Angela screamed in fright as soon as she heard the voice. It was at that moment she realized that someone was sitting beside her bed. When she had opened her eyes, she didn't feel the presence of anyone in the room and that was what led to her scream.
Angela cared not about his appearance but the words he uttered. A marriage proposal as soon as she woke up? Angela was dumbfounded and didn't know what or how to feel. She stared at the young looking man blankly. She also wasn't surprised that she was still alive cause this wasn't the first time something like that happened. It had become a routine to her.
As she scrutinized him, Angela was able to take in every little detail about him. The man looked young a little but upon closer scrutiny, one will be able to see the lines on his face and forehead. She stared at his walking and didn't say a thing.
Meanwhile, Old Brown realized that the lady he had asked a question wasn't replying him and was just giving him a blank look. He began to think. Was I too fast?. The old man asked as he mumbled to himself.
Haven read his thoughts, Jude mumbled " Damn you Old man, is that really a question?"
"Who are you?". Angela asked in her hoarse voice. Old Brown who never cared about anyone immediately made available a glass of warm water for her.
Angela was too thirsty to reject the glass of water and immediately gulped it down. Before she could continue speaking, the man whom she realized was old enough to be her grandfather, went out.
Angela had instinctively wanted to ask him where he was heading to but she chose to play it cool even when she was dying out of curiosity.
Five minutes later, her unasked question was answered when she saw the old man arrive with the doctor and nurses who immediately began checking on her.
"How do you feel?", the doctor asked as he took her pulse.
"Apart from the slight pain in my ribs and head, I feel fine". Angela assured and tried smiling at the doctor but it came out as a grimace. She didn't realize this before, but her cheek hurt badly.
"That's good. You'd be discharged as soon as I prescribe the drugs you are to use", the doctor smiled reassuringly.
Angela's expression grew solemn the moment she heard what the doctor said. It wasn't that she didn't want to be discharged, the problem was that if she's discharged there's no where she could go.
No one other than the old man who had been quietly watching her noticed her change in expression. He had lived long enough to study human behaviors and characters which made him know the reason behind Angela's change in expression. He began cooking up an idea and he hoped it would work.
"Alright doctor. Prescribe the drug as soon as possible cause she isn't comfortable in the hospital", the old man lied with a straight face.
Angela, whose head was downcast immediately raised her head and wanted to refute but the old man beat her to it.
"You can leave as soon as you're done here", the old man said sternly while glaring at the doctor and nurses.
Angela watched as they scurried away and she noticed the old man had a satisfied smile on his face as soon as they closed the door. She was baffled and kept staring at the old man who was eager to introduce his grandson to her.
Finally, Angela got tired of the silence and spoke up;
"Were you the one who hit me with your vehicle?", Angela asked. When she woke up, she had totally forgotten about her purpose of being in this hospital and who brought her here.
Jude who had just stepped into the expensive ward heard her question and calmly waited for the old man to speak up.
He got the shock of his life when he heard Old Brown's reply:
"Yeah, it was me. I... I'm sorry about that. I didn't mean to", the old man apologized and his current expression made it hard for Angela not to forgive him. He looked so cute because of his expression.
Meanwhile Jude found it hard to believe what he heard. He opened and closed his mouth like a fish but no words were spoken. He stared at Old Brown in awe and amazement. Wow..he was just...wow. Jude was short of words. The Old man was really a great actor.
"It's alright. Thank you for bringing me to the hospital cause it's not everyone who is as kind as you", Angela said innocently. A scoff escaped from Jude's mouth but he immediately covered it up with a cough.
It was then Angela realised that they had company. She stared at Jude awkwardly, not knowing what to say.
Old Brown noticed this and immediately came to her aid;
"Thank you for forgiving this old man. How are you feeling?".
Angela sighed in appreciation and immediately answered the old man's question by reassuring him she was fine.
"Good. Then I can't wait for you to marry my grandson", the old man clapped his hands excitedly. Angela was not very shocked cause she heard him talk about marriage as soon as she woke up.
Jude inwardly slapped his forehead, he had never expected the old man to be so unreasonable. This was another side of the old man he hoped he wouldn't get familiar to.
Angela opened her mouth to talk but was immediately cut off by the excited old man.
"I know it's too early but please think about it" the Old man begged as he gave Angela the puppy look. Angela found it cute but Jude found it irritating and surprising.
Angela was about to speak up when the door suddenly burst open and a young man languidly walked in.
Angela took in his facial features and was dumbstruck. She snapped out of her thoughts when she heard the old man's voice:
"Great, here you are! An..I mean pretty lady, meet my grandson, your husband to be". As soon as the old man spoke, there was a blank expression on the young man's face while Jude remained shocked. She paid no heed to Old Brown's slip of tongue.
Even if she was an homeless young lady, she could still recognize this man anywhere. The youngest, richest and most eligible bachelor in the whole of Country A.
Angela opened and closed her mouth trying to find words to say but it appeared that she was tongue tied. Who wouldn't be tongue tied seeing a Greek god standing before you?
"Grandson, I picked the right wife for you!", The old man cheered excitedly not bothering to take a look at his grandson's expression. As usual, he knew it was a blank expression so he wasted no time on him.
Angela snapped back to the present when she heard the door of her ward open and the nurse walked in. After series of check up and prescription of drugs to take, she was discharged but not after getting a serious warning from the doctor asking her not to go through any stress until she's fully recuperated.
The old man cared not about the doctor's words and happily forced himself to push Angela in a wheelchair. Jude had volunteered to help but all he got was a glare in return so he chose not to interfere. Angela felt uncomfortable being pushed by the old man but she didn't complain cause she was busy staring at Josh who had no idea he was being admired. The young man had a blank expression while walking beside his grandfather. He was every woman's dream, a six ft two tall man, muscles in the right places, pearly skin which was better than most women's skin, thin reddish lips, a pointed nose, thin eyebrows, long lashes that looked like that of a female, a head full of black curly short hair.
Twenty minutes later, Angela stared in awe at the huge building before her. She heard the old man calling it a mansion and thought he was exaggerating but staring at it now, she called it a castle.
"Come on, you can admire more once you get inside". She heard the old man say and she smiled back at him.
Just then, a question hit her; 'why are you here?'
Angela shook it off for the main time not knowing that the future had a lot in store for her. They had just walked into a huge room that appeared to be the living and Angela was amazed. She found no words to describe all she was seeing. It felt so unreal to her. If she was told that she'd get to see stuffs like this in close scrutiny, she'd definitely laugh at the person.
She pinched herself, hoping that it was not a dream and when she felt the pain, she realized it wasn't a dream and she hoped she'd keep living in this fantasy even after she confirmed it was not a dream.
"Dad, where've you been?", A richly dressed middle-aged man asked as he stood before old man Brown.
"When have you ever cared about where I go?", Old man Brown asked back not minding Angela who was new to do this.
"Who is she?", The middle aged man turned his attention to Angela who sat uncomfortably on the wheelchair. Why did she feel that the way this man was looking at her was like he was about to murder her?
"Your daughter-in-law".