Should I Go on With This Arranged Marriage?

Dominique’s P.O.V.

I woke up in some unfamiliar bed. Everything is white. There’s a beeping on my side.

My eyes refuse to open, but I forced it, I also use a good force to get myself sat up, and that’s when I get dizzy and my head started pounding. “Ahh.” I groaned, holding my head with my both hands.

“Oh my God, Nick, you’re awake.” A worried Amerie approached me.

“What happened?” It just then to my realization I’m on the hospital and remembered everything. I passed out at Jasmine’s house. I quickly grabbed my belly and feel it. “I still have my baby, right?”

A nurse, came in. She was the nurse I once see during my ultrasound. I think she’s Rachel’s nurse.

“Nurse, please tell me, I still have my baby.” There was a crack on my voice.

She smiled. “Don’t worry, the baby is well.”

I sighed heavily, letting all the nervous out of me. “I just have to check you’re blood pressure.”

She gently stretch out my arm and wrapped the blue clothe aroujd it.

“What exactly happened? They are so worried.” Jasmine, would never let them know that I cried over some theory. “Jasmine called Mom and told her, that you were in here. You left with a very good conditin and now in a hospital’s bed.”

“Let’s not make her think too much.” The nurse said. “She just passed out. Due to over fatigue and high blood pressure.” She started removing the thing off of me. “110 over 100,”

“Is it good?

“Almost.” she said. “Dra. Rachel will be here tonight.”

“You mean I have to stay a night here?”

“Two.” I nodded. “Just push the button if you need me.” She pointed on the red button at the side of the bed.

“Thanks.” I smiled then she gets out.

“Where’s my phone?” I have to call Amanda. Brian can not know about this. This is just a minor thing.

She handed me the phone. I quickly dialed her number and hse picks up soon.

“Hello, Mom.”

“What on earth are you doing?” she asked.

“Mom, I’m fne, now. Can we keep this away from Brian?’

Amerie looked at me in confusion.

“I’m sorry, Nick. He’ll be home at 8.” Shit. I look at wall clock and it says it’s already 7:30. Doube sit for that.

“Uhm… Alright.” I muttered.

“Nick. You should really take care of yourself..”

“I’m sorry, for worrying you.” Guilt washes me off.

“ I will be back tomorrow morning.”

“Alright. Thank you. Bye.” With that we hang up.

I lay back down. How should I explain things now to him.

“Alright, Amerie, when Brian comes, I will play asleep and tell him I have just fallen back to sleep, so he won’t wake me up.”

She chuckled. “Okay.”

“By the way, where’s Mom and Dad?”

“They just left. I exchange shift with them. Jasmine also left with them.”

I just ‘oh’ my lips.

Minutes passed and I decided to close my eyes at 7:45, just to be safe.

Amerie was watching some shows and by the way it sounds, she’s watching MTV. I shifted place to where I am cmfortable, cause its going to be a long fake sleep.

There goes the cracking of the door. Right away, I smell his perfume. I wanted to open my eyes to see him, But I stop myself.

“Oh, hi.” Amerie greetd.

“Hello.” he greeteed back. There’s a short silence, until he asked again. “How is she?”

“The nurse just came and checked her BP. It is quite normal, now.” She paused. “and the baby’s fine.”

“What happened?”

Another silence.

“Who was she with?”

“Jasmine.”

Oh crap. I forgot to remind her that she can not speak about Jasmine.

“where’s her phone?”

There was silence again. I know what he's going to do. ‘don’t pick up, don’t pick up.’ I repeatedly shout at my head.

“She’s sleeping.” Oh shit, she picked up. Please, don’t spill anything now.

A little silence.

“What happened, Jasmine?’ Brian asked, with his curious voice.

Silence again.

“Worried? For what?”

She really is spilling things out.

“Don’t try to pull that bullshit on me, please.” The words may be harsh, but he delivered those gently. How can he do that? “I’m leaving at 5 in the morning. I just have to see if she’s okay, and what exactly happened.”

That is nice to hear, but maddening me. He came home just to see if I’m okay, that’s nice. But he’s going to leave soon, and that’s bad. Can he stay for a little bit longer? Like, I want to keep him away from her.

“What else?” I knew it, Jasmine won’t speak too much.. “Like what?” Good to know that Jasmine is playing it hard to him.

Just a matter of seconds, I flinched away and my eyes pops open, when someone, grabs a hold of my dextrose and bruise hand. It was a gentle touch, but he happens to get the shit out of me. I immediately see a hard expression on his face.

“Oh, sorry.“ He then, gently run down his hand on my head, telling me to go back to sleep.

I close my eyes in response.

“And her hand?” He asked again.

-Brian’s P.O.V.-

I dialed Jasmine’s phone. She picks it up, right away.

“How are you?” There’s a strong worry on her voice.

I watched Nick’s sleeping body. And her face is just hard to read.

“She’s sleeping.” I answered.

“Oh, Brian.” Now, she sounds surprised.

“What happened, Jasmine?”

She didn’t answer for a while. I heard her sighed before she did. “She was worried.”

“Worried? For what?” Now the confusion begins.

“I don’t exacty know.” I know she’s lying. Nick would never hide something to her. She said it to me once, I should never doubt their friendship.

“Don’t try to put that bullshit on me, please.” I still said it nice.

“Brian, Just ask her.”

“I’m off at 5 in the morning. I just need to know if she’s okay and what exactly happened.”

“Okay…” She paused. I stand by the window and face Nick. “She mentioned that little weird phone call for Val. She over thinks it. Then she came up with a conclusion that it might be, Michelle.” I pursed my lips back. How could she so good at guessing too much things?

“What else?”

“Then, she became paranoid and think things.”

“Like what?”

“There’s just so many questions, she’s asking to me. And God’s sake, only you can answer it.”

I stared at Nick and the tube connected on her hand. I studied t for a while, until I saw a purple mark on it. I walk over to her and gently lift her hand up. She quickly flinched away and opens her eyes. She looks scared. “Oh, sorry.” I whispered to her. I gently rub her head telling her to sleep again. She then close my eyes and I walked back by the window.

“And her hand?”

“She punched the floor, several times.”

I shook my head in disappointment. She promised me, she will take good care of herself, and now she’s hurting herself.

“Tell me more.” I muttered.

“She kept on crying and crying. Asking ‘What ifs’” she paused. “Then what made her cry more, when she thought that you and Michelle get back to each other?”

“What on earth was she thinking?”

“I don’t even know. I told her to calm down. I tried to comfort her. But she was just so different earlier. She was so worried and hurt and broken.”

Some alien feeling abruptly washes me. I don’t know this. It’s like the feeling of should I be mad at her or comfort her.

“Thank you, Jasmine.” I said. I already knew enough.

“It’s okay, Brian. Can you give a little favor in return. I don’t wan to sound opportunist, but please, just this one.”

“What is it?’

“Please, don’t do anything, to break her heart. It’s just a little thing, Brian.”

She doesn’t have to remind me about that. Not with her state now. “That’s my responsibility.”

“Alright. Bye.”

“yeah, thanks, again.” We both hang up.

I turned to Amerie “Amerie?”

“Yes?” she answered.

“Would you mind if I ask you to buy me some food?” It’s a little awkward for me to ask her a favor. But I’m too tired to even grab a dinner.

“Absolutely not.” She smiled.

I gave Amerie some bucks but she refuses it, telling me, she got it. I settled on the couch with my tired body and close my eyes. What happened earlier, flashes on my mind. I miss her so much. I want her so bad. I wish of more time with her. I wish to be there right now. But I know what is infront of me now is more than important than everything.

“Brian?” I quickly sit up straight and see her sitting up on the bed. I made my way quickly on her side

“What the actual fuck were you thinking.?” I asked, sitting beside her.

She looked down on her hands playing the edge of the sheet.

"I don't even know." I was taken aback when, soon, I see a teardrop on the sheet.

“Don’t cry.” I lift her chin up.

“I’m scared.” She finally cracks it up.

I cup her face on my hand, making her look at me straight. “You scared me as well.”

She tried to shake her head. “You don’t understand me.”

“Then make me.” As if I don't know. Of course I do. But I have hear anything, everything she's been thinking.

She cried for a while. A cry in silence. Seeing her like this will make everyone cry. Tears in silence, do hurt more than the tears wit sobs.

“She’s back, right?” She look back at me.

I couldn’t speak for a moment. She feels it. All I could response her, is nod my head and "I don't wanna lie to you."

Tears are from the both corner of each eyes. I couldn’t say anything. I still don’t have any plan in the future. I don’t want to lie to her. I wanted to talk to Michelle, and wherever that conversation ended, I’m on it.

“Alright.” She said, trying to compose herself.

She deserves and explanation, but my lips refused to open.

I’m really stupid.