Companionship or an Arrangement
Writer POV
“What happened to her mom?” He ran into the room, while the doctor waved at him before leaving the room. There she was lying on the bed with her eyes closed. To him, she looked so peaceful and beautiful and it made him smile a bit before the worry took in again.
“What exactly happened? And what did the doctor say? Is she okay? Is the baby okay?” He rushed his words, without taking in a breath from each question.
“We were talking and then she stood up and suddenly slumped on the floor. The doctor said she and the baby are fine, but she needs a lot of rest cause she’s been through a lot of stress,” Mom explained to him, while he sighed in relief.
“I’ll ask the maid to get something ready for her when she wakes up,” he stood up, but his mom stopped him.
“It’s okay, I’ll do that. Why don’t you go freshen up and have something to eat,”
“No I want to be here till she wakes up,” she smiled brightly at him, and kissed him on the forehead, before leaving him alone with her.
Christian got a little comfortable, as he rested his head on the headboard of the bed while holding Mandy’s hand as he stared at her. He stayed at that position for a little while longer, before dozing off to sleep…
A few hours later, Mandy snuggled herself on the bed, she turned her head sideways as if disturbed, before slowly opening her eyes. She tried to get up from the bed when she noticed a little grip on her hand. She turned her head to find Christian lying uncomfortably while he held her.
She chuckled and carefully sat up, staring at him. “What is he doing here?” She smiled at the question, and dragged the duvet to cover him, noticing he still had his work clothes on.
“He didn’t even change? Was he taking care of me? Does it mean he was here all through?” She asked quite the obvious, smiling as the thought of that gladdens her heart, but quickly brushed it off, once she realized that she was in this situation because of him and his family; well that includes hers too.
She tried to get up slowly without waking him up. She pulled my hands carefully and started to move her body away from the bed when he woke up causing her to halt immediately…
“Mandy,” he growled at her, sitting up too
“Fuck he’s awake,” she cursed under her breath, slowly turning around to face him.
“Hey,” she finally voiced out…
“You’re awake! How do you feel,” he said softly, moving closer to her.
“Good,” she coughed, moving away.
“I’m sorry for everything. It’s all my fault you’re under such stress, please accept my apology” She rubbed her forehead, tired of hearing those words from him.
“You know for a moment, this felt like an Obsession you and your parents had for me. But then came along my parents, doing the same just seconds after they met your parents,”
“So you tell me, why did you mess up my entire world,” her eyes started to water.
“Don’t be delusional Mandy, this is as much about me as it is about you. Don’t make it seem like we are both pushing the whole responsibility to you, ’cause hell I feel so pressured,” he said.
“As much as you try to act so tough Mandy. Try to put on a big girl armor, I can see all well you’re scared of change. And the truth be told, I am too,” his hands wrapped around hers.
“Change isn’t my fear. Marriage! Weddings! Commitment! You are just getting my whole entangled with yours,” she said shakily.
“What’s so wrong with entanglement Mandy? I want to get entangled in your world, I really want to rock your world,” he breathed out, his face closer to hers while she smiled at his words.
“You want to rock my world, Mr Reigns?” She questions, moving her face closer to him
“I’m so immersed by you Mandy Rodgers,” he pushed her hair behind her ears while rubbing her cheeks softly.
“I don’t want to get married, I’m so scared,” she poured out, holding his hands on her cheeks.
“This baby,”
“My life starting to change,”
“Joining a new family,”
“Your mom talking about weddings, all of that afterward. It scares me,” she rambled words coming out of her mouth in haste.Copyright by Nôv/elDrama.Org.
“I don’t want to do this Chris, I don’t think I am. And I doubt if I’ll ever be ready,”
“I’ve seen marriage turned into a nightmare. It’s a living hell I tell you, I don’t want to get caught up in such a web for the name of marriage,” she lashed out, her voice shaky. Her body trembling as he pulled her into a hug letting her cry on his shoulders.
“Hey, it’s okay!! We are going to be fine. How hard can it possibly be? We are well both doing this for our family,” he responded slowly
“I don’t want to get married,” she voiced
“At all? Or to me?” She pulled away and looked at him with a confused look. She wanted to understand what that question meant, and how she could logically answer it.
“What do you mean?” She threw back a question to him…
“Exactly what I meant. You don’t want to get married at all? Or you don’t want to get married to me?” Even as he asked that he deeply wished she didn’t hate the idea of getting married to him. He couldn’t understand why he needed her validation, but he wanted it either way.
“It’s not like we’re in love or anything right?” She shrugged her shoulders, shifting uncomfortably from him.
“Right!” He said quietly.
“So my reason doesn’t matter. As you had said, we’re just doing this for our family, so let’s get over it as quickly as possible,” she felt her throat dry when forcing those words out of her mouth.
Her belief was if she said them out loud, then it would be true and if it became true, she could be out of Chris’s family as soon as possible and all of this drama would finally be over.
“Yeah, we’re just going to have this baby, right?” He bites his lips responding to that with hurt in his eyes.
“Can I ask you something?” She voiced and he nodded in agreement.
“Do you want to get married to me,” she bit her lower lips, looking him in the eyes while she awaited her response.
“Yes, Mandy. I want to marry you,” he said simply, and she felt a tingling sensation around her stomach.
“What do you have to offer in this relationship, Chris?” She asked.
“You want me to answer that?” He looked confused and raised his brows at her.
“Yes. And don’t you dare say love, money, or sex? Cause my money got me that,”
“Okay! Okay!” He laughed
“Or even security or respect. I got that cover without a man,” he smiled proudly at her.
“So tell me, Christian, what would you offer in this relationship?,” She repeated with a Curt smile.
“Companionship. I’ll offer that,” she laughed and looked at him like he was insane.
“You’re joking! Cause I’m sure as hell you know I got lots of friends,” she responds.
“I know! But like I promise I’ll always be here for you. So I’ll offer that in this relationship. Every step of the way,”
“Every bridge,”
“Every laugher,”
“Every tear,”
“And every win, Mandy. I’ll accompany you all the way. So I’ll offer companionship,” he said boldly and every word he breathed out made her heart flutter. It made her feel some kind of way, a way she couldn’t understand.
“Cool,” she breathed, unable to find the right words to respond due to the sudden tension in the room.
“I guess we kinda have a sort of an arrangement,” she smiled.
“An arrangement?” He said quizzically…
“Yes. We’re doing this for our family and the baby, without getting into each other’s way, right?” She raised her brows at him, hoping this would ease up the air…
“Yeah. You’re right.” He said simply, as silence took over.
“Well then, since we’re both on the same page. I guess I better get a shower, ’cause I probably stink by now,” he winked at her, walking toward the door while she smiled…
“See you later then,” He said, almost shutting the door.
“Yeah sure,” she smiled nodding her head…