Eric called me and said he would pick me up after I was done at work. I started feeling so nervous. I refused him at first, but he wouldn't be budge.
Now, I was left worrying about how I look. I did not have anything to wear except for a new clean blue scrub suit that I grabbed from the locker room.
Usually, I left the house wearing casual clothes. Then I donned on my work uniforms inside our employees' locker room before I started working.
However, due to the sudden pouring of the heavy rain this morning, my being absentminded, and forgetting to bring an umbrella with me, all of my clothes were left drenching wet.
I went to the ladies room after my final endorsements with Anu. I hurriedly put on a light make-up.
I said to myself I just wanted to look presentable infront of him. However, something deep inside of me wanted him to see he was marrying a woman underneath those baggy clothes.
I changed my used scrubsuits with new ones. I changed my socks, too. A habit I acquired before going away from work.
As a nurse, I was one of those certified OC (obsessive-compulsive).
I was washing my hands when I heard two women came inside the washroom.
From the look of it, they were hospital visitors.
It was almost past four in the afternoon.
"Oh my God! Oh my God! That guy is to die for,", says the one wearing a pink dress.
"Is he some kind of a celebrity."
"Maybe he works here."
"Did you see his blue eyes? They are so mesmerizing."
Blue? Oh-oh! I hope it wasn't who I thought it was.
They continued their giggling and conversation but I couldn't hear anything anymore for my heart was pumping so loud I was afraid I was going to have a heart attack.
I took my large shoulder bag and went out of the door. Passing through the ladies still talking about him.
I clutched the straps of my shoulder bag tighter, took a deep breath before I finally decided to leave the washroom.
"This is it." I muttered to myself.
I went out and almost collided with this big frame of a man standing outside the doorway.
"Oops! Sorry sir-- you?!", my eyes went huge with astonishment.
"Hi", he smiled and I almost swoon.
'"What are you doing here?"
"Waiting for you. So are you finish or do you need more time?", he asked, staring at me intently.
I looked away and I noticed a lot of people were lingering in the hospital visitors' lobby. Most of them were women and they were all gawking at him.
I blushed. I wasn't really fond of being the center of attention but if I was with this guy, I never thought I would ever be going to be free from that.
"Nicolaa?"
I was extracted from my perplexing thoughts and looked pointedly at him.
I blushed more.
Shocks! This guy makes me feel on fire.
"S-sure". I stammered and lowered my eyes. I couldn't bare to stare at him a moment longer.
God! He was so hot.
He placed his right hand under my chin and lifted it, and the next thing I knew, he was kissing my strawberry lipgloss out of my baffled lips.
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"Why did you do that?", I questioned him a little while after we were seated in his car and he was driving his black lamborghini.
"Did what?", he glanced at me.
"Kissed me?", I blushed again. "Kissed me infront of those people".
He frowned.
"You're my soon-to-be wife", he said matter of factly.
"We were at the hospital", I interjected.
"I know". He shrugged. "So?", amusement entwined his voice.
I stopped answering him. I stopped questioning him, too.
Hmm... So does that meant he will kiss me even in public if he wanted to do so.
"Where are we going?"
We were riding along an empty road with bright lights.
"My parent's house".
I gasped and swiftly looked at him.
"But I'm not dressed properly?!"
Shit! This is bad. For first impressions last.
With her wearing a scrub suit was not her idea of setting a first dinner date with the new in-laws.
"It's okay. They wouldn't mind. We won't stay long there anyway".
Then the entire car ride went quiet after that while I was left biting my swollen lower lip.
We stayed that way for atleast 20 minutes.
Then he drove his car through an exclusive villa, with varying magnificent mansions in splendor.
I started to feel terrified.
What if his family wouldn't like me?
"Here we are", he jovially announced.
I didn't even notice his car stopped. He opened the car door for me and took my hand. I felt so awkward.
Here I was, meeting his parents wearing a simple work uniform?
Oh, come on!
The Morrison Family manor was ecru colored. It was so vast and I couldn't stop myself from admiring the place. The front lawn with its intricately decorated garden with a large fountain of stallions.
Eric kept holding my hand as he was leading me into the steps.
A uniformed man opened the door for us even before we reached the landing.
"Welcome Sir Eric", he spoke with a mexican accent.
"Thank you Fred. Where are they?"
"The family is waiting for you inside the music room".
Eric nodded as he introduced me to Fred. He never let go of my hand as we walked onwards. I couldn't stop myself from admiring their home. It was magnificent in its beauty.
Wait! Did Fred mentioned a music room?!
What year was this? Am I in 1814?
It could be, for inside the mansion, there were a vast collection of antiquities. I felt like I was transported back in time.
"These are my great grandparents, my grandparents and some of my mother's collections", he said in amusement when he caught me stare in wonder at a statue of a Greek goddess Venus.
I nodded my head.
"Eric darling", a slender, older but beautiful woman came to us.
She looked like she was in her late forties or so but wow! She looked amazing.
"Mom", he kissed her cheek. "Where is he?"
"Inside". The woman was still smiling but she was looking at me.
"Is this her? Your Nicolaa?", she gave me a quick assessment and her smile widened.
"Yes", he ushered me near her and she smelled wonderful. She was about a foot taller than me.
"Nice to meet you, Mrs. Morrison", I extended my right hand which she ignored as wrapped her arms around me and hugged me.
"Call me Christina, Nicolaa. Our home is your home now".
I gave her a shy smile. This will never be my home for our marriage was going to be a farce.
"She's lovely my son. You chose well. Come. Your father is waiting for you", we started walking. "I asked Miranda our new cook, to prepare your favorites. You don't visit us often anymore".
"Mom you know how Dad and I run the company".
"Excuses! Excuses! Does he makes excuses when he's late for your dates, too?", she asked me with a fond smile.
I shook my head and thought to myself...
We never went out on a date. Ever.
Eric laughed. "Nicolaa never complained. Do you babe?"
He squeezed my hand. He wanted me to play along, to play my part of our bargain.
"No, I don't. Sometimes".
Huh!
His mom laughed. "I bet Nicolaa is a tigress, so you better take care my son".
"Well, she is but I know she loves me very much".
I swallowed.
Liar!
I heard a faint sound of piano being played from which looked like the music room. We went inside and an older, burly man who resembled Eric was sitting on a wheelchair.
He offered us a huge, hearty smile.
"Hi dad", Eric went to him and they exchanged a bear hug.
"How are you? How's the company?"
"No no no, no one is allowed to discuss anything about work in this house tonight", his mom butted in.
They all laughed. I was just standing there looking at them. They all look so sophisticated and grand.
"All is well dad. How about you? Does your left leg still hurts you?"
"It's only a mild arthritis but I took my shots so it doesn't hurt as much anymore".
To my surprise, Eric's father stood up but grimaced a bit. I thought he was disabled.
"Is this really her?", his father asked him in disbelief.
Eric nodded, as I frowned.
What are they talking about? It felt something's miscue.
Eric grinned and nodded his head at me. His proud, smug gorgeous face smiling boyishly.
"Yes. My pretty woman", Eric introduced me to his father as he gave me a boyish smile.
"How do you do, sir?", I gulped.
He was intimidating just like his son
"Finally, you found her. Call me dad, Nicolaa", then Eric's father laughed.
He came towards me and gave me a bear hug, too. While I was left buffled due to what he just uttered in his embrace.
Yikes!
I almost suffocated.
The last thought in my mind before his father's arms fully engulfed my body with his embrace was, if Eric will get older, he will look exactly just like his father.