Salsa threw a gaze at me at the time, wondering if something had gone wrong that warranted Opula to order me around. When I cast a glance at the crimson face of Salsa I guessed she wanted to tell me more about the domineering attitude of Opula; perhaps something more annoying than I thought.
"You just have to obey. She is too arrogant for my liking," Salsa whispered to me, "She is just an annoying parasite you don't want to deal with," she added staring evilly at her with the corner of her eyes yet forcing out a smile to give her the good-girl impression.
I struggled to keep my gaze at Opula, who was smoking heavily now, patiently waiting for her command to be carried out as she stared at me with disdain.
My cheek burnt with peril as I struggled to stare back at her. "What do we do now, Salsa?" I asked in whispers, feeling the chill that hung around my face when the winter wind blew at me through the window and how tensed I was now.
Salsa snorted in disappointment, "I doubt if she would let me lead you this time around…" her voice broke out once Opula queried our whispering with her gloomy face.
I interjected rudely almost raising my voice yet taking cognizance of the presence of Opula , "What do you mean? I can't go there all alone. Definitely he would come at me and harm me. Remember the other day he made at us with a knife who knows what arsenal of weapon he would use this time around." At the time my voice shrieked with tension as I flinched under the sound of his voice.
Salsa pouted her lips. I could feel the anger going on in her head, which she was controlling too. She placed her hand on my shoulders and encouraged me, with her toothless smile which I perceived was intentional.
"You just have to be of good cheer, Melissa. You will go to your husband. He won't hurt you. I am not going to keep leading you to your husband all the time. Remember this is a large, wealthy family, they are watching and soon you will be queried for stigmatizing your husband. I know you don't want to deal with the fuss." Her voice was loudly-silent, as though it was the only advice she could give me.
I interrupt quietly through whispers, "A mad man can't be my husband. It is just a contract marriage and soon it will elapse and I will divorce him if he doesn't divorce me…"
"Shhhh", Salsa cautioned me with her eyes once Opula started pulling close like a cat.
"Ha! Ha! I win! You! Come here! Ha!" my husband kept shouting at the tops of his voice, disturbing the innocent haze of the day.
Opula walked into our midst now, smoking heavily, "I thought I told you to check up on my brother. What is keeping, Melissa?"
"But ma'am he is mad …" I nagged
Pa!
A slap! I was interrupted by a resounding slap.
The slap came from Opula and with the corner of my eyes, I could see Salsa walking away immediately to avoid her own dose.
"The next time you call my brother mad, I will file for a divorce, terminate your contract marriage and you and your poverty-stricken mother will refund us the one million dollars with interest!" she yelled at me.
My gaze was still lowered, as I had my face in my hands, nursing the resounding slap. Who was I to retaliate? Who was I to protest? She was the eldest of the Fanny's and had everything under control since her brother was mad.
"Now go and attend to my brother! Fast! That is your reason for being his contract wife. You are not here to enjoy the luxuries of the Fannys and take one million dollars for your mother's hospital bills." she kept yelling at me.
I only saw myself making a move towards our chamber, with my hands still on my cheeks. I broke down in tears and trembled hugely each time Brian's yelling came through. I wept bitterly because I didn't even have authority as the contract wife to the only son of the billionaire. I was just a tool; just like a laboratory specimen that was about to be used and be dumped.
Since my contract marriage stipulated five years, obviously after the five years, I will be divorced only for another wife to come in.
I was at the door, now, feeling the entire mansion shake under my feet as Brian yell and kick on the door. He was definitely the most violent mad man in Rio Hondo and I wondered how I was going to share roof with him for five years. This would definitely be my life sentence.
I was still all tears, recalling the tragedy I was going to face and the inhuman treatment my mother gave me the other day. I was all alone in this life now.
The woman whom I took the risk for wasn't even grateful. I wish I could turn back the hands of time now.
My hand came on the handle of the door as I clicked the key and about to unlock. Brian was definitely at the door, with a weapon and the next minute the door would open, I would be exposed to injury. When I looked around Salsa was nowhere to be found, some of the maidens were busy with one thing or the other, Opula was sipping her beer, smoking and staring at me with disdain.
I swallowed hard and shut my eyes to summon courage for this fit. Gently, I started clicking the door to unlock it. Brian quietened. It was as though he had sensed someone was at the door and got ready to harm that intruder.
Like breeze, I opened the door, leaving it creaking, gently and slowly, peering into the chamber with hated breath and getting ready to take to my heels also.
"Ha! Ha! Ha! I will kill you! I win! You!
When I gazed upon my mad husband lo and behold he had stool on himself, and smeared some of the stool on his hand and about to stone it at me….