The City Held Its Silence byIrel Knx 39

39 Wedding memories 

“How’s dad doing?” I heard him whisper. 

SILENCE 

“Oh” he replied a depressed tone. 

SILENCE 

“I don’t know where we’ll get the money yet but we’ll figure it out, okay?” I heard him say. “Just just stay with dad until I get there alright?” 

SILENCE 

What? 

“Yeah it’s okay put dialysis treatment on my credit card,” he said. 

He put the phone down and he looked down at the floor with a defeated look on his 

face. 

He turned his head in my direction and I quickly turned away. Shit. I listened to see if I would hear any footsteps headed my way. I didn’t hear him coming though. 

What had that conversation been about? I wondered. Putting what I’d heard together it seemed Mike’s father was in some kind trouble and they needed money. 

Looks like Megan had been spot on with her theory that there was something bothering Mike. They had a close relationship after all. I thought of the day I went to the hospital last Saturday. Was his father the one he had gone to see? Megan was saying he was missing lectures at university. I’m sure what his dad was going through must be pretty serious if Mike was taking lots of time away from his obligations. Not to mention he sounded so broken and sad on the call. 

This whole time it wasn’t that Mike was sneaking around trying to skip working his shift he was genuinely dealing with something and then playing it off when he was around people. I felt bad for judging him all this time. 

Returning to the main dining to continue working. When Mike eventually returned to continue working as well I checked to see if he suspected me if anything. I seemed to be in the clear as I didn’t catch him staring at me or anything. And I played it cool around him acting like I didn’t know anything. 

12:55 

1/3 

39 Wedding memories 

However, I continued to think about him and the call he had. It was clear he needed help but didn’t want How do you help someone like that I thought to myself? 

What do think of my cherry pie? I asked Tony as we had dessert after eating dinner. 

mmhmm it’s so good mum,” he said with his mouth full. 

“Eww don’t talk with your mouth full,” I said to him.“I’m glad you like it though,” 

I was really getting into baking lately. I quite enjoyed it. I felt my cooking was getting better and better with each day. 

After we ate, we cleaned the dishes together, I helped him with his homework which he had yet to finish and then it was bed time for him. 

I looked at my ring once I was in my bedroom. I remembered the conversation I’d had with Megan at the restaurant about Keith. This whole time I’d been wearing it absent mindedly. I knew it was there just didn’t think much about it. Tony’s been the only thing on mind for a while. 

Looking at it brought memories of Keith and I’s wedding day; I was scared as I walked down the aisle with my father holding my arm. Standing at the podium was the priest and Keith. I had only ever spoken to him twice before now and now I was being married off to him. I didn’t know what to expect once I was married to him. I thought of the life my mother had lived with my father and I was scared. He had treated her poorly. Especially since I’d heard Keith been forced to leave his lover for this marriage. I wondered if he was angry and take it out on me. 

I reached the podium and father handed me over to Keith took my hand and held for the ceremony. This was the moment my father had been preparing me for all my life. He always told my role in life was simple, it was prepare for an arranged marriage an heir of a wealthy company to strengthen our family’s business. I looked up at the man about to become my husband. Keith Acland, who was the young heir of the Acland company. One of the most powerful families in the country. He was handsome with his dark hair, sharp facial features and icy blue eyes. All the young women in the socialite world had a crush on him. 

The ceremony began, we said our vows and he placed the wedding ring on my finger. 

After the ceremony and wedding party we went to his home where I would now be living with him as his wife. It was then that I talked to him alone for the first time. I 

12:55 C 

2/3 

< 

39 Wedding memories 

would never forget the words he said to me. 

“Look we may be in an arranged marriage but that doesn’t mean things have to be awkward between us. I hope we can work together and have a pleasant marriage,” he said to me in a gentle tone once we reached his mansion. 

My eyes widened in surprise.I hadn’t expected him to him to be so kind. I had feared the worst. I smiled as I looked up at him. 

He then explained to me his feelings for his former lover Diana and how he still had lingering feelings for her but promised he would be loyal to me and our marriage. He told me how his parents divorce when he was younger had affected him and how he didn’t our future child to experience that. He wanted to have a have one stable family. 

As I lay on my bed I played around with the ring on my finger twiddling it back and forth as I reminisced my wedding day. I remembered how I had accepted his terms and from then on we proceeded to have a very pleasant marriage. It was a marriage I had prayed for, one where I didn’t have to fear my husband. I remembered my mothers wish for me before she died which was for me to find happiness. I thought it had come 

true. 

Comment 3 

12:55