1. Georgina

I did indeed missed Toronto.

I’m just too stubborn enough to admit that to myself because of how my life went when I was in here. My childhood years wasn’t my primetime and this very place is a reminder of how bittersweet that memory was. I never wish to go back here again, however, a stupid and silly thing happened that made me found myself up here again.

I just found out that I am married.

I am fucking married for almost two years now and I don’t even know about it not until the National Statistics Office mailed me a goddamn Certificate of Marriage last week. My world just went crumbling down when I saw my name in there! It took me three days to think about what happened and as to why I got married that I don’t even have a single clue about!

I have so many what if’s in my head right now thinking what kind of a mess I have put myself into.

What if my Dad beheads me when he found out about this? What if Sean will broke up with me?

Jesus! All I am praying right now is no one should ever know about this but only me and this man that I married who by the way, a complete stranger. All I know is that he is one of the teammates of Patrick Dobber, my mom’s neighbor.

I seriously don’t even know where to find the Dobber’s these days, I’m already here in Toronto for two days now and I still don’t know where to find the said family. I have been trying to have a contact to them back when I was still in Dallas but I didn’t get the chance to have one, probably because they don’t know me or maybe they do but they just don’t entertain people who tries to reach them through internet or something, I don’t really know.

And because I am desperate, I need a help from my mom. She’s a close friend and a close neighbour of the Dobber’s and so I am hoping that she still do talks to them.

To be perfectly honest, the last person that I want to see right now is my own mother. But I am desperate enough to ask for her help since she’s the only one who I suspect that do have contacts with the Dobber family.

The taxi stopped in front of my mom’s house.

I’m a bit anxious, she doesn’t know I’m coming today. I didn’t tell her ahead that I was coming since I’m not staying at her house anyway, I just checked in on a hotel. I don’t have plans on being around her and deal with her, I’m in here to fix my own marital status problems.

I went out of the car and head straight to the doors. Right before I pressed the doorbell I gathered myself and took a deep breathe. Few seconds later, my ten year-old half-brother Caleb answered the door. He’s even pretty shocked when he found me standing in front of the door.

“George!” He exclaimed. His reaction makes me feel so guilty. The kid is so keen to me but I don’t know how to reciprocate it because all I see is my mother’s selfishness.

Before I can talk he’s already running back inside the house shouting his lung’s out telling whoever the hell is in this house that I am here. I entered the house closing the door behind me, I heard some commotions coming from the kitchen and when Caleb returns my mom is already following him.

“Stop playing that joke on me Caleb your sister isn—“ my mom says as she wipes her wet hands using a towel tailing my brother only to be stopped when she sees me standing near the door. The surprise on her face is beyond much and I don’t blame her.

The last time I found myself here was almost two years ago, when Dad forced me to celebrate the Christmas with her but I only ended up partying with our neighbours and accidentally got married!

Yup! That was the very day, as far as I can remember.

“Hi.” I weakly greeted.

“Oh my goodness Georgina!” My mom exclaimed hugging me tighter than I expected. “I miss you so much sweety!”

I tapped her back just for the sake of being respectful, at the end of the day she’s still my mom. Without her, I won’t be here so I still give her the credit for that.

“What a surprise!” She said releasing the hug. “Your Dad didn’t told me that you’re coming. Why didn’t you tell me yourself?”

“I won’t be here for long.” I said quickly and I automatically see the disappointments on my mom’s face. She’s still looks so beautiful even at her age, and I can really see myself on her because I do look like her. “I’m just here to ask if you still talk to the Dobber family. You know, Mr. Patrick Dobber.”

“Ohm... His wife and I see each other all the time during homeowner’s meetings. So yeah!” She answered which made my heart race in excitement because finally! A good news out of my two days here in Toronto. “They still do live in the neighbourhood but different house this time.”

“Oh do you have her number? Or can you at least give me their address?” I asked. “I really need to talk to Patrick.”

“Why? What is up George?” She asked. “Anything you wanted to share with me?”

“Oh nothing. It’s just for plain business.” I lied because if I tell her she might tell Dad and I don’t trust her that’s all.

“Why don’t you just sit down, I’ll make you a coffee.” She said.

“No. I told you I won’t be here for long. I just need the information about the Dobber’s and that’s just it. I need to talk to Patrick.”

“Sit down and have some coffee while I call Christina.” My mom firmly said which made me no choice but to do so because again, I’m desperate.

“I didn’t know you became that close to them.” She commented.

“We’re not.” I said trying myself not to stutter or anything because I am about to lie on her face. “Pat and I hangout once—“

“Yeah, I remembered how you got drunk.”

“I need him for some business purposes.” I lied.

The Dobber’s we’re living next door when my Mom introduced me to them two years ago and literally after she introduced me the Dobber’s invited me to go to a bar downtown to have a little bit of a party. My cousins and I went along with them and everyone got shit-faced and that was then the night my fake marriage happened.

I let my mom made me a coffee and served it on the coffee table together with a cookie. I obligingly sip on the coffee as I watch her busying herself with taking care of Caleb’s things to go to the rink first. According to my mom, my brother is playing ice hockey in school and he loves to go to the nearest rink in town to go practice on his skating and all that every weekends.

“Go eat something on the kitchen first Caleb right before we take off.”

He seems so lucky for having mom taking good care of him. Why did she never done this to me when I was a damn kid? Does she hates me? I really wanted to ask her that, but that is not the reason why I am here. I’m here to find Patrick Dobber. I need an accurate storyline why I got married and to help me find my accidental husband!

When Caleb left the living room, my mom immediately pulled her phone out as she seats on the chair across from mine.

“Hi! Am I not disturbing you or anything?” My mom started talking on the phone.

“Is that—is that Patrick?” I asked.

“No. It’s his wife Christina.”

“Let me talk to her.”

My mom holds her finger first right before giving me the phone. “My daughter Georgina wants to talk to you, I don’t know if you can remember her—alright that’s good—yes! She’s here.”

I immediately grabbed the phone when my mom finally handed it to me.

“Hello Mrs. Dobber.” I started standing up on the couch because I couldn’t contain my nerves right now. “Hi. I am Georgina Rodriguez and I really really need to talk to your husband right now, is he around?”

“Hello Georgina.” She replied with the sweetest voice ever. “I am sorry but my husband isn’t home right now. He’s at the rink for their morning skate but he’ll be home any minute.”

“Ohm can I come by at least?” I said in complete desperation. “I really need to talk to him.”

“Sure.” She replied immediately which made me sigh in another relief. “Just come over. Your mom knows the address.”

“Thank you so much Mrs. Dobber. I’ll see you later!” After she hangs up I handed my mom her phone. “Can you give me their address? She said I’m free to come over.”

“I can drive you. I’ll just drive Caleb on the rink and I’ll come with you.” She proposed but I am too quick to decline, just in time Caleb returns from the kitchen telling my mom that he will be late.

“I’ll just go ride a taxi.” I said. “Besides, Caleb needs you.”

After saying so I bid my goodbye to Caleb kissing him on the cheeks and gave my mom a light hug.

“Can you come by again soon George? I really wanted to hang out with you.” My brother suddenly said and I felt my heart squeezed. I feel so guilty for being such a bad big sister for him.

I walked towards him and gave him tight hug this time.

“I will soon, alright?” I reassured him and he nodded.

I left the house right away as I wait for a taxi outside the front yard. My mom stopped her car for a second to ask me once again if I changed my mind about letting him drive me but I still did declined.

“I’m fine! You guys go ahead.” I said.

She hesitated at first but I am way to firm enough with my decision. As I watch the red tail lights of her car, it reminded me of the day she left me crying in the middle of the street. I sighed, trying myself not to shed any tears for all the awful memories she caused. I’m way too old enough already to throw any tantrums for needing a mom, for needing her. I already have my own problems to deal with, so I should stop obsessing about letting her back on my life again and make up with all those days that we missed because that ain’t happening anymore.

Few moments passed, I am already standing in front of the Dobber’s massive house. Totally nervous yet eager enough to know the answers of my many questions as to why I got married. As far as I can still recall, Patrick was the one who officiate the stupid wedding and there are few people in there including my cousins who are there as a witness and I don’t know what else happened. I don’t remember signing any legal papers but I have a great feeling that Patrick might know the rest of that night and what exactly happened.

I was drunk when that happened, and I thought everything about that night was a complete joke until two years later, the Certificate of Marriage came in!

“Hello Georgina! Can you still remember me?” The blonde cute woman who answered the door said offering a bright smile.

“I do now, Mrs. Dobber.” I said offering my hands for a handshake while chuckling because I really wasn’t able to remember her face up until now.

She took it right away and shook it. “Oh! Just call me Tina. Come in! You’re right on time Patrick just got home.”

I followed her to their living room and I couldn’t help myself but feel nervous because despite of how much I wanted to know the whole story of my marriage and to meet my husband for a divorce I can’t stop myself from feeling so anxious.

“He’s as the kitchen.” Tina started talking as we walk. “It’s been a while since the last time I saw you. It’s been what? Three years?”

“Two years.” I corrected because heck! How can I forget the exact years that have passed when that was how long I have been married without me knowing the whole thing?

We arrived at the kitchen to see Patrick drinking a glass of water on the breakfast counter, when Patrick spotted me he immediately raised his hands plastering a huge smile.

“Well I guess I don’t have to make any introductions anymore because it seems like you remembered her!” Tina said laughing.

“Of course! How can I forget? This is the exact girl who literally kick Austin’s balls after marrying him.” Patrick said walking towards me which absolutely caught my attention.

“He still doesn’t remembered the fake wedding.” He added giving me quick hug.

“Nice to see you again George!”

“Nice to see you too Patrick!” I replied.

“I seriously can’t relate.” Tina commented. “I left the party early that night but Patrick told me everything so it’s fine.”

“What makes you come here?” Patrick asked which made me sigh just to brace myself.

“Uhm... that’s actually the reason why I am here.” I started. “The fake wedding wasn’t fake.”

“What do you mean?” Patrick asked but instead of providing an answer I put the brown envelop I am holding at the bar counter letting the two couple figured it out themselves.

Patrick immediately opened it and cursed after reading what is on the paper. “Holy shit! How did this all happened?”

“That’s actually the reason why I am here.” I said trying to calm myself because the horrified feeling that I get the first time I read the paper just dawned on me. “You are the only person I can think off who may have remembered what happened that night.”

Tina snatched the paper on Patrick’s hands and read it herself.

“This is real.” She commented and slapped her husband on the shoulder using the paper. “What did you do to the kids?!”

“Nothing!” He defended. “I only playfully officiated the wedding but I wasn’t the one who made them sign some legal papers!”

“Who did it then?” Tina asked completely outraged.

“It’s Martin.”

“Martin? How did you guys even found a goddamn people who have marriage contracts with them on a bar?”

“As far as I can recall, Martin and Austin partied at the bar with their other friends and Martin have a friend who is working as a lawyer at the Mayor’s office that night and there was a couple who got married that night the reason why they got those papers—“

“Oh my god. I remembered.” I said when everything that night flashbacks on my head. “When we saw the couple who got married in the neighbouring booth, you dared me and your friends who joined us later that night to get married too.”

“Exactly.” Patrick agreed. “I dared Martin to ask for legal papers to sign into, turns out he was friends with one of them. They gave Martin some papers and after that we returned it to them and they are the only ones who knows what happened next!”

“They obviously legalized it!” Tina hissed slapping her husband on the shoulder again. “You are the reason why this all happened. What’s wrong with you? Marriage is not a joke Pat!”

“I’m really sorry George.” Patrick apologized.

“Yeah.” I said weakly. “But what else can you do right? It already happened.”

Patrick sighed. “I’m happy to help you on processing the divorce papers and stuff.”

“Yeah. I really need your help.” I agreed. “Especially on contacting my accidental husband.”

They all chuckled hearing what I said.

“The team is having a charity dinner tomorrow night. You can come.”

“Wouldn’t it be inappropriate?”

“No. I’ll make an arrangements and tell them that Austin’s wife is coming.” Patrick said giggling.

“Oh please, no.” I abruptly said. “Please no one has to know about me and that Austin guy being married or anything. This should stay between us. You guys are all well-known hockey players and I’m really afraid that if rumour spreads out my father will surely kill me and my boyfriend won’t propose to me and the wedding is way beyond my reach anymore and I don’t think my Dad will be happy about it. I’m going to be such a huge failure if—“

“Hey! Hey! George, calm down.” Tina said reaching my shoulders and started rubbing it. When I looked on her face and when she started wiping my face I just realized what I just did.

I broke down in front of them. But as much as I tried to control myself I stupidly hugged Tina and cried on her shoulder. This is so embarrassing but I just can’t hold it anymore, my whole being is freaking out! The horror and the situations caused by my overthinking just went flooding in and I can’t control it anymore.

Few seconds passed, I calmed myself and released Tina’s hug. “I’m so sorry I cried.”

“It’s fine.” She said guiding me to sit down on one of the chairs on the breakfast bar while Patrick hands me a glass of water.

“So I see that you’re about to be engaged? Or married?” Tina started once she made sure that I have calmed down.

I drink the glass of water and nod.

“Once my boyfriend comes back from Germany next year, we’ll get married.”

Sean is in Germany managing their family’s business. Sean and I became friends when I moved from Toronto to San Francisco. Turns out, his family and my father are friends and partners in their real estate business.

Both of our father’s agreed to marry us both when we were in college but only after Sean successfully manages their company in Germany. Sean and I were not against the said arranged marriage because it’s really funny since we already liked each other the first time we met. After college, even when he’s far away and long distance relationship is hard we did still worked it out.

Even if he hasn’t proposed to me yet, however, I already see myself spending the rest of my life with him, and I am way too excited for him to come home so that we’ll get married and that is why I am already starting to do a little bit of preparations and getting a Certificate of No Marriage was one of it, only to find out that I was already married and that freaked the living hell out of me.

“You still have few months to file a divorce.” Tina said.

“I know. And that is why I don’t want to waste time.” I replied.

I don’t want to waste time!