The marriage bombshell

Alistair woke up the next morning feeling rejuvenated. He stretched and yawned lazily on the bed as the morning sun snuck into his room.

The memories of the day before came flooding in. "Who was she? She had looked unkempt but her house was a sharp contrast or was she a maid? Well, a maid with such a temper?" He scoffed.

"How would she…" a knock on his room door jolted him out of his deep thoughts. "Come in Abigail" he invited the person on the other side of the door in. There was only one person who would knock on his door that way, apart from his grandfather.

"Maybe I can see her on my way from work again" he smirked at the thought of it.

Abigail, their old housekeeper, was more like a mother to him since he had lost his parents at such a young age. She had cared for him like hers. He had gotten used to her.

"You lazy ass! Your grandfather is almost having his breakfast and here you are lazily lying down like a king. Get off that bed immediately!" Abigail screeched at him as she entered the room.

"Arghhhh, you didn't even say good morning. That's too bad" Alistair tsked as he winked at her. He needed more rest which he couldn't have since he had to head one of their meetings today.

"C'mon stand up and hurry to the bathroom before your grandfather finishes his breakfast!" Abigail moved to drag the duvet from his body. If she left him that way, Alistair would laze in bed all day.

"Alright, that's enough Abigail. Take it easy on me. Did you wake on the wrong side of the bed? Why are you being grumpy this early?" Alistair wore his flip-flops while Abigail stuck out her tongue at him.

He smirked and padded into the ensuite bathroom. "You had better be fast in there before your grandfather screams the roof down asking for you!" Abigail said as she tidied up his room. "Look how you scattered your room" she whined as she adjusted his laundry hamper before carting away his dirty clothes.

"I'm gone. Be quick in there. Do not let me come back here looking for you" Abigail left his room to continue her chores. Alistair grumbled in the shower "you're a bully, Abigail"." He knew Abigail would be back if he didn't do fast so he scrubbed his body quickly.

"Good morning Grandpa" Alistair waltzed into the room after having his shower and dressing in a navy blue three-piece suit and his recently acquired brown Gucci office shoes. In his hand, he held his iPad and his black briefcase in his hands.

"Good morning son" his grandfather reached to pat him on his back as he took his place on the Carrara marble dining table. "I see you are all prepared for the meeting. Have you taken the necessary notes for the meeting? No mistakes this time around, please Alistair. I do not want a repeat of the last time" his grandfather said as he took sips of hot coffee

"Don't worry, Papa. I'm all set and there will be no mistakes this time around. Trust me" Alistair smirked remembering how the meeting last month had gone south after he had thought he memorized everything.

Luckily for him, Grandfather Han had adeptly taken over the meeting immediately before anyone could point out faults in it. He felt so flustered that a tiny piece of paper could make him look like a fool and since then he had always prepared very well beforehand.

"Now have your breakfast before we set out. However, there is something I must tell you before we go. It is very important and it'll need fast action" his grandfather said. "What is it? Are you alright?" Alistair asked as he served himself his breakfast of wheat bread, bacon, sausages, eggs, and black coffee just the way he liked it.

"Eat up first Alistair and yes I am fine. There is no time to waste. The meeting is in two hours and we have to be there earlier than expected. You know that" his grandfather replied to him as he checked the time on his leather wristwatch.

"Alright. I just hope all is well" Alistair munched on his breakfast as he wondered what his grandfather couldn't say over breakfast.

After a few minutes, he cleaned his hands with the red table napkin and cleared his throat to get his grandfather's attention away from his phone's screen. "I am done. Now let us talk. Are you alright? Did you go for your checkup?" he smiled.

His Grandfather nodded and adjusted on the mushroom leather chair before looking at him. He was sure Alistair wasn't ready for what he had to say but there was no other way to say it. This would make him grow up!

"I wanted to say something real quick, Alistair. You have no way of out of this" his grandfather looked at him squarely. Since nothing else could take away his playboy attitude, he had no choice but to look for something that would curtail his movements.

Alistair slept with almost everything. He had thought of a perfect way to put an end to all of his childishness and the opportunity had landed on his desk last week. He couldn't help but be happy. The boy wasn't getting any younger and he wasn't getting any younger either.

He had to ensure that the company was in safe hands in case anything happened to him. He was an agile man but life had a way of dealing deadly blows on someone when one least expects it and he needed to prepare Alistair for that. He sighed as he remembered the death of his dear son and daughter-in-law.

"I tried my best to bring you up in the right way, Alistair, and God knows I've tried. However…" There was something to this. Why was his grandfather sounding like he wanted to drop a bombshell?

The only bombshell that changed the whole course of his life was his parent's death. Why then was he having this gnawing feeling? "Wait Alistair, hear him speak '' Alistair thought inwardly.

Alistair furrowed his eyebrows as his grandfather sighed before continuing. "I really don't know how to say this, I have thought about it thoroughly and…" his grandfather looked him in the eye again.

There was that worried look. He couldn't wait any longer. "And what, Papa? Say it and let's be done with it!" Alistair's piqued curiosity couldn't stand his grandfather's stalling again.

"Alistair, You are getting married in two weeks" his grandfather announced. "What the hell!?" Alistair was dumbfounded.