Chapter 3 If only things were that simple

"Is something going on Amara?" My closest buddy Sienna questioned as she observed me taking a sip from my third vodka shot. She seemed really interested in finding out why I was behaving strangely and drinking on a weekday, which is not like me. I don't usually drink alcohol because I really think that it's my duty as a nurse to lead by example.

Additionally, I can't just drink whenever I want since I never know when I'll be called into work to respond to a patient's needs."Does it look like something is going on with me?" Sienna nodded her head yes without hesitation when I posed the obvious question."Em, you really shouldn't be asking me that. You are well aware of how strange your behavior is, and I'm beginning to worry a lot about you. Not only is it strange that you're calling me out for a drink on a weekday when you haven't done so in over three years, but you're also having multiple shots of vodka, which is something you would never do in a rational world. She reminded me, "You hate vodka, Amara," and I laughed a little without even realizing it.I murmured back, "Damn Sienna, I guess I'm really losing my mind," and she rolled her eyes at me."Exactly, Em. I need you to tell me exactly what's driving you insane since you seem to be going crazy. She asked in a tone that made it clear she was being very serious, "Stop keeping me in suspense and just tell me what's going on with you."Sincerely, all I wanted was to tell her everything, but I wasn't sure how to tell her that I was getting married to none other than Stephen Ericson, one of the wealthiest and most powerful men in the country. Even though I had only met him once, I still didn't know why I was under any kind of pressure to marry him even if he was going to become my husband. How was I going to explain to my closest friend that I found my soon-to-be husband to be really intimidating and that I felt a little afraid of him?I was more than ready to get wasted and forget about everything else in the world simply thinking about the whole affair.I honestly don't know how to tell you this, even though it's not like I don't want to. "You're probably going to think I'm crazy anyway," I murmured, causing her to furrow her brow deeply."Amara, are you serious right now? Is that how little you regard my opinion? Since we've been best friends for more than 10 years, do you really believe that telling me what's going on with you will drive me insane? What if I believe you to be insane? Does it really matter? That's how friendships operate, isn't that right? I sighed in frustration, "Just because I might find whatever is going on with you crazy doesn't automatically mean that I won't support you and stick with you," she snapped back."You face to promise me that everything I'm about to tell you will be between us, Sienna, because I'm going to explain everything to you. Do you realize that you most surely cannot tell anyone else about this?" I forewarned her.Sienna frowned. "You're not that important foolish, so I don't believe anyone in the world would like to listen to me blab about you as much as I would love to tell someone about my closest friend's life and disclose her personal business. She snarled back at me, "Now, start talking and stop sounding so dramatic."I sighed and took a little drink from my shot that was only halfway full. I motioned to the bartender to top up my drink, then turned to face Sienna, blurting out the details of my situation in one breath. "I'm getting married,"Sienna's demeanor changed instantly from intrigued to bewildered to startled as soon as I said those words. "Hold on, what? Are you getting hitched? You? Amara Delgado, a? The same Amara who's not even engaged to be married?" she said, and I didn't find it surprising that she answered in that way. I knew she wouldn't believe me, so I was prepared for her to be astonished.Her mouth dropped as I said, "Yeah, Sienna, me Amara Delgado-the girl without a boyfriend, much less a fiancé-am getting married.""Dear, do you know what? I believe it's time for you to just give up drinking and go home immediately. You're clearly not into alcohol, and it's already making you say a bunch of stupid things that don't make sense at all. I'll arrange for a vehicle to come and retrieve us so you can head home and relax. She started to get up to go, saying, "It seems like you really need it," but I stopped her."I meant what I just said, Sienna, and I'm not intoxicated. I told her, "I'm getting married soon, and yes, even though it sounds unbelievable and ridiculous, it's actually the truth." She calmed when she realized I was genuine."You're getting married, really? Why is that? Who is this person that you are ostensibly getting married to?" Sienna questioned, her questioning eyes gazing back at me. When she did ask me this question, as I knew she would eventually, I wasn't quite sure how to break the news to her that I was getting married to a millionaire. It's unlikely that she will believe me at first, but I still can't help but tell her.I told her ahead of time, "Don't be shocked, Sienna," and she rolled her eyes at me.As she scoffed at me, "As if anything can be more shocking than the fact that you're actually getting married," I moaned.I told her that Stephen Ericson was my soon-to-be husband.She scowled. Amara, what the heck are you saying? She said dismissively, "Which Stephen Ericson are you talking about because it can't possibly be the same one that I've heard about," but she let out a loud scream when she realized that I had said nothing at all. Is the holy mother of Christ making jokes about me? She questioned, "Is he really the one?," in a loud enough voice to draw attention away from where we were sitting. I hurriedly silenced her before she could announce to the entire bar that I was getting married."I know it sounds like the worst kind of joke but unfortunately for me, it's not a joke," I said. Fighting down the want to cry, I said, "It all still feels to me like some kind of bad dream that I'll be waking up from anytime soon but if I'm being honest with myself, it is the actual truth and I have to prepare to make peace with it.""Amara, this is unbelievable. Are you truly going to wed Stephen Ericson? Is this the same Stephen Ericson who is notorious for being a merciless businessman and a money-hungry bastard? But why, exactly? How come you would marry someone who looks like him? Do you know this man at all?" She enquired."Well, I called you out for a drink because I met him for the first time earlier today-I didn't know that at first. My realization upon meeting him was that I would actually have to marry him, and to be honest, the idea of that scares and chills me. We traveled for hours earlier today to see this man, and even when he was with us, he only gave us thirty minutes of his time. He hardly even gave me a glance. I said, remembering how annoyed and ashamed I had been about the whole thing earlier in the day. "It's like he doesn't want to marry me but is being forced to," I said."Why in the world are you marrying him if you already feel this way? Why is it the case?" Sienna asked, and I let out a frustrated sigh."Trust me, Sienna-I have no idea why this marriage is even being discussed, but I would also want to know. I have no idea why I'm even getting married at all. My father essentially left me with no choice than to marry him if I wanted our lives to stay the same. Dad won't talk to me, so I'm going to ask him why we have to be married when we have dinner together tomorrow," I informed her."Are you going to see him again? By yourself?" she enquired.Naturally, Sienna. "He asked me out to dinner to apologize for not being able to talk to me for too long today, and I said that if I'm going to marry him, I need to at least talk to him for more than five minutes," Sienna groaned."You know, I still can't believe you're getting married; everything about this is so fucking ridiculous. She responded, clearly just as perplexed as I was, "I'm just going to wait until after your dinner with him tomorrow and hear how it all goes.""I'm also eager to meet him in person to find out more about his personality. You know how uncomfortable I get in awkward circumstances, so I'm really apprehensive about spending time alone with him," I said to her. She grabbed my hands in hers and gently squeezed them."Aunt, don't worry too much. You may tell your dad that you can't marry him because he makes you feel uncomfortable if he turns out to be unbearable. All you have to do is cut him off and go without giving it any thought. I just sighed as she remarked, "You shouldn't be sacrificing your sanity just to please him."If only saying no was that simple.