Capítulo 7: Getting Married

Collins did not mean to pry, but he couldn't stop himself from wanting to know about what she signed, her sister, and also why she was crying.

"Let it all out," Collins said from behind Arissa after watching how she clenched and unclenched her fist, struggling to keep herself in order.

Arissa laughed. But that can't be called a laugh.

She tightly shut her eyes before opening them again and then, she placed her hand on her sister's now flat tummy, "Thank you, Collins," she thanked the doctor behind her in a breaking voice.

Her hand moved to her sister's face and gave her a forehead kiss. At first, she regretted coming here but then she realized that she would have lost her sister unknowingly.

She turned to Collins and without asking, she hugged him. Collins stilled as this was the first time she was doing something other than a handshake.

His hands felt stiff at his side as he could not raise them to pat her back. This might be a big blow for her because, for the three years, he knew her she had never looked sad not to talk about crying.

He calmed her down and after five minutes of little sobs that filled the room, Arissa stopped absurdly as she parted from him and kept her face down and when she looked up again, she had an embarrassed smile on her lips.

"I'm sorry I did that," she said but not with a breaking voice like one who just cried but with a little bit firm voice.

"This is nothing," Collins brushed it off taking no offense in her tune, "I would just take it off." with that, he took off his surgeon attire and was back on his blue suit.

He took her hand and walked with her over to the couch, "Am always a friend Arissa. Don't feel wry to cry before me okay?" he said to her after they were seated.

Arissa only gave him a thin smile without a nod or a look of disapproval and Collins could only sigh as he brought his hand to her head and arranged her hair.

And then, he crouched down to her leg side before taking her heels off her legs.

"Do you not have to go?" Arissa asked him as she relaxed her feet in his hand while he massaged them, not trying to stop him again as she did in the past. He is a brother figure to her, down to the way he takes care of her appearance.

"No," Collins answered her and stretched her check playfully after making sure her feet were okay, "Smile to avoid wrinkles," he reminded her taking his hand off her cheek and sitting back beside her on the couch.

And just then, there was a knock on the door

"Come in," Collins said lightly to whoever was at the door a nurse he knows came in with a bag in her hand while the other came in with a fast food

They dropped the bag at a corner in the room-like ward and gave the food to Dr. Collins before leaving the two alone insidWhywhy did y_"

"Shh. Just eat up." Collins hushed her before bringing one of the tacos close to her lips.

Arissa's stomach growled loudly at the side of the food. She held her stomach a little embarrassed as she looked at the taco in Collins's hand

Collins looked at her stomach and back at her tinted red face from embarrassment, "Eat up." he said to her again calmly.

Arissa took the taco off his hand and gave it a small bite. This disappointed Collins a little, because of how he had always wanted to feed her.

"Thank you," Arissa said taking the coffee from him. Collins stood up and walked to the bag and in there, he brought out loose pants and a shirt for her.

She hasn't even changed from her business wears yet.

Arissa blinked taking the clothes from him. She ate up with Collins just staring at her before going into the bathroom.

"Thank you, Collins." Arissa thanked him again after she came out of the bathroom with her previous clothes in her hand.

Collins nodded at her and went back to his phone, obviously answering some emails. Arissa arranged her things on the foot of the second bed in the room before turning to her sister again with a sad soft smile.

"Mind telling me about everything that happened in there?" Collins asked her from the couch.

Arissa turned to him already knowing the ' there ', and she turned back to Adele's face. She can't believe Adele isn't her blood.

They had each other's back, grew up together, and had lots of things in common so what lie is her father sporting?

But wait, he can't be sporting lies right? because, no father would do this to a child, and unconsciously, her eyes moved to Adele's stomach.

"Am getting married," she dropped the bombshell, "On the 20th of this month," Arissa said turning to him with an already masked face that his her emotions perfectly.

Collins blinked hearing her and tossed his phone away on the couch "Ar_ are you_"

"I'm serious Collins. Today is the 18th, and it is already seven pm and, it only means I only have a few hours to be single before attaching some mysterious person's last name to mine," she explained slowly letting all words sink into Collins's ear.

"I had to save her first," Arissa said as she slumped onto the couch a tear escaped her eyes again betraying her.

Collins became lost in words and after a while, he took her into his arm and patted her back. This is the second time they are hugging in three years

"How long is the marriage?" Collins asked her softly even if the whole arrangement somehow seemed to pain and rail him up.

He can't believe all of this.

Arissa shifted in his arm and stayed comfortably still burying her face in his shoulder blade, "Two years," Arissa answered with a hoarse voice.

She felt very petty crying before someone but not right now because she can't close it up again. The bottle lid is now too full to be closed up.

His feelings conflicted and Collins took in a deep breath to calm himself before pulling her closer again. He knows her parents to be the most loving parental figures in the world and never did he think they are this wicked.

"How about we leave the country?" he suggested. He does not live here but he came down a week ago for business and that is why he was available when she called.

"Am restricted," she answered breathing heavily. She parted from Collins and stiffed her face again.

Collins took his handkerchief from his suit's inner pocket and passed it to her, "Your nose," he said politely.

Arissa smiled a little took it from his hand and blew her nose in it, "Here," she said childishly as she handed it back to him.

"I would have to be somewhere tomorrow night," she told Collins looking down at her hand. She has to put her plan in motion because for her mother to ask her such a question means she also has to give her body to the old hag she would be wedded to.

"I'm free. I would watch over her." Collins said understanding what she wants already. He lifted his hand and cleaned her eyes, "You have to sleep now," he announced to her as he stood up.

"There is your bed," he said pointing to a bed at the corner of the room, "I have an appointment now," he explained seeing how she looked at him, "but I would be back as soon as possible."

Arissa nodded to him which he did back slightly before leaving Arissa in the ward.