MARRIED TO ANDREW

"Good morning Melissa." Mrs. Anderson greeted giving her daughter, Melissa, who was still sleeping a slight tap.

Melissa sat up on the bed yawning.

"Good morning Mom." She greeted back looking at the clock on the wall of her room.

"Get up Baby." Mrs. Anderson said with a smile on her face.

"Mom, can I rest a bit?" Her daughter asked yawning.

"No, my dear. We will be having an important guest this morning, and you will need to see him." She said.

"Why do I need to see the guest?" Melissa asked.

Mrs. Anderson ignored the question her daughter asked her and dropped a gown on her bed before walking to the door. Getting to the door, Mrs. Anderson stopped and looked at her daughter.

"Get up, take your bath, and put the gown on." She said to her daughter.

"Why do I have to put on this gown?" Melissa got up from her bed and asked picking up the gown.

"As I said, we would be having an important guest." Her mother answered before opening the door and walking out of it.

Melissa sat back on her bed keeping her hands on her jaw as she thought about who the important guest could be.

"It may be the President of America or the Governor of Alaska." She said to herself smiling.

She stood up from the bed and walked to her closet, took out her towel, and went to take her bath.

After some minutes, she was done taking her bath. She walked out to the bedroom and wore the gown her mother dropped on her bed. She smiled adoring herself in the gown.

"It's beautiful." She said.

She walked close to the mirror in her room as she adored her beauty in the gown then picked up her makeup kit.

"Are you done?" She heard her mother's voice ask as she knocked on her room door.

"Would be out in some minutes." She shouted packing her hair.

Minutes later, she walked out of her room and went to the living room. Getting to the living room, she saw her Dad discussing with a young man.

"What is this? Who is this man?" she asked herself.

Her father, Mr. Anderson, looked up and saw his daughter. On seeing her, he smiled.

"It's good you are here." He said looking at her.

The young man looked at Melissa and smiled.

"Such a beauty." The young man said looking at her and she smiled.

Mrs. Anderson walked out of her room and smiled seeing Melissa.

"You look gorgeous." She said to her making her smile.

Melissa walked close to her mother.

"What's going on here, Mom?" She asked seeing the drinks that were on the table.

Mrs. Anderson smiled ignoring her daughter's question.

"Take your seat." She said to Melissa pointing to the couch.

Melissa walked over to her Mom and went to sit on the couch then her Mom joined her in sitting at the other end of the couch.

They all took each a cup on the table and drank the contents in it.

A few minutes after they had finished their drinks, Melissa looked at her Dad confused as to why they called her out of her room. She was about to speak when the young man began a discussion which made them laugh.

A few minutes later the young man looked into Melissa's eyes.

"We didn't introduce ourselves." He said looking into Melissa's eyes.

Mr. Anderson rose to his feet and looked at Melissa.

"I would like to introduce you two." He said, and his wife looked at her daughter.

He smiled looking at his daughter.

"Melissa, this is yo..." He was saying when the young man interrupted.

"That's not the introduction I mean." The young man said.

Melissa looked at the young man.

"This man is rude, he doesn't have respect." She thought to herself.

The young man avoided the look on Melissa's face and smiled.

"I would do the introduction." He said. "Mr. Anderson, do have your seat."

Melissa opened her mouth in shock. No one dears speak to her father like that. She saw pride written all over the young man.

"Good morning, My name is Andrew." He said stretching out his hand to Melissa.

Melissa looked into the man's eyes angrily. She would rather not shake his hand. Her mother shook her urging her to shake him.

She stretched out her hand to him and smiled.

"I am Melissa, and it's nice meeting you." She said.

Andrew looked at her and smiled.

"What a nice name," Andrew said making her blush.

"Thank you." She said smiling and the young man, Andrew, sat back down.

Melissa looked at her mother and whispered into her ears.

"Mom, what's going on here?" She asked her mother in a whisper.

"Melissa, just hold on." Mrs. Anderson told her daughter.

"Why is he an important guest, Mom?" She asked looking angry and Mrs. Anderson pulled her close to herself.

"We need to discuss some important things with him." Mrs. Anderson said to her daughter.

Melissa looked at Andrew and smiled. He had everything she wanted physically in a man but he was rude which is one thing she hates.

"Okay, Mom." She said seeing her father speaking with Andrew.

"Sir Andrew." Mrs. Anderson called Andrew, and he raised his head up to look at her.

Smiling as he moved to look at Melissa, he replied, "Yes, Mrs."

"Do not call me that, you can call me my name, Martha." Mrs. Anderson said making her daughter shocked.

"Mom, he is younger than you," Melissa said in a whisper to her mother.

"Yes, I know." Her mother whispered back to her daughter.

"He acts like a flirt," Melissa said to herself seeing his eyes still on her.

"I think we should go to the reason I am here with you all," Andrew said, standing up.

He looked at his wristwatch and then sat down back on the couch after adjusting his shirt.

Melissa looked at her Mom and then at her Dad who stood up.

"I would like to get going in some minutes," Andrew said and Melissa looked at him shocked.

She stood up angrily to charge at him but was pulled back to sit on the couch by her Mom.

"You have to be gentle." Her mother whispered to her as she moved her head slightly and looked at her father.

Mr. Anderson cleared his throat before speaking.

"This is your husband, Melissa." He said pointing to Andrew.

"What!!!" Melissa exclaimed.

"You heard me right, Melissa, this is your husband." Mr. Anderson said.

"No Dad, you must be joking." She said, shaking her head.

She looked at her mother.

"Mom, tell me this is not true." She said agitated.

"Your Dad is right." Mrs. Anderson said.

Melissa couldn't believe her ears.

"No, Mom." She said and ran off to her room, locking the door.

Mr. Anderson looked at Andrew who kept smiling at what was going on.

"I'm sorry, Sir Andrew. She is a young girl, and it may take a long time for her to accept you." He said trying to convince Andrew.

Andrew looked at Mrs. Anderson, who walked to the living room after chasing her daughter.

"I am sorry, Mr. Crook, you would have to come back some days later for her." She said, and Andrew laughed.

"Where is she?" Andrew asked.

"She locked herself in her room." She said.

"Where?, What direction?" He asked.

Mrs. Anderson pointed to Melissa's room, and Andrew stood up from the couch and headed toward Melissa's room.

"Sir Andrew, please do not hurt her." Melissa's parent said as they followed Andrew to Melissa's door.

Getting to Melissa's door, Andrew dipped his hands into his pocket and brought out a key, which he used to open the door.

Mr. Anderson looked at his wife when Andrew opened the door and followed him into Melissa's room.

Melissa was shocked to see him in her room.

She ran to the window and opened the curtain. She put up the window.

"If you take a step closer, I would jump off the window." She said.

Mr. Anderson tried to hold Andrew as they knew that their daughter meant it.

"I have a boyfriend and I love him. I would marry him and no one can stop it. If anyone tries to stop it, I am going to kill myself." Melissa said.

"Don't Melissa." Mrs. Anderson said. "Sir Andrew will give you a good and comfortable life."

She climbed the bed and was about to jump when Andrew caught her by the waist and lifted her into his arm. He carried her to the living room while she kept hitting him with her hands.

Getting to the living room, Andrew placed her on the couch and smiled.

She looked at her Mom, who folded her hands in a pleading way.

"Melissa!!" Her mother called.

"You can't force me to marry him," Melissa said, pointing to Andrew.

"He sponsored this family and took care of every one of our needs, even your schooling." Mr. Anderson said.

"Do it for us, go with him. You would have a good life with him and also provide a good life for us." He said and Melissa looked at her Mom.

"No, I can provide a good life for you both after my education." She said.

"We don't have any money. We depend on Mr. Andrew for money." Her said.

"Dad!" She called.

"Yes, my dear." Mr. Anderson said, nodding his head as he used his hands to clean his face.

"You are selling me all because of money?" She asked.

"No, my dear." Melissa's mom said.

"Then why this?" Melissa shouted.

Andrew looked at Melissa and was about to hold her when Melissa spoke up making him smile.

"Alright, I accept." She said.

"Thank you." Mrs. Anderson said and was about to hug her daughter, Melissa, when she raised her hands.

"Don't move close," she said and Mrs. Anderson stopped.

"I accept to be his wife for your good." She said and Mrs. Anderson nodded her head.

"Thank you." Mr. Anderson said.

"I would need to get some clothes before going with him." She said.

"No, Babe, there are plenty of clothes waiting for you at home," Andrew said irritating her.

"He is such a flirt." She mumbled.

"We would need to leave now," Andrew said.

"Alright." Melissa's parent chorused.

Melissa looked at her mother and said, "This is it, Mom, you weren't sold to Dad, so how can you sell me?"

"My dear, please help us from this poverty state." Her mom said.

"We aren't poor mom. We aren't poor." Melissa said.

"I thought you were done with this," Andrew said.

"Shut up, I wasn't talking to you." She said.

"I am entitled to say whatever I want because I own you," Andrew said.

"I am not a property you can own, so give me my space." She said.

Andrew checked the time on his wristwatch and opened his mouth, looking up.

"Wow, the day is far spent. I would love to go with my lovely wife now to my home." He said.

"Is this how you will treat the parents of your wife?" Melissa asked.

"And how do you wish me to treat them?" He asked.

"With respect," Melissa said. "You have to treat them with respect."

"Okay, my mistress." He said and bowed his head down making Melissa laugh.

Andrew turned to look at Mr. Anderson.

"I would like to take my leave now, sir." He said.

Mr. Anderson smiled nodding his head.

"Okay, Mr. Crook." Mr. Anderson said.

"Ma'am," Andrew said as he turned to Mrs. Anderson and took a bow.

"Okay, Sir Andrew take care of your wife." Mrs. Anderson said.

"Mom, why do you have to call him Sir Andrew? He is just my husband, not your boss." Melissa said.

"Okay, dear." Her mother said seeing the look on Andrew's face.

She knew that Andrew was rushing and wanted to leave there as soon as possible, as he was checking his wristwatch.

"Okay, Andrew. Take good care of your wife." She said.

"Okay, Ma'am," Andrew said.

Melissa walked over to hug her parent.

"I would miss you, Mom." She said.

"I would miss you too." Mrs. Anderson said. "You don't have to worry because I would visit you on some occasions."

Mrs. Anderson looked up at Andrew and saw the frown on his face which meant she was wasting his time. She turned to face Melissa.

"You need to go." She said letting Melissa go.

Melissa turned and walked to Andrew. She turned to look at her parent's face.

"Bye Mom, Bye Dad." She said as she waved her parents bye.

It was a long journey for Melissa as they arrived at Andrew's house. She looked at the house, the house seemed to be lodged for a husband and wife living there alone, so she thought, "How can a young bachelor be living in this house alone?"

"You may have your seat now.", Andrew said startling her.

She sat on the couch, but her eyes could not but wonder the living room as she sat on the couch.

"Wow, this is great." She said smiling as she could not help but marvel at the beauty of the house.

The walls of the living room were painted peach color. She rose to her feet with her mouth open.

"This is wonderful." She said.

Andrew looked at her and smiled.

"I will be back." Andrew said, then left the living room.

Minutes later, he walked out with a cup of water which he gave to her.

"I guess you'll be tired by now." Andrew said.

"Oh, thank you." She said, collecting the cup from him.

"You are welcome." Andrew said, taking his seat on a couch next to her.

He sat looking at her as she gulped down the water.

"Thank you for this." She said when she was done drinking the water.

She was happy. He was behaving like the kind of man she would like to marry. She had always imagined herself getting married to a man who would pamper her and give her the best comfort she needed, and Andrew was just acting like one. He wasn't even like all those men who wouldn't like to give their wives the comfort they required. She prayed this would not stop.

"I will show you to your room." He said some minute after.

Melissa smiled as her eyes wandered to Andrew's muscular body. Andrew led Melissa to the room she would likely be staying in.

Her eyes were fixed on the walls as he led her to the room she would be staying in s she smiled.

Getting to a room, Andrew pulled open the door and led her into the room.

"Wow, your house is so large and beautiful." She said smiling as she sat on the big bed that was in the room, making Andrew smile.

"I think you should go freshen up., Andrew said making her stand up.

"Okay." She said.

Andrew walked out of the room, closing the door behind him. He walked to the living room then to the kitchen where he prepared rice and took it up after an hour to Melissa's room.

"Hey." He said as he knocked on the door.

Melissa opened the door after some minutes and looked at him.

"Here is your meal." He said handing her the plate he had in his hand with a small glass cup of water.

"Thank you.", Melissa said as she collected the plate and cup from him.

Andrew left her room after she had collected the cup and plate from him and went to the living room.

He sat on the chair and switched on the light as it was dark. He took out his phone and moved to his video call.

"I'm so sorry that I am late." He said to the person he was speaking with on the call. "I was busy doing something."

"Alright." The person he was on the call with said.

He spoke with the person on the phone for twenty minutes. It was about a business proposal.

Melissa walked down the stairs minutes later and looked at Andrew who was smiling.

"Can you show me the way to the kitchen?" She asked Andrew who was still looking at his phone.

"The kitchen is at the left-hand corner at the back." He said as he looked at Melissa, who was standing in his front.

He hated the feeling he felt now.

He had chosen immediately to marry her not because he was happy with it. He had wanted to tell her father to keep her, but he was betrayed by his girlfriend who decided to elope with another guy a year ago, and he was yet to recover from it.

"What are you still doing here?" Melissa asked as she returned to the living room.

"Nothing. I just want to relax." He said, feigning a smile.

He felt disgusted with what he was doing. He wanted her to trust him, then give her the punishment he would have loved to give his girlfriend for eloping with a man.

"Just go to relax in your room." He said.

Melissa smiled as she turned to go back to her room and then turned to face him.

"I want to ask you a question." She said.

"Okay, you can go on." He said.

"Can I go visit my parents tomorrow?" She asked.

"No you can't.", Andrew said with anger as he thought of the things he had shared with his last girlfriend.

"Why?" Melissa asked.

"Because I said you can't." He said.

Melissa looked down and sighed.

"What about next week?" She asked.

"No, you can't. Also, you can never go back there ever." He said angrily as he stood up from the couch.

Melissa looked at him with a teary eye.

"Why can't I?" She asked.

"You can't because I have already bought you," Andrew said and left for his room.

Melissa sat on a couch as she watched him leave.

Minutes later, she looked at the clock which ticked. "Oh my, why is Andrew acting strange, We just got here some hours ago, and he wasn't behaving like anything was wrong, but now..." She paused as she thought.

"We are meant to stay together this night, but I guess he is upset about something. What is wrong?" She asked herself as she headed to her room.

She shut the door of her room close and lay on the bed looking up.

"This house is beautiful. I wish my parents could visit me in this house, but Andrew won't be willing to let me see them." She said as she sobbed.

"I just finished High school and I need to go to College." She said thoughtfully. "Is he going to allow me to go to the College?"

She closed her eyes to sleep as she was tired of the day's journey.