The huge house was European in style, the walls made of thick, whitewash adobe. Coolness enveloped them as they stepped inside, Sai spirits lifted as they looked around. The walls were clean and white, the spacious rooms were enlivened with colourful carpets.
Sai was pleased by what she saw. The floor was of dark wood and a curtained, a queen sized bed was set against the wall on her right. The bathroom was also a luxury, there was a huge walk-in, clear glass shower that could easily fit four people comfortable.
It wasn't long before Lucy made her way in Sai's room and started bouncing ecstatic on the bed.
"What are you doing? This isn't our home. You better stop before something get destroyed." Sai scolded her sister.
"I was just assessing the bed to see if it was soft or whether perhaps there is a body part hidden under the bed." She innocently batted her huge yes at her sister innocently.
"....". Sai just stared at her sister as if he had grown three heads. Lucy's eyes held a fragile hope that things will get better at last.
Sai tried to master some sense of optimism, but instead her fragile heart could only manage a slow heavy beat of dread. She had to marry Sam, the only thing she was feeling right now is desperation. Sam had been kind but she doubt that she will be able to feel comfortable around him.
At the thought of marrying him, a shudder shook her. He was thick-necked like a bull, though he wasn't very tall; the combination made him appear brutish. Sai felt suffocated at the idea of sharing a room with him.
She brought her sister her thinking that at least they could have food and clothing enough to be secured. The bankruptcy had reduced them to starvation, and Seth seems to be their only hope. But after meeting those men- Kofi and Chris- and seeing the others standing back with their awful faces like pennywise.
Chrys had stared at her with contempt in his cold eyes. Shivered and decided to stay away from him as far as the sun to Jupiter. She was glad he didn't take her hand when she offered it and she was glad he didn't touch her. Still, she wondered why he had looked at her as if she was a trash. Never in her Twenty-two years had anyone done that.
Before her family lost everything, she reminded herself that things have change foe the worst. She straighten her shoulders, she knows she had lost a lot of privileges and the way of life she once lived. She went from grace to grass. She had kept her head high even when she was hungry,even when her only pair of shows had holes in the bottom.
Sai thought of the home she'd left, of her parents locked in bitterness for what was lost, and knew that she couldn't have left her seventeen year old sister behind there alone. Who know the kind of man her parents might sell her for money.
There was a knock on the door which interrupted her thoughts.
"Come in Lola" Lola came back to the room saying, "Mr.Sam, he said the wedding would be tonight. You have your dress yes? That settled then."
Tonight! A chill ran through Sai. "Tonight? Are you sure?"
The house keeper looked puzzled. "Of course. He has sent for the priest. He told me this himself,this morning"
Sai said nothing has Lola made her way into the room, she went into the huge walk in closet and brought out the outfit for the wedding. Lola took them off to be ironed.
Silently,Sai begun to pack her clothes away into the wardrobe. Lucy joined her, neatly folding and hanging them.
After a moment Lucy said, "You know, you don't have to go through with it. We can just pack our stuffs and go home".
Sai leaned against the bathroom door. "How can we? Do you really think Sam will let us go back? No, i agreed to the bargain, and i'll keep it".
Lucy paused folding the nightgown, which had been purchased by Sam, in fact all of their things have been bought using Sam's money, including their underwear. Lucy felt worried for her sister. "Have we made a mistake in coming here?"
"I hope not. I pray not. But look at how those men were starring at you."
"Yes. I saw, but don't worry about me sis, i can take car of them. Have you forgotten am a black belt student and also study Tai chi."
Sai walked to the window. The landscape was breathtaking. She thought the place will be nice and calm but she was wrong.
"I feel uneasy," she murmured. "The men look so threatening. That sounds silly, doesn't it? But i didn't expect them to be so...."
"Ruggish? I hear you sis, don't worry, we will get through it together." Lucy wriggled her eyebrows at her.
The two ladies looked at each other and burst out laughing.
"I wonder if he will be sleeping here tonight"
Lucy looked around. "It doesn't seem like he will. If he intended to, he will have brought your things to his bedroom."
That when Sai realised the situation. She felt relief. "Yes, i should have thought of that."
"Hey, come take a look. There is a door locked here. Do you think this door connects to his room?"
Sai walked over and twisted the door knob. It opened and there an entire new room in there. She quickly closed the door.
"I thought that will lead to the balcony."
" Do you think he will try and do something tonight, when we are alone?"
" How am i supposed to know, sis. It not like have been married before. Am still a child. Didn't mum brief you of what gonna happened?"
Not really. All that she said was, I must do my duty. That all, if only i knew what my 'duty' was. I feel like an idiot." Sai face-palmed.
" Do you want me to tell you a little of my experience?" Lucy offered.
Sai just stared at her sister with her mouth opened.
What did she just say!