"Hello?"
"Hello Annie dear?"
"Oh Mrs. Roger. What a pleasant surprise."
"How are you my dear?"
"I'm fine Mrs. Roger."
"Oh c'mon now dear, there's no need to be formal now, I'm no stranger to you, am I?"
"Oh no, no." She laughed nervously.
"So no need to be formal dear." She smiled.
"Ok Mom."
"Ah. That's more like it dear."
Annie felt a sense of peace calling her Mom, she had missed her mother since her death, she never really had the opportunity of living with her mother very long.
"Well Annie, I just wanted to tell you if you wanted to go shopping with me. Your wedding is just a few weeks away dear. We definitely have to start preparing now."
Annie felt her cheeks flush.
"What do you say my dear? Will you go shopping with me?" She asked.
"Yes Mrs. Roger, I mean Mom."
Mariah laughed softly, "It's okay dear, you'll get used to it very soon."
"Yeah, I will."
"How about this afternoon dear? Will it be convenient for you?"
"Sure. Anytime will be okay as long as it's fine by you."
Mariah chuckled, "No problem my dear, this afternoon it is."
"Yes Mom."
"Bye my dear."
"Bye." She hung up.
She sat on a chair and nudged her chin , she had a bad feeling about this. Something in her told her not to go ahead with the wedding but her head was too powerful for her heart.
She closed her eyes, "How did it get to this?" She asked herself but there was no answer.
"I'm so confused, I'm not sure if to continue with this wedding. This is all so messed up. She held her head.
"Please God help me, please this can't be. I can't just walk down a road not meant for me. Help me." She whispered the last part.
*****
"I have heard their wedding is gonna be in a month's time."
"A month's time? They barely know each other!"
"I know right. Haha."
"Annie can't marry him right? She can't."
"Oh well she is getting married to him very soon and I'm sure there's nothing you will do about it."
"I can't let that happen, I won't let it happen."
"What can you do? Just leave her alone, it's not like she loves you."
There was some silence.
"Annie doesn't love him. I know she doesn't."
"Hahaha. Stop dreaming, she's not gonna marry you so why do you worry so much about it?"
"Because she's my..."
"Your what?"
"Nothing."
"Let her be. Heard it's gonna be a grand wedding though."
"Stop it! She's not gonna marry him!"
"Chill man, she's getting married and that's just it. You ain't gonna stop the wedding hey?"
"If that's what I'm gonna do to stop Annie from Shawn, I'll do it. No one's gonna marry Annie on my watch."
"Seriously man?"
"Watch me."
"What do you have with her?"
He kept quiet, Annie was special to him, she held a special place in his heart.
"She's special to me and I won't let anyone take who has a special place in my heart."
"You're sick man. Just leave her alone, you don't need her do you?"
"I thought I didn't need her but now I know do."
"So what do you intend to do then?" Curiosity gripped him.
"Just like once indirectly suggested, I'm gonna stop that wedding, no matter what, they ain't getting married."
"So what do you want to do?"
"Here's the plan. You're gonna help me with what I'm about to do."
"No problem provided I know what I'm doing."
"Here we go."
*****
"It's such a beautiful gown!" Danielle gushed.
Mariah nodded, "It's gonna suit her perfectly."
"Don't you like it Annie?" Danielle asked.
Mariah noticed her absent mindedness, "Annie dear?"
Annie raised her head, "Yeah?"
"Are you alright?" Danielle asked.
"Yeah, I'm okay."
Danielle arched her brow, "You don't look okay."
"Just nervous." She faked a smile.
Mariah chuckled, "It's okay to feel nervous, since you've never married before.. but you'll get used to it dear."
"Yeah." The corners of her lips went up.
"Hmm. Annie don't worry. Mrs. Roger will be there for you, right Mrs. Roger?" She looked at Mariah.
"Oh yes sure, I'll always be there." She gave her a reassuring smile.
Annie heaved deeply and looked at her wedding dress. She was getting married.
"I can't wait till you get married Annie, finally you can forget about Christian." Danielle laughed out.
"Who's Christian?" Mariah asked.
Danielle paused realising the gravity of her statement.
"He's... Uh... Annie's ex-boyfriend." Danielle twisted her lips wondering if Mariah would buy that.
Annie looked at Danielle surprised. Christian was her ex-boyfriend? He never really dated her and as naive as she was then, she couldn't notice that.
"Ex-boyfriend huh?" Mariah arched her brow.
"Yeah."
Mariah chuckled, "I can bet you my son will never hurt you. He's such a gentleman."
"Yes Mrs... I mean Mom, I've seen that. He is pretty nice."
"Mm-mmh." Danielle nodded.
Annie tried smiling but failed. She quickly put herself together.
"I promise you Annie, your wedding will be the talk of the town. Everyone is gonna remember it for years to come." She laughed.
"For that we need to prepare very well." Danielle chipped in.
"Yes I agree." Mariah nodded.
"Why ain't you saying anything?" She asked Annie.
"Well there's nothing to say. You guys are saying it all. Hehe." She laughed a little nervous.
Mariah frowned and smiled at the same time, why was Annie acting all strange?
"Annie dear, is something wrong? Is there anything you aren't telling us?"
Her heart skipped a beat. She gulped and shook her head, faking a smile.
"It's nothing, really. I'm fine."
"Are you sure? Is it the wedding? Is the date too early for you?" She probed further.
Annie pursed her lips, "Everything is fine Mom, I... I promise. Don't change the date, it's okay."
Mariah raised her brows, she wasn't convinced but she decided to let it go, "Hmm. If you say so."
Annie nodded.
"I need to go change." She stood up and went in.
Danielle watched her leave, "She's definitely not fine."
"Yes I agree with you." Mariah shook her head, "I hope she's not having second thoughts on marrying Shawn."
"I don't think so." She looked at the wedding dress, "Such a pretty dress!"
Annie slumped on her bed, this wedding of a thing was driving her crazy. Deep down, she didn't want any of this but she didn't want to disappoint Robert, Danielle and the Roger's.
She sighed and palmed her face, everything seemed so wrong. All she ever asked for was just to live in peace with her daughter.
A tear rolled down her cheeks. She felt so hopeless. There was no hope anymore, nothing was left.