Chapter 5 The Phone Call

• GENESIS
• I sat down in the chair at the skin clinic, feeling completely relaxed yet exhausted at the same time. The marriage thing was happening so fast; I hadn't even found the opportunity to talk to Nate yet, and damn, it made me feel so guilty. I knew too well that what I was doing was going to hurt him terribly, but I couldn't muster up the courage to tell him even when we spoke on the phone.
• "Genesis dear... here, you have to taste this," Mrs. Chase gave me a piece of cake. It was the third one for that day. She had been all over my face in the past week and didn't stop hovering around me like a wicked shadow about to take my life from me. Though she looked sweet to me, people feared her.
• Even while undergoing skin therapy, she kept making me have different kinds of cakes so we could choose the best for the wedding.
• Marriage plans were hectic, and I never planned or anticipated so many things would happen before someone could get married.
• "Are you okay, dear?" Mrs. Chase asked and sat close to me.
• "Yes ma'am, Mom Leona..." I quickly corrected myself. She had forbid me to call her ma’am or Mrs. Chase, yet I wasn’t comfortable to call her by her name or call her mom. Thus I had come to this name to address her. She liked it too.
• "Now what's wrong?" she asked again, and I gave her a faint smile.
• I was thinking of Jordan Chase. I didn't even know the guy. Yes, I went online and did a search on him. And damn, he was hot and handsome, in a dangerous kind of way. No wonder everyone was mad about him. But that made me even more nervous. We knew nothing about each other; how could we get married without even talking once?
• Everything in my system warned against doing such a thing, and I had to act fast.
• I turned back to Mom Leona.
• "Can I speak with Jordan?" I blurted out unwavering, and the smile on her face turned to a frown.
• "Is something wrong?" she asked.
• "No, no, no... I just... I wouldn't mind knowing what he sounds like. I am really worried about not knowing who I am getting married to," I confessed, and she sighed.
• "We don't have to talk for long. I just..."
• "It's fine... let me call him," she said and got up, moving a little bit further away from me and dialing a number.
• She talked for a while with the person before she walked towards me.
• "Here... talk to him," she gave me her phone, and the blood in my veins dried up.
• "Wait... I... maybe not now," my palms started sweating, and nervousness crept in. I didn't even think I could be so nervous. Yes, I was always tense under pressure, but what I felt was so uncalled for. It was just a call between me and a guy, and yet it felt worse than writing tests you never prepared for back in school.
• "Come on, hun... don't be nervous," she urged, and I slowly took the phone from her with shaky hands. I gently placed it on my ear like I had never handled a phone in my life. I took a deep breath and then exhaled.
• "You don't have to be so nervous; it's just me," his voice beckoned, and I froze. My heart stilled, and goosebumps crept all over my skin. Butterflies filled my stomach, and I found myself feeling all whoosh and dizzy from the effect. He had a deeper voice than Nate, but damn, it did magic. Mom Leona didn't stop staring at me nervously; she took her seat next to me and was as nervous as I was.
• "I... sorry... it's..." I stuttered, and I heard him chuckle. The sound was like music to my ears as I felt my muscles relaxing beneath my flesh at the sound. He sounded peaceful, and it got to me. It was beautiful.
• "Can't believe you are laughing at your wife-to-be," I teased, and he chuckled again.
• Weirdly, I was fully relaxed.
• "I am as nervous as hell... can't believe Mom pushed me into this," he said, and his voice was like melodies to my ears.
• "Well, she never gives up," I said and stole a glance at her, while she stared at me, confused.
• "She doesn't... I bet you, you are going to have a handful," he said, and I chuckled.
• "Me... what about you?" I asked and relaxed in the chair.
• "Well... I have handled her since I was a kid; you are the newbie in the family. You have to have your share of her completeness," he said, and I chuckled again.
• "I can always run away..." I teased, and the line suddenly went mute. He didn't give me a reply, and I became tense.
• "Hello," I called to the other line, wishing in my heart of hearts that I had not said something wrong to upset him.
• "Did I say something wrong?" I asked, and again, there was no reply. Mom Leona tapped my legs and opened her hands in a way of asking me what was wrong. But I ignored her; it was weird how I suddenly cared about what I said and how it affected him, a stranger I was supposed to get married to.
• "Look... I am sorry, I didn't mean to say anything wrong," I said and waited, praying for a reply. I liked the sound of his voice. Wow, so quickly. I liked the sound of his voice.
• "I like the sound of your voice," his deep voice came from the other line, and I froze again. My cheeks heated up fully, turning a dark pink, and for a moment, it seemed like my breath was knocked out of me.
• "You sound different, and I kinda like it a lot," he said, and I arched my brows, wondering what he was talking about.
• "You have not heard from me before now... it's weird you..."
• "That must be the reason. I thought talking to you would be hard; I have wanted to call you four days ago," he said, and my cheeks heated up again. I mean, he sounded dreamy; I wasn't regretting my decision at that point.
• "You have my number?" I asked.
• "Yes..." he answered, and my cheeks didn't stop heating up.
• "It's just a few days away. Are you sure you are ready for this?" I asked instead, and again silence took over. I was beginning to wonder if he was always like that, always going quiet when he had such a lovely voice.
• "I know, and I am as ready as I'll ever be," he replied, and my heart fluttered at the way he said it. The idea of having a rich husband didn't feel so bad after all.
• "What about you, are you ready?" he asked me.
• "No..." I replied.
• "Mom Leona has been taking me from place to place, and I am so exhausted. I haven't even picked a gown yet. She wants a perfect gown, and it will arrive tomorrow. Not to add the fact that I am so nervous; I am so not ready. I fear I will collapse with exhaustion and panic on that day," I confessed my heart out like it was meant to be.
• A loud, hearty laugh erupted from the other end of the line, and my hands involuntarily held my chest at the sound. If I thought his voice and chuckle were amazing and heartwarming, then I was lying. His laughter was exquisite and overwhelming; my heart skipped at the sound of it, making me wonder what it would be like seeing him one on one.
• It took a while, but he stopped laughing, and I pouted.
• "Can't believe you are laughing at my dilemma," I added.
• "Ohhh, my bad... I am so sorry, but collapsing on our wedding day would be simply amazing," he said and laughed again.
• "What...."
• "Don't 'what' me... if I am to stand at the altar and wait for you, it would take a longer time, and I might die of waiting. But if you collapse, we just have to apologize to the invitees, and I take you home. It would save me the chance of having a heart attack while waiting for my bride...." he said, and I giggled. He called me his bride; now it was a marriage I was looking forward to.
• I was going to say something, but I heard him talking to someone at the other end of the line, so I remained mute until he was done.
• "Hey... I have to go," he said with a note of sadness in his voice, and my heart dropped.
• "Ohh..." was the only thing I could utter.
• "I am sorry, but I will call you tonight. I promise," he said, and I felt joyful.
• "Okay... okay," I said excitedly.
• "Well... later," he said.
• "Later then," I replied, and he hung up.