"Why are you fidgety? Don't you know you are married couples now, and soon you two would share same bed and roof?" Salsa snapped to me once I dared to withdraw to the wall as Brian advanced forward to sign on the agreement papers.
Salsa's words etched off every memory of what an ideal husband should look like and installed in me the belief that every husband was supposed to be insane; that I had no right to protest in this marriage.
The two hefty men dragged him to come forth and he shuffled his legs, unwilling to make a move and throwing his face side ways to bite them since they seemed to be stronger than him. He was chuckling idly now and struggled violently with the two hefty men; to an extent the hefty men didn't want to get much violent with him since this could result to hurting him.
"Brian! Brian! You had better respect yourself and come forth to sign the papers. You are not going to keep us waiting. This is a time we have been anticipating as a family. You can't ruin this moment." that was Opula's voice.
She seemed to be full of disappointment today as she beheld her only brother being handled as a mad man that he was. With the looks on her face I could also tell she was excited over a bride being chosen for her mad brother as well. I could perceive much of her joy from the way she grinned to her ears; the style at which the corner of her mouth turned up.
The rest of the Fannys molded a frown face and gazed upon Brian as the two hefty men dragged him to the spot where the papers were.
A lot paced through my thought as I stared at Brian with disdain. If he was so violent that two hefty men could barely drag him, then I wondered what would be my fate. Would I be able to survive this violent mad man for just a day? I had heard little about the insane and one of such was that they behaved promptly violent and the resultant effect on their victim was usually catastrophic.
When I thought, I was done weeping then came fresh warm tears that surged down my teary cheeks. I wept for my safety and the uncertainty guiding this marriage.
Salsa stared irritatingly at me. But she wouldn't understand my dilemma. I wish anyone would understand.
Finally they were able to drag Brian to the spot.
Everyone stared evenly with keen interest as they grabbed his hands. Firmly, and forcefully, they put the pen between his fingers and put it to one of the papers; that was another tier of struggle. Brian resumed heavy groaning and heady attitude. The hefty men held his hand and they were just trying to see if he could at least put initials of his name since he wasn't sane enough to scribble a proper signature.
"Father why don't I go right away and sign on his behalf if that is going to lag this occasion?" that was the sonorous voice of Kate whose sullen face housed no iota of excitement.
Fanny shook his head in the negative when he could see the hefty security had helped do that already.
Pa! Pa! Pa!
That was damn disgusting. Gush! I shut my eyes and threw away my gaze.
Brain spat thrice at the marriage papers, leaving the hefty men to lift him on their shoulders and move him back to his former position.
Next the family lawyer, Barrister Coleman, matched forward, with a piece of handkerchief which he used in wiping the oozing saliva. He observed the contract papers closely, shook his head in approval and then gazed at the billionaire before taking a bow.
"Ladies and gentle men, it is all correct. They are good to be called man and wife", he said, raised the papers to the viewing of everyone and then filed it.
My entire body trembled with weeping as Salsa squeezed my fingers and gave an appreciative smile at me. I knew by now I must have washed off the makeover on my face, because I could notice my face was as light as the feeble feathers of a bird.
"You may precede my billionaire," the barrister said, advanced to Fanny with one of the papers and what I perceived to be the credit card.
Fanny took the documents, stared at them, walked up to me and handed them to me without any consideration about how I felt at the time.
Recalling that this was the same paper that Brain spat upon, I took it at the tip and held out while with the other hard I took the credit card which had on it bold letterings that said;
The Fanny Group. One million Dollars Only
Next, Fanny waved at Opula and, she cat-walked to his side with a box of diamond ring. She handed over to Fanny bowed and walked back to her seat.
"By the power bestowed upon me as the father of the groom, I declare you husband and wife," he said, grabbed my fidgety fingers and slid the wedding ring into the middle finger, before advancing to Brian rightful.
Upon standing before his son, he smiled and Brian spat at his face before chuckling radically and blabbing what only he could understand.
This time I flinched and held my breath, fighting off the thought of putting myself in the shoes of Fanny Luis.
Fanny covered his face with his hands for a time too long until Opula advanced to his side to console him.
Everyone shook their head irritatingly and disappointedly at the billionaire and his mad son. I could hear voices murmuring and chatting noisy on the background.
Fanny couldn't continue with the ritual any more, as Kate, the second eldest daughter hastened to his side and aided him away. Opula was now left to continue the ritual.
With the help of the hefty, macho men, Brian's fingers were held out under struggle and she hastily squeezed the wedding ring into his fingers.
And then the anticipating guests let loose a sporadic, thunderous clapping and booing which left Brian shouting and losing his short hair madly and almost removing his tuxedo if not for the security, and my very self weeping and gnashing my teeth at a corner.
A gentle, country side tone from a solo Blues musician started off, before guests drank and chattered among themselves.
A marriage of no return just begun…