Juniper

When I was in highschool, I boasted to my so called friends that I will never be a victim of forced, arranged or contractual marriage. I told them that even if I fell in love, I wouldn't jump into marriage until I had established myself.

'TRN'S CEO and fashion designer Nathan Brooks has decided to tie the knot and leave the group of renowned bachelors. He plans on announcing to the whole world the lucky woman who has finally stolen his heart.'

I changed the channel.

'Nathan Brooks, TRN'S CEO is finally off the market. The-'

I changed the channel again.

'How does it feel to finally meet the love of -'

I switched it off.

I was in the room in the hospital. Dad was just wheeled into the surgery room so I went back into his room to kill time. I was getting too jittery when I made the mistake of turning on the TV.

Nathan Brooks. He actually dared to. I have underestimated him greatly.

"I am not even rich anymore. Why is this still happening to me!!" I wailed.

"Okay calm down Juniper. He didn't mention your name. If you can find him a bride in time, maybe he will let you off the hook." I said to myself.

With the nearly impossible task in my head, I called Quinn to meet me in the hospital.

"Did you see the news??" That was the first thing she said when she barged into the room.

"My dad's surgery just started. Thanks for asking." I said with a poker-face.

"Oh!!!. I am so sorry. How is he?" She asked with wide eyes, sitting next to me on the bed.

"I said he just started. How am I meant to know how he is doing??"

"Then what are you doing here??. You're meant to be pacing directly outside the room."

"And be put in a hospital bed too? No way. One of us has to be strong to take care of the other."

She twitched and I knew she was seconds away from exploding

"NATHAN BROOKS HAS A FIANCÉE!!!" She blurted out and closed her mouth immediately.

"I'm sorry. I couldn't hold it in any longer." She said apologetically.

I nodded in understanding. When I didn't say anything else, she thought I was still thinking about my dad, which was partially true. So she held my hand and squeezed it.

"Your dad is going to be fine okay?" She said, looking at me directly in the eye. I nodded again and squeezed her hand back.

"Quinn?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you know anyone, who will like to get married?"

"You're still willing to find another bride for this mystery man aren't you?"

I replied with a nod. She sighed and gave me a glance.

"Who is he anyways? Why don't you want tell me his name? I can look him up for you. Owen can find out about anyone within seconds."

I smiled. Owen, Quinn's brother and the guy I had a crush on in highschool. But unfortunately, I was too proud and back then I felt he was so below my status and totally unworthy of me. Now, He works in one of the biggest cyber company in the city and has a girlfriend he was happy with. The crush died a horrific death.  I sighed internally. How tables turn.

"What about.........Mia?"

"Noooo. Mia is a bitch. He won't marry her."

"You're right. She is a bitch."

"He wants a independent, hardworking woman."

"Doesn't he have a circle of friends??. None of them meet his expectations of an independent hardworking woman ??"

I shrugged. "I don't know. I don't care. If he has someone who is not a bitch, I don't think he would be so determined to make my life miserable."

"Seriously Juniper, tell me who he is."

Instead of giving her an answer, a bulb lit in my head.

"Oh my God." I stood up.

"You have an idea." She completed my sentence.

"I've been looking all over, I didn't realize someone was right under my very nose."

"Who is it?"

"Sage."

"Who is Sage?"

"She's Mateo's daughter. My dad's co-partner."

"Will she be willing?"

"Oh she will. When she hear who it is."

She gasped. "If it's a good guy, you don't need to search too far. I am interested." She batted her eyes and pouted at me.

"Really?"

"Yeah. I am single and willing."

I sneered at her.

"Okay then."

She will surely have a fit when she hears who it is.

A little while later, we went back to the surgery room. It was impossible to know what was going on inside, and nobody was coming out. Quinn told me to sit down several times, but I refused.

"Do you think....."

"Juniper Abraham!!. Sit down right now." She ordered.

I complied immediately. Having nothing to do but wait, I began to tap my feet restlessly.

"It's been about two hours already."

"Maybe that's how long a surgery takes."

"You don't know that."

I had barely finished speaking when Quinn grabbed my arm like she was going to snap it into half.

I hissed and glared at her. From the corner of my eye, I saw the bastard, Nathan Brooks confidently sauntering in our direction.

I forgot that she was practically breaking my arm at the moment as he came closer to us. His dazzling blue eyes only infuriated me more.

He finally reached us and gave me a once over. Quinn was impossibly silent, and all that assured me that she was still alive was the way she was leading my arm to it's early grave.

"Sorry I'm late. I got -"

"Mr. Nathan Brooks," I interrupted quickly, giving the brightest fake smile I could offer.
"You've probably never met my best friend in the whole world. Quinn Adams. Quinn I am sure you  know him, this is Nathan Brooks, CEO of TRN."

I glanced at her when she didn't respond and discovered she was still frozen as she stared dazedly at him. Darn it!! She was ruining this for me.

Regardless, I turned back to him.

"I see you've announced your engagement. Very good. Guess what! I have also, found you a bride."

She asked for him, she got him.

He raised his eyebrows and turned his gaze to the still frozen Quinn. When there was still no reaction from her, I rolled my eyes and nudged her hard.

"Quinn, say hello." I whispered through my teeth.

She opened her mouth, but no sound came out. She tried again but to no avail.

I groaned internally and closed my eyes. So much for being interested.

"Anyway," I said turning back to him. "She's the perfect match for you. She's independent,and hardworking. Just what you need. She's a pilot -"

"Is your friend okay?" his eyes were scrunched up in concern as he looked at her.

"Yes. She's perfectly-" I heard a crashing sound. She had fallen on the floor, uncosncious.

"-fine" I completed my statement.

I knew she was very unreliable.

After Quinn had to be put to rest in a room and  after signing papers for the bill I had no money for, I bit my lip and turned to Nathan who was beside me.

"So, do you like her?" I asked tentatively looking at his face for any reaction. He stared at me amusedly with a small smile.

"I cannot marry someone who can barely stay conscious in my presence. So no."

I stared at him in shock. Darn!!! He rejected her so quickly.

Calm down Juniper. It's all right.

"She was just shocked. How do you except her to act when you just appeared out of nowhere? You didn't even try to get to know her." I argued. To be honest, Quinn was just overwhelmed.

"How will I try when she's fainted. I bet the minute she sees me again, she will collapse." He gestured to her door.

"Besides, she's like your number one fan." I added. Hopefully he would reconsider. In fact, I was doing both of them a favor.

"That's the problem. I don't want a clingy wife."

Plan A failed. Fortunately I had another one. This is when Plan B comes in.

"Okay. Fine. I have another choice for you. She smart, independent, hardworking and has a good sense of humor. You'll like her."

He still looked amused. Then shrugged and said.

"Fine. Show me what you've got."

Yes!!!!  Yes!!!!! A hundred times yes!!!

There was no way he was going to reject this one. Apart from the fact that Sage was Mateo's daughter, she was the person likely to inherit the company. I smiled so brightly, and swirled around.

"Please follow me."

I couldn't leave the hospital, so I phoned Sage to meet me here.

Once upon a time, Sage was my worst enemy. We were like two worlds apart. As the most popular girl in school, I felt nothing but disdain for her. And she didn't take things lying too. We both exchanged insults and pulled the worst possible prank at each other. She was as rich as me, but nobody noticed because she never flaunted her wealth. She always dressed as plain as possible.

But in the end, she was the one of the few people who stuck when times became hard. It affected the both of us, but for someone whose entire life was out for the world to see, it affected me more than I could imagine.

I waited at the lobby impatiently tapping my feet when someone walked up to me.

"If it isn't the unfilial daughter of the Abrahams."
I looked up , and there she was.

She wore a white turtleneck with a black jumpsuit. Her glasses, which she preferred to contact lens hanging on the bridge of her straight nose. Her long, brown hair was packed in a side braid.  

Oh, how tables turn.

In spite of the fact that she was the next heiress, she never depended on her father. So while I squandered away money on clothes and shoes, she worked, saved money and was living comfortably a long time ago.

"Miss me?"

..
Jannah.

"So you're a vegetarian."

"No!! I'm not!!!"

"But you said you don't eat meat."

"That wasn't what I said."

Qadirah looked at them with a grin on her face.

"Aren't they cute?? I don't think we were this adorable Ayman."

"Oh but I think we were. You just didn't notice." He replied as he tried to finish his smoothie. She shook her head at him.

"Qadirah, did I ever say that I don't eat meat??"

She put her hand on her chin and looked at both of us. I was sitting beside her, with Ayman and Farhan across us.

"I don't know. Don't ask me."

I threw my hands in the air and groaned while the boys laughed at me.

Later that day, I couldn't stop smiling. I was still smiling when I got home, I was still smiling after Isha, and I think I smiled all the way to Dreamland.

"Jannah!! Jannah!!" Iman said as she twirled all the way to the kitchen where I was trying to knead the dough on the table.

"What are you doing?" She asked standing at the entrance as she wrinkled her nose. Iman wasn't friends with the kitchen but ironically, she loved food.

I panted after barely kneading the dough successfully.

"I am making doughnuts."

"What?" She asked incredibly as she stared at as if I had a problem.

"I thought baking wasn't your strong suit."

"Yeah." I said, absentmindedly rummaging through the cupboard above me.

She humphed, clearly disappointed. "I planned to play the only free day I had away and I come here and find you in the kitchen......... baking"

After she nearly burnt down our kitchen, Mama forbade her from entering our kitchen.

I broke eggs into a bowl and started whisking it.

"I am sure there's someone else that would love to hang out with you. But if you're willing to wait , then you're free."

She shook her head at that.

"Everyone else is busy. I was so elated to hear that you were free. So I have no choice." She came in and sat on the kitchen table.

"I thought you were banned from here?"

"I was banned from cooking here. I just want to watch you. I'm not going to do anything else. I promise."

I shrugged helplessly. As far as she wasn't burning the kitchen down, it was fine.

She swing her legs and hummed.

When the doughnuts entered the oven, I joined her on the table also swinging my legs.

"Oh right, Farhan and his parents are coming this evening. Will you be gone by then?" I asked.

"So that's why you're baking doughnuts." She exclaimed, looking at me.

"No!!!" I quickly denied, but the small smile that tugged my lips betrayed me.

"You are very bad at lying."

I decided not to say anything again. There was no need denying it anyway.

The oven dinged so I jumped down and wore kitchen gloves. Immediately it was open, the sweet smell that only belonged to freshly baked pastries assaulted my nostrils.

Yep. I got it right this time. I grinned so wide and turned to Iman.

"It worked this time!! Baking might be my core strength after all." I punched the air and in the process, nearly turned over the whole batch of doughnuts.

"Don't try so hard to impress him Jannah."

The doughnuts I was trying so hard to save still met the ground when I heard her which made me turn to her.

"What did you say?" I asked, looking at her in surprise. When did I ever try to impress him?  "Iman just because I decided to make-"

"I'm just saying Jannah. You don't know what can happen. There's no need to go out of your way doing this and making that. Don't get so desperate."

My eyes widened as I gaped at the nonsense coming out of her mouth. What was she saying?

"You know it Jannah. Don't lie to yourself. Ever since Farhan proposed, you've been shopping more often, buying more make up. I'm just telling you to be careful. You might get hu-"

"Stop it." I cut in, raising my hand to silence her.

"I didn't know this was how low you thought of me. I also didn't know," I laughed sarcastically and continued "that you were monitoring my life so well. To the extent that you even know the average amount of clothes and makeup I bought around this span of time."

"That's not what I meant." She said waving her hands and coming closer.

"Really? What did you mean then?"

"I was just saying you're too obsessed about-"

"You're the obsessed one. I hardly ever talk to you about Farhan. You guys were the ones always bringing up the topic, asking me all sorts of things. And you??? Isn't this the first time this month that you've come to check up on me? So what the hell are you saying?."

"Jannah I didn't -"

"Save you stupid explanations and get out."

She didn't move. She looked at me with an expression of being wronged. But I didn't spare her one more glance. She's spoiled my mood already.

When she still didn't leave,  I left her there to my room.

Minutes later, I heard the front door close.

When have I ever acted like a lovesick puppy? I don't brag about him to anyone. I try not talk about him as much as possible because I know everyone would tease me to death. So when have I ever acted like this was a life and death affair?

Or did I?

I don't know. And I don't care. Whatever.

The evening rolled by and my mood was still in the gutter. I threw away the doughnuts I tried so hard to make, which were now destroyed thanks to her because in a way, they still reminded me of the fact that she called me a desperate, obsessed fool.

"Assalamualaikum. Shahzaib is back!!!!"

Typical of him.

Footsteps bundled upstairs and in the next second, the hinges of my door was nearly pulled apart.

"Don't you know the meaning of privacy? Anybody could be in here." I snapped and glared at him.

"Woah. What's with the attitude. I expected the squeals and giggles to have reached me from the front door."

"Well, you've been disappointed."

"Did someone annoy you?" He asked.

I refused to reply, because I really didn't want to talk about it and he got the message. But just as he was about to walk away, I stopped him. When he faced me again, I sighed.

"Do I .." I hesitated. I didn't know how to piece the question together.

"Do I act like I'm desperate?" I felt ashamed immediately the words left my mouth. But I was more scared of what he would say. So I stared earnestly at him so I wouldn't miss out the slightest bit of expression on his face.

He first looked confused.

"Desperate?? I don't get you."

I huffed in frustration and continued. "I mean, whenever Farhan calls or come over. Do I act differently, or try to impress him or something??"

He still looked lost. "If you have ever acted that way, I would have convinced Baba stop you guys from meeting ever again. And what in the world would make you act desperate over a guy?? It's not like you're in a hurry to get married."

I deflated at his words. If anyone knew me better, it would be him. That was because he doesn't give me privacy. He also liked eavesdropping on me. And he was observant. So I trusted his words.  The weight that had been on my chest was finally gone.

"Did someone say anything to you?" He asked.

I nodded.

"She also said I was obsessed."

"Let me guess. It was Aubrey."

"Nope. She might be blunt, but she isn't mean. Guess again."

"Oh my, was it Iman?" His eyes widened when he said it.

Sometimes I wonder if he was meant to be a girl. He knew how to gossip.

"I knew there was a reason I didn't like that girl." He boasted proudly and I scoffed.

"Wow. You're so awesome." I said sarcastically.

He stayed in my room till Mama and Baba arrived with Farhan and his family. I only had a few minutes to get ready. Nevertheless, Shahzaib managed to cheer me up which I was really grateful for.

It wasn't until I went for work the next day that I heard the big news.

Aubrey was running to me with a speed that got me running away from her as well. It screamed danger.

"Wait!! Stop!!" She said, not slowing down at all. That made me increase my pace too.

"Jannah!!!" She cried.

"You stop chasing me first."

When she finally slowed down. I came to a halt but didn't close the distance between us. Today wasn't my birthday, so I didn't know why she was chasing me. When she finally sped walked to me, she hooked her arm around mine.

"Oh my gosh have you heard?" She squealed, jumping up and down.

"Heard what?"

"You won't believe it." She came close and whispered into my ears.

"WHAT!!!!"

My boss's boss's  I -don't - know -how -many-bosses-are between us,the CEO of TRN TEXTILES, Nathan Brooks, was engaged.

*******************

Dearest readers,

There goes chapter seven!!!

I really hope you enjoy it!!!

Stay tuned for the next update!!

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Ozohu12.