The Marriage Contract by Tara Ahmed

Author:Tara Ahmed [Ahmed, Tara]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Tara Ahmed
Published: 2014-09-29T21:00:00+00:00

I awoke to a clattering mess outside the bedroom, as objects were thumped against the ground, and odd voices streamed through the hall. I groaned, stretching my arms over my head- my eyes adjusting to the light. Yawning loudly- my mouth twisted into a lion’s growl, as I slid my legs off the bed. I wiggled my toes against the warm, smooth wood, before standing.

“Good morning.” The voice sounded like James’s, but did not have any hint of amusement.

I turned my eyes towards the door, as a tall man, elegant in a cream polo shirt, and black trousers- cleared his throat.

“Richard?” I asked. “What are you doing here? And…what’s that noise?”

I approached him, frowning as his eyes turned towards my shoulder, then quickly looked away. A slight pink hue stained the apples of his cheeks, as he cleared his throat once more, meeting my eyes- then glancing once again at my shoulder.

“You should adjust your clothing,” he said, turning his attention to the side.

I glanced at my shoulder, noticing that the left strap of my white dress had dipped dangerously low- my blue bra strap threatening to slide off as well. My ears burned, as I quickly adjusted both straps. His eyes met mine, and we both appeared uncomfortable, as I shuffled my feet against the floor, giving him a stiff smile.

“I think I’ll check out what’s happening in the living room,” I said. “Excuse me.”

I walked past him, exiting out of the room, staring at the men walking in and out of the rooms, carrying furniture, paintings, and other household objects in their meaty arms. They ignored my stare, talking happily, as I walked down the hall. Two men, carrying a large, black leather sofa, walked to the end of the living room, placing it beside the tall window. Other men covered the ceiling with peach hued curtains, as the other workers adjusted a large flat screen T.V. against the wall. A carpet in the shape of a white lion, rested over a black coffee table, as a tall black lamp rested against the couch. Sound speakers, like those from night clubs, were placed beside the T.V., as the men moved beds and mattresses up the spiral staircase at the farthest end of the living room.

All I could think was that James had terrible taste. I could only hope that the animal carpet was a fake.

“You seem not to like his choice in furniture,” Richard noted.

I shook my head. “Which sane person would?”

He smiled. “You should change clothes. My brother has an important meeting to attend today, so he called me to keep you company—“

I frowned. “Like a babysitter?”

“Of course not,” he said. “He merely didn’t want you to eat breakfast alone.”

I licked my bottom lip, running a hand through my unkempt hair.

“Is it an inconvenience for you?” I asked. “I mean, I’m sure you’ve got something better to do.”

He didn’t reply to that, but simply stared at me with this curious gaze over his eyes. The stare was too long for my comfort, as I cleared my throat, wanting to escape the weird tension.

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