweet.
I swallow hard. First, I have never had a boyfriend, let alone a husband. Second, even I was to be married, it would have not been to this fine upright man. I can not fit in world, and he can't stoop so low to my own. We are like water and paraffin, or two roads, or better yet, heaven and earth. Thanks to that expensive joke he just there, I am smiling bitterly. My husband my left foot!
"How long have I been dead?" I ask, looking into his dark brown eyes.
"What?"
"Yeah! If I am married, that means I am in the afterlife. I did not have a boyfriend, not talk of being married before I got into that accident." I say, looking at this beautiful confusing stranger. How can he say I am his wife?
"I am not a bad person. I just did what I had to do. What I felt was right." He speaks, cold tone of voice as calm and soft as it can ever be, presumably.
"What do you mean?" He pulls out an envelope from the drawer beside the bed and it to me. "What's in it?" I ask, without showing any interest in accepting it.
These rich people are annoyingly weird.
"Check it."
I kick the blue duvet aside and get out of bed, grabbing the envelope from him and limping to the table near the window. I empty the contents of the envelope on table, and the first thing that catches my attention made my heart skip a beat. My 's ID? What is happening here? Did something bad happen to my mother?
"Why do you have my mother's ID? Where is she? Is she alright?" I rant nonstop to stranger. My heart feels so heavy all of a sudden. "Tell me she is okay."
"Relax. Your mother is perfectly fine. I just kept that as part of the agreement until wake, up so that I can confirm that she really is your mother." A calming , but more confusing.
"She is my mother." The shock on his face, huh? I smell a rat here. What just in the few hours I was unconscious? I am starting to tremble. Man! I hope didn't screw you too! Yack! "Why? What did she do? And why am I here? Who you and what is this place?"
"Everything is well explained in that contract."
"Cont... what?" What does me getting hit by a car and waking up in a strange house a strange person got to do with a freaking contract? It would have been self- if I woke up in a police cell, for mistakenly being accused of intentionally myself hit by a car so that I can demand for some compensation. I would also understood it if I woke up in a mental hospital, because I am sure I looked like a person on the road yesterday. But here? What can explain all this?
"Please, read it and understand every clause in it. It is important. Your.. mother signed part. But it's entirely your decision to agree to sign yours."
Whoa! I have a very bad feeling. What did you do mother? Why do I feel hurt already without knowing what this damn contract is all about?
"You know what Mr? My head is aching so much and my vision is a bit blurry due to pain. I may not be able to see well." I lie. The pain is not even severe in my head.
It is in my heart where the real pain is. I am so scared of what is in this contract. My has always had bad intentions for me, and I don't know the intensity of her . I know she can't sign me off for anything good. "I suppose you know the of this contract. Tell me what it says. Explain it bit by bit and in the most way possible. What did you and my mother agree upon?" I look straight into ice eyes, and he does not even blink as he does me the honor of giving me the of my life. No, actually, the heartbreak of my life!
"It's a contract stating that you will be officially my wife for five months. I am paying a hundred million for the five months you will stay with me." Period. The sky be turning red for the very first time, that is why even the air I am breathing now is not the normal oxygen. This one is suffocating. It's choking me.
Someone bring me back to earth, because I doubt it's where all this nonsense is . Since when did people's lives had a price tag on them? Who in this era has a huge amount to just give it away like that? And who at this age and era buys a ? What? Doesn't he know how to court a woman? From his looks and the amount is offering, he must be freaking stinking rich. So why can't he find a woman to ? Is he a shape-shifting vampire that no woman can stand? Wait, who brought this absurd idea?
"Who between you two came up with this idea?" I ask, my eyes maintaining their at him, and him being as icy as he looks, he doesn't blink still.
"I did." Well, at least it wasn't my mother. Now I feel relieved, and the air is fresh . But did she have to agree? That alone hurts, but it's less painful than... "Your proposed a different kind of deal first." Shit! Wait, double that shit.
"What did she propose?" I shoot at him.
"Are you sure you want...."
"Yes." I cut him off. "What kind of deal did my mother propose to you about me?"
"A million for your life. She wanted me to take you as whatever I wanted, for just a !" Everything stands still, and I forget how to breathe for a minute.
What..the..hell?
One drop. Two drops. Three drops. I have two streams of rivers flowing with tears my two chubby cheeks. What? I had a feeling this was going to hurt, but I didn't it would be this much. I have gone through so much pain - the pain of her , the pain of her insults, the pain of her slaps, the pain of always being on the end, everything has been painful for me in general. But this pain surpasses other pain I have felt before. Even all of my pains mixed together can not equal one. My mother sold me off to a stranger? And just for a mare one million? She busy trading me like a mare object while I lay unconscious on the hospital bed? I sure she didn't even care to find out who this man is. I was lying unconscious on hospital bed and all she was thinking about was how to get rid of me? What did I do to this woman? Trading me like mare garbage is the last straw. She doesn't me? She wants me out of her life? I am also tired of her. I am done hoping and she will change. I am freaking done trying to be a good daughter that I will be to her. This is the highlight of all your hatred towards me mother! I am so crying for you. I am done caring for you. Today, you have given me enough to do what's best for you and me.
I wipe away the tears, and look at this stranger. I don't think I have words for him now. What my mother has done is the only thing ringing in my head right now. I the pen from his shirt, and he is shocked at that, but I don't care. I open the , but he grabs my hand.
"Hey! If you don't want to go through with it, I won't force you. You still have the to back down. I will pay your mother what she asked so she won't cause ."
"Don't they say that parents, especially mothers, always know what is best for their ? This is what my mother thinks is best for me. I am an adult, and I have no whatsoever. I am righting her decision. I want this!"
"You are angry."
"I am sober." I burst out, and continue after composing myself a little. " I want this, so me." He let go of my hand unwillingly, and I sign on the spaces left for me. I close contract and put it back in the envelope, returning the pen where I took it from. I him the envelope. "When can I get the first half?"
"By today evening." He says.
"Good. I will go see my mother the day after tomorrow. Is that alright?" I query, a of thoughts burning through my mind.
"Sure. No problem." He says.
"I need some rest." I mumble.
"Go ahead. The doctor will be coming to check on your wounds later on in the day."
Came his response.
I nod my head, and stroll to bed, while he makes his way to the door.
"Wait, my husband." I call before he can walk out, and he turns around. "What should
I call you?"
"Jerol O'Brian McCall. Call me Jerol from now on, McCall." I nod my head, and he out, closing the door behind him.
"Mrs. McCall." I murmur to myself as I get under the blue duvet again.
Mrs. McCall, it is. For five months.