The Silence Within

Chapter 34

Her conditions were, nothing about their marriage would be said online. It's going to be nothing more than a court wedding. When the date of the court wedding is fixed, she would appear, sign and leave. No pictures. No public announcement. She wants it as low as possible. There would be no celebration. Those present for at the registry would be his parents and her parents. Rebecca had eagerly accepted.

Cynthia had been displeased and annoyed. A day to the court wedding, she had met her daughter.

"Why did you accept to marry that man?"

"Mommy, do you trust me?" She held her mother's hand.

"No I don't! I do not understand this madness, Lola. What's happening? Why did you agree to marry someone you do not like? Do you know the meaning of what you are doing to yourself? You can't enjoy this marriage"

"Mommy, please" She begged.

"I am disappointed" Cynthia broke into tears.

Lola had left work around twelve, met her father and grandparents with Joshua and his mother at the registry, signed and left but deep inside, despite she told herself it does not change anything, the reality was she was a married woman. When she told her friends, they were speechless. Osas had asked her why she was signing off her happiness.

Broken, broken from within, that was how she felt. Inside, she had fallen in pieces, pieces she was not sure might come together again. What has she done to herself? Never in her entire life did she see herself married at the age of twenty-four. Her mother was not helpful. She had not come to the registry and had barely looked at her way when Joshua had come to pick her up from her parents' house.

She was seated in the passenger seat of the new red 2017 BMW X4 M40i, a wedding gift from her happy grandfather, her eyes fixed outside. Her eyes were wet but the accumulated water won't fall. She could not spare the man who had become her husband a glance. The images outside the car, which felt suffocated for her, interested her more than the man whose ring was in her finger. She was trapped, arrested in something sacred forever. She has a solution. A divorce would be the best. She does not care about what the repercussion would be. She was opting out of this marriage. This marriage would torture. Her mother was right. She would suffer in the marriage. She needs to contact a lawyer who would get divorce papers ready the following week.

Joshua stole a glance at her. The strong wind from outside cooled the interior of the SUV. Despite the air conditioner that was switched on, she had rolled down the window. A word had not been exchanged with her nor had she spared him a look. She was lost in thoughts he wished to know. Maybe she was sad for leaving home. It was an emotional farewell from home. He was not ready to believe it was because she was married to him.

Inside, he felt giddy. He was a happy man. He had the woman of his dreams with him, a woman he was ready to go through this new journey with. Now she was his and no man out there would own her. He let out a roaring laughter inwardly. His sweet Lola will learn to love him. He halted the car in front of a black gate, in a neighbourhood in Victoria Island. When he hooted, the gate opened. He greeted the gateman as he drove in. Lola had still not moved even when he drove into the lush compound.

The bungalow he halted in front rose high in the night. The light green paint of the house was luminous as the stream of artificial light beats around it. A stone path lined with clipped green bushes and a lush meadow on both sides led to the entrance of their new home, the home she will learn to love. The roof was deep green, inclining down at a juncture. The window panels were cream with glimmering glass.

He bought the house with his hard earned money. He furnished it to his wife's taste. He knew she would love something of good quality and class and he had not failed to tell that to the interior designer who was a friend to his elder brother.