MARRIED ...
Episode 11

Andy sat on the chair in his office the next day doing absolutely nothing. He should have gone home hours back when there was almost nothing for him to do but he could not imagine going home. Although Jessica always dressed like a saint who was still living in the era of his forefathers, he felt drawn towards her.

That day in the kitchen during their honeymoon was a day he had desperately tried to get out of his mind. Standing so close to her that day had made him aware of her perfume which was totally feminine.

He had always known that she was beautiful because he would never have picked someone less beautiful to be his wife for a day, not to mention a year, but that day, he had come to the full realization of her exquisite beauty. He had noticed that she did not have black pupils but instead had dark grey.

The realization had stunned him. But most of all, he had been thrown off balance by just how slim her waist was. He could not remember how his hands had managed to get to her waist but he couldn’t have been more surprised when he noticed the slim waist she had. He hadn’t really paid attention to it when he had held her close on the beach, his anger hadn’t allowed him that much.

The dresses she always wore were big enough to hide her waist and hips but ever since that day, he kept on imagining what was beneath every beige cloth she wore. His eyes had never even seen her legs before. He had decided to use work as a good distraction and it worked to a certain extent. His phone rang and he frowned when he saw the caller. Dad? The number proved that he was already in Nigeria. destination wedding selections plus size for beach wedding

“Dad?” he said immediately he picked up. "Yes son, how are you doing?” "Are you in Nigeria?” Andy stood up from his chair. “Yes I am. Get ready to receive me in your house tonight because I would be having dinner with you today”

The alarm sounded in Andy’s head. Trust his father to always put them on the spot. “What? I mean … why didn’t you tell me you have arrived Nigeria? When did you arrive?” Andy was pacing.

“This afternoon. I would be at your house in three hours’ time. I need to see my daughter in law face to face and not some unclear picture, although she looked stunning in those wedding pictures and tapes.”His dad ended the call and Andy stared at the phone in agitation.

Three hours! The words echoed in his head. How was he going to convince his ever suspicious father that he and Jessica were in love?

Jessica was a strong headed girl, how was he going to convince her to act like a loving wife, perfectly enough to convince his father? Does she even know how loving wives behave? He wondered. He took his car keys and his suit jacket and left the office instantly. He dialed his best friend and assistant to tell him that the office was in his care. He had a feeling that he was in for a long night.
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Jessica lay on the chair, reading a novel. One thing she loves about the house was the study which was filled with all kinds of books. She had found a novel which looked interesting and was occupying herself with it.

She was surprised when she heard Andy’s car horn. He never arrived around six and she knew that something was out of place. She stayed where she was, even though she was curious.

Andy entered and she lifted her head with a nonchalant look on her eyes but the look faded when she saw him. His suit jacket was in his hand along with a nylon and his car keys were on the other hand. His shirt which her eyes focused on was buttoned halfway down, leaving his muscled chest partly visible. She swallowed and looked at his face.

“Good evening Drew. You are early”
“It is necessary. My dad would be here soon” "Your dad” she muttered as the realization slowly dawned on her. Her eyes slowly widened and Andy fought back an amused smile. “He is coming here?”

He nodded with a faint smile and Jessica jumped to her feet at once. “My dad is one man who can’t be fooled easily. I don’t know if you can act like a love-struck woman.”

Jessica frowned. “I believe I can be or do anything if I decide to. The question is, ‘can you act a love-struck man’?” She smiled slightly.

“We don’t have enough time to act a proper rehearsal so I guess we would both find out the hard way. It is either we both are poor actors or we are both meant to be in the movie industry”. He smiled and remembered what he was holding. “I got you a befitting gown” he said and stretched the nylon to her.

“Befitting” she muttered, hating the word.

“Well, you refused to go shopping every time I mentioned it and I can’t have you meet my father in one of those gowns you always put on.” Why was she making this harder than it should be? She collected the nylon and removed the cloth inside. It was a multicolored gown which had ‘expensive’ written all over it.

She removed the nylon that was used to cover the gown and let it fall to the ground.

“I noticed that you love clothes that goes all the way down to your feet so I got this which has a long hand to go with it, but it is still elegant and speaks of class” he explained nervously as she quietly scrutinized the cloth.

The cloth was beautiful, very beautiful, she admitted to herself.
“It is beautiful, but I can’t put it on”
“What? We are not going to argue about this again!” His frustration was obvious now.

“I don’t mean to be rude but your dad is going to know that something is fishing if I put this on. This cloth is meant for an important event and not just an indoor dinner. What I need to put on is something simple but also classy.”

“Well, we don’t have time, let’s go for it. My dad would be here any minute”

“I have what I need.” She said. Andy’s eyes turned round. “You do?”

Jessica refused to let his infuriating gaze annoy her. “Yes. I would go and freshen up, tell Ada to make the food ready for three” she turned and left Andy standing there.

Andy grimaced at the thought of what Jessica would put on. And who was she to give him orders? He should be the one dishing out the orders. Fuming, he went to tell Ada what to do. After an hour, Andy still did not see Jessica.

He wanted to inspect the cloth she would put on to see if it was fit. Even though he did not really think much of classy dressing and the likes, he knew that his father would expect his daughter in-law to dress like a ‘William’.

He wondered which over-sized dress Jessica would choose to put on; he already had a number of them imprinted in his medulla. The car horn he heard almost made him jump. He called Jessica’s name but heard no response. Knowing that he was doomed, he went to the door and opened it.

Seeing his father after more than five months shouldn’t make him nervous but he was not sure how the evening would turn out. He saw his father step out of the car and he walked up to the elderly man with a cool smile. “Dad” he called.

Mr. Williams turned with smiles. “Son.” He hugged Andy, patting his back. “I have missed you. How is Nigeria?”
“Nigeria is still the same old busy place. Why didn’t you inform me of your arrival? I could have picked you up”
“That is why I have a driver. Where is my daughter in-law?” “She -” The door opened and he turned. When he saw the person at the doorway, he blinked and froze altogether.

Episode 12 is on the way.