Chapter 9 Yup. I am totally screwed.

Carrie

I know I have never been too keen on getting married but there were times I imagined living a great deal of my life with someone else. I sometimes went as far as picturing how magical the wedding ceremony would be.

So if the twenty-one-year-old-college-me sees what I am doing right now, she will drop dead for several minutes like the dramatic girl she is.

The more I walked down the corridor that was supposed to lead to the open space where my wedding was located, the more my feet dragged.

With each passing second, the reluctance to get through that moment grew and that reluctance reached my legs so much that it began to feel as though stones were set in their soles.

But do I have a choice?

Even if it takes a whole day to arrive at my destination, I will still get married.

My father made sure to send several messages to drill that particular truth into my mind. He also said that even though I was not deserving of it, he was going to allow me to use the outdoor venue he booked for the wedding.

I don't know if I am supposed to appreciate that, but it is now confirmed that my father hates me.

A sigh escaped me, I peeled my eyes off the ground and saw that I was already at the end of the corridor. Scanning the flowery canopies and beautifully designed chairs made me realise something.

Only ten people were present for the ceremony. Contrary to the huge number that could have been present, the few people waiting for the ceremony to start looked like they weren't willing to be there. They looked as though they were forced.

Well, that is understandable.

I held the sides of my tail-length gown and took one more look at the seated people. Then, I wondered if my dad was going to walk me down the flower-decorated aisle.

"Uncle Steve will walk you," my sister answered the question in my mind.

Nodding, I accepted it as fate that my father's bad side was the one facing me now.

"Carrie, I am here." The said Uncle appeared from behind and held out his arm.

"This is sad, isn't it?" I asked as I hooked my arm with his.

"Well, that depends on how you define what is sad."

"I know how." I immediately reached for an opened bottle of champagne in the hands of a hotel worker who happened to be passing by and I took a large gulp, part of the liquid drizzling down to my chin.

"Uh..." Uncle Steve is one person that isn't used to seeing me disoriented. So his eyes wore slight confusion as to what his response could be. "I- I don't think you should drink alcohol while pregnant."

I chuckled. That's true. Very true.

Another depressing sigh left me and I tossed the bottle into the hands of someone nearby.

"I think it is sad that I forgot that I was pregnant for a second. "

His eyes pitied me. "You will get through this." He whipped out a handkerchief from his breast pocket and cleaned the liquid mess on my chin. "Trust me."

I looked up at the clear sky.

"I hope I will, Uncle Steve." Organ music playing from a stereo brought me back to earth.

From a distance, I watched as everyone got settled. Their attention soon fell on Frank Maximus, my soon-to-be-husband, who climbed the pulpit where a priest was already waiting.

Realising that the moment when my life would officially change had arrived, my heart began to pound. Nervously, I looked behind me and beckoned to my sister.

"Do I still have no messages?" She shook her head.

Yup. I am totally screwed.

"Carrie, that's our cue."

My eyes flew back to the man waiting for me at the altar.

How my legs advanced their steps, I have no idea. All I know is that within some seconds, Uncle Steve had helped me to the pulpit and I was standing opposite Frank who was dressed in a suit.

Okay, Carrie, deep breaths.

"Dearly beloved, we are here to witness in the presence of the Lord, the joining of this man and woman who have been bonded by the greatest feeling of all, love."

My eyes darted to the priest. Clearly, the old man did not get the memo that it was an arranged marriage.

"I have been informed that this wedding ceremony is to be a short one. So, I will cut out a lot of things."

Well, a short-time inflicted pain has its perks sometimes.

My eyes went back to Frank who could not keep his eyes off the hat on my head. It occurred to me then that I barely registered his facial features in my head. But then, I don't give two fucks about what he looks like.

"Frank, Carrie," we both looked at the officiating priest. "Do any of you have vows for each other?"

My brows jerked at his question. I guess the man didn't get the memo that this wedding is not your usual happy-happy marriage.

But...Vows? I might have one.

I vow to do all I can to get out of the grasp of this marriage. If I can.

"I do," the man in front of me blurted out, shocking me in a way I didn't know I could be shocked. Frank sure is full of surprises.

"Well, go on then," the priest said with delight. He must have sensed the immense awkwardness between us. And Frank's reply probably assured him that all was well.

Lol.

"Uh... Carrie..." Frank cleared his throat and finally looked into the depths of my eyes, and that made me realise that he wasn't putting on his glasses. So, I could see how truly wide his eyes were. "I know things are not particularly..." he glanced at my stomach. "...good between us. We are going to have it rough when we start to live together and I can't promise anything. Everything is still crazy to me right now, so it will take a while for me to properly take care of you. But Carrie..." He reached for my hands, which I gave him reluctantly.

He was acting as if we were long-time lovers who had gone wrong in love and that made me wonder if I had momentarily been transported to an alternate universe.

After a little ticking of his tongue, Frank continued, "When I come to terms with everything. I promise that I will do all I can as a true husband should and I mean that."

Not sure what to do or say, my eyes travelled to the seated guests, and then to my father, who evaded my gaze.

That sight greatly sunk my heart and my lips showed how filled with sorrow I was.

"Carrie?" The priest called.

"No, no." A little clearing of my throat made me taste the wine from earlier. I faced my husband-to-be and said, "I have nothing to say."

"Very well." He faced the crowd. "Is there anyone here who is against the joining of this man and woman?"

No one said anything. Not a single hand in the crowd tried to save me from eternal doom. And while I had the desire to do the damage myself, my fingers failed to do as much as peep because I have an annoyingly betraying body.

Nobody was dramatically walking into the venue to ruin the wedding either, so my fate became more than sealed.

"Well then. Since there is no one..." The priest looked at Frank. "Do you have the rings?"

There are rings too? What next? Do I get to throw a bouquet?

"Yes, I do."

I just thought we would sign stuff and go home to a meaningless arrangement.

Rings?

My father must have been out of his mind from the start.

Frank brought out a red box in which lay two rings. I recognized one to be diamond-studded jewellery which I knew was mine.

"Do you, Frank Maximus, take Carrie to be your lawfully wedded wife? To care for and be with? In sickness or health? In good or bad times? Till death do you part?"

Frank looked straight into my eyes as he grabbed my left hand.

"I do."

He slipped the ring on and it instantly felt like handcuffs.

A little motion stirred in my chest in reaction and my eyes darted to the side. I was about to decipher what was going on with my chest when I felt a loud thud as this something was drapery to jump out of a cage.

"Carrie?" The old priest called my attention back to the event. He nudged towards the ring extended to me and I collected it. "Do you, Carrie Edwards, take Frank to be your lawfully wedded husband? To care for and be with? In sickness or health? In good or bad times? Till death do you part?"

My eyes stayed glued to the ring in my hand. There was a chance for me to reject the craziness I was about to jump into.

But... truth be told, I would have nothing if I leave. Life will become unbearably hard for me. I will lose my family totally.

My eyes went to my father, who was waiting for my response.

I don't want to lose what I have left.

As I have accepted my father's decision, I should accept my fate. Maybe later on, I can work toward getting out of this trap.

"Carrie?" Not only the priest, but the whole audience was also waiting. Even the hotel workers. I bet they were having a cinematic experience.

"Do you take Frank to be your husband?"

Frank lifted a brow when I looked at him again. Inhaling deeply to gather enough courage not only for that moment but for the days and years to come, I finally said, "I do."

Then a loud belch followed.

It was from me.

I just belched while getting married.

"Sorry, I am so sorry." A hand hurriedly covered my mouth before another sound could follow.

"Carrie, did you drink before coming here?" Frank asked, his nose actively sniffing the air.

"Uh..."

"Please put the ring on his finger." I gave a sheepish smile to the priest whose solemn face hadn't tilted since he started the ceremony. As soon as I slid the ring on Frank's lengthy finger, the old man said, "By the power vested in me, I pronounce you, husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride."

Okay. Seriously. Did no one, or anyone, tell this old man the condition of the union?

You may now kiss the bride? Kiss? Really?

"Is a kiss on the cheek okay?" Frank asked a question that I momentarily liked him for.

The priest briefly wore confusion on his face before he said, "Yes. That is appropriate."

Frank moved closer, I tilted my head back unconsciously. He glanced my way, I smiled at him and moved a little closer so he could kiss what he wanted to kiss.

His veiny left hand went to my back and he planted a sort of prolonged kiss on my right cheek. Frank was about to pull back and give an unsure smile to the audience when a gagging noise came from me.

"Carrie?" He held me by the shoulders. "Are you okay?" As I felt the thing in my chest move again, I began to wave to him to move back.

"What? Do you need water?" I waved again, my legs eager to run away. "What is it? Is it the baby?"

From the corner of my eyes, I saw how the priest's countenance changed. Yeah, now he gets part of the story.

I was about to wave Frank off again when my system became calm. But it was no ordinary calm. It was the one before a storm.

"Carrie?"

"I..." Then it all came spilling. The congregation gasped.

Everything I had rushed into my system before the ceremony, mixed with body fluid, all rushed down Frank's suit.

"What the hell Carrie?" His hands hung in the air as his face shockingly darted between his blue suit and my face.

My eyes were almost tearing at the height of embarrassment I had flung myself into.

"I am so sor..." Another batch came. This time, they landed on his shoes.

"Jesus Christ! What is your problem? Do you know how much these shoes cost?"

I wiped my mouth with my hand and looked at his angry face. "I didn't do it on purpose, so don't you freaking shout at me," I said with a low, yet dangerous voice.

"You... you..." He gave a bitter chuckle because words failed him. "You will meet me at home."

I wiped my mouth. "Home? What home? The one I was forced into?" I spat at the angry man.

"Carrie!" My father commanded from where he was. Without words, his eyes warned me, and though stubbornly, I listened. "Take her inside." He gestured to my mom, his eyes not hesitating to drill daggers into me.