THE NOMINAL WIFE

CHAPTER 8: Their Marriage Arrangements

After Voltaire's conversation with his father, he messaged Iryn with – My Dad already found out that we are dating. Your ex's wife had probably spread out about it already. He wanted me to end our relationship. So, we need to hasten the wedding. Provide me with your ring size. Wallace and I will also fetch you at your place. We will attend the mass altogether then we will also send you off to the hospital.

Iryn was surprised, she responded with – My ring size is 7. I will attend the 6 pm mass at STU Chapel

He replied with – Okay. Wallace and I are ready. We will be at the driveway of Elysium Tower in a short while.

She went down already by the lobby to wait for Voltaire's vehicle. Juno came down to open up the passenger door for her and close it again.

Wallace immediately greeted her, "Hello, Mommy."

She responded with, "Hello, Bubba," and playfully touch the top of his head. "We will be attending the mass and there will be a lot of people that you do not know there. Can you promise not to cry once you see a lot of people?"

Wallace's answer was, "Yes, Mommy."

She praised Wallace, "Good boy!" And she also tried to assure him, "But if you somehow feel uneasy or afraid you can always hold on to Daddy's hand or my hand. Try to remember that, promise?"

Wallace responded, "Yes, Mommy."

She then asked, "Now, do you still remember the routine we used to do whenever you make a promise?"

Voltaire was surprised that his son answered, "Pinky swear."

So Iryn and his son made did the pinky swear using their pinky finger and thumb. Iryn then asked, "What is next then?"

Wallace answered again with, "Fist bump explosion."

Iryn and Wallace performed that again. Then Iryn inquired, "And the last?"

Wallace happily said, "Nose to nose."

Iryn and his son did the nose to nose. Voltaire so relieved knowing that his son would be in good hands. For the first time in 14 months since his wife died, he had seen their son very happy. In his mind – I do not wonder anymore why you are considered one of the best child psychologists in the country, Iryn. You have this innate warmth and charm around children.

Then he was surprised when Iryn suddenly asked his son, "Have you tried doing that routine with Daddy, Bubba?"

Wallace answered with a poker face, "No, Mommy."

Iryn then suddenly asked him as he just continuously watched their exchange, "Will you try doing that with Wallace, Daddy?"

Surprisingly his son looked up at him as if waiting for his answer so he answered, "Yes we can do it, son."

He felt so elated as his son smiled at him for the very first time. He then mouthed a soundless, "Thank you, " to Iryn.

And she responded with a soundless, "You're welcome."

Wallace saw such exchange between them and he felt so happy deep within.

And then the SUV stopped. Juno came down first. Iryn was about to open her side of the door but Voltaire told her, "Please stay for a little while as Juno and our security team survey the surroundings first. We still have time before the mass starts, anyway."

She replied with , "Okay."

Then Voltaire instructed his son, "Son, please give Mommy our present."

Wallace got a box from his backpack, opened it up and then gave it to her.

Iryn was surprised with what she saw, "Is this still needed, Voltaire? I will just be your nominal wife anyway."

Voltaire's answer was, "It will make it look real for everyone with that. It is my maternal grandmother's engagement ring. Before she passed away, she told me to give it to my next wife. Luckily, it is size 7 so I don't need it to be adjusted anymore," and then he also told her, "And as I said, Dad already know about us. So I already made the necessary arrangements for him not to ruin our plans."

Iryn assumed, "So he disapproves of me?"

Voltaire response was, "That was also his initial reaction when he found out I was dating Winona. You might already be aware that her family was not very rich. She just made it as very successful international ramp model so their life had improved a lot. She was also the niece of my stepmother by his cousin so after sometime Dad had softened up." Then he told Wallace, "Son, you may now put it to Mommy's finger."

His son did as they had practiced at their hotel room.

Juno then opened up the door at Voltaire's side and Iryn's side simultaneously. Iryn helped out Wallace in going down.

Wallace suddenly held on tightly on Iryn's hand as they entered the chapel. They sat down by the vacant space at the pew by the middle area on the left wing.

Incidentally Gerard and Natasha also arrived and sat down by the pew a few rows in front of them. Iryn did not feel fidgety anymore. She was already appropriately and beautifully dressed up in a floral sleeveless flowing maxi dress topped by a short white long sleeved cardigan paired with white loafers and white clutch bag containing her smartphone, ID/bank cards and cash wallet, and dry and wet tissue packs. Initially her only jewelry accessories were her golden south sea pearl stud earring in yellow gold base, and her yellow gold bangle wristwatch. So the classic 10.60 carat round brilliant cut colorless diamond solitaire ring in yellow gold mount in her left ring finger given to her by Voltaire was indeed eye-catching especially to those people who knew her.

Gerard and Natasha both noticed the ring.

In Gerard's mind – Could it be possible that Voltaire Lauchengco already ask Iryn to marry him? It is a diamond ring. Iryn is not fond of wearing rings. She just usually wears earring and wristwatch as her accessories. She used to wear our identical couple bracelet before but she had returned all the tangible gifts that I had given to her when we broke up.

On the other hand, Natasha was thinking – Why is she wearing a very nice diamond ring? It is even bigger than mine. Did Voltaire actually propose to that b***h already? He must really be crazy over her. They even attended the evening mass together. She had been attending the morning mass before that is why Gerard and I changed to the evening mass so that we will not see her. They had secretly dated for a few months and now they are coming out in the open. Dad had already informed Voltaire's Dad about our encounter with them this morning. Was it a wrong move? Did we actually cause them to reveal their relationship publicly? But then I am very sure that Voltaire's Dad will not approve of that b***h. I will be so happy to see her being chased away by Don Victor and Don Vicenzio out of Voltaire's life. You will not be happy for long, b***h. You will just be back to your old pathetic life. Your career had always been more important to you so your love life will always have to suffer. Well, I got to thank you for being a career-oriented lady, I will probably not have Gerard if you had been a doting girlfriend.

When Gerard and Natasha went home after the mass, they both opted not to talk about it. Natasha also did not tell her family about seeing Voltaire and Iryn again.

On the other hand, Iryn had encountered another surprise that evening. After attending the mass, Voltaire told him on their way to the SUV, "We will be meeting a few people for dinner who will expedite our marriage license. Then afterwards, we can already send you off to the hospital."

She replied, "I see," then she commented, "You are really making things happen so quickly."

His response was, "A surprise attack is the way to deal with those people that might ruin our plans. Wallace is the most important person in my life. He needs a mother and so I am willing to do anything for him."

She knew all along that it was his reason and she really did not mind because she also needed his protection for her sister's sake. Then she recalled the suggestion of Dr. Dy. "Anyway, can I make a tiny request?"

His answer was, "Sure. What is it?"

She said, "Dr. Dy's husband is a judge. She told me that he can officiate our wedding."

She did not expect his response, "Then you may tell Dr. Dy that we plan to marry tomorrow before lunch time. If her husband can accommodate us then he can officiate our wedding."

"Okay," she uttered.

She messaged Dr. Dy about the wedding when they were already inside the SUV and she received a positive feedback.

She then told him, "Dr. Dy's husband already agreed. They will expect us at the court around 11 AM."

"Okay," he then asked her in return, "What time is Wallace's class? Will it not affect your work?

She answered, "His class is from 8 to 10:30 AM including the break time. Anyway, I have no scheduled psychotherapy with a client at that time tomorrow. So I can just reschedule what I am supposed to do at a much later time. I will also lessen my overtime work so that I can have more time for my sister and for Wallace. They both need to be adjusted first to the new things that are happening in their lives. As you might have noticed a while ago, Wallace is still not comfortable around strangers. He only gets to talk to you and to me."

He acknowledged such, "Yes, I already noticed such. And I really like the way that you are slowly immersing him socially. His other psychologists were not able to do that because he does not seem to be comfortable around them. It was the same thing with his private tutors."

She hold him, "I am aware that Winona had slowed down with her career to focus first on taking care of Wallace during his formative years. He was used to you being away for work. But then he lost the family dynamics that the three of you had used to enjoy and with Winona's sudden departure from such event which harmed all of you, a large void was formed. So we need to fill in such void at his own pace. Dr. Dy had already forwarded to me all the information she has with her all about Wallace. I have already read them this afternoon while Dr. Dy and his former psychologists were all suggesting for an existence of constant maternal figure in his life to make him feel secured, which apparently cannot just be filled in by Yaya Guada and all the female teachers and psychologists that you have hired."

His response was, "You are correct with everything so with Wallace positive reaction to us, we need to push through with our plans the soonest possible time."

She said, "And I totally on board with everything. We are both busy with our respective careers. So we don't need all those meticulous details of wedding planning that might take so much of our time. Involving our families will also just complicate things. We are also both adults already. We know what we want. So let us go for it."

When they reached the posh restaurant, they were escorted to a private dining room. Then shortly thereafter his dinner invitees came one after the other.

The first guest were the Palmaine City Mayor, the mayor's wife, and the city registrar. They immediately filled in the marriage license and it was immediately approve dated for the previous Friday.

Jayron Manzano, the Plamaine City Mayor, whom Voltaire introduced to her as his cousin on his mother's side of the family ten asked, "Does Tita Teresa know that you are getting married, Volt?"

Voltaire's reply, "I will inform her once Iryn and I are already married."

Levi, the mayor's wife then asked, "So who will officiate the wedding. Jay will be attending the Missi's Mayors League Conference this entire week. Even the mayoral wives are included because they have this huge project for the Christmas season."

Voltaire responded, "The state court judge husband of Iryn's mentor had already agreed to officiate our wedding."

Then their next guests were the known wedding planner in Palmaine City and her staffs. Over dinner, they had shown the wedding outfits they could choose from as well as the wedding rings. Iryn just opted for a simple white wedding dress. Voltaire had chosen a wedding suit and requested an identical one for Wallace. They also tried on the wedding rings provided by the jeweler partners of the wedding planner, and made their choice.

With all the most important details of their wedding covered, the dinner came to an end. Voltaire and Wallace sent of Iryn to the hospital. Wallace did not throw a tantrum anymore for they had confirmed to him that they would all be living together the following day.

Ivy immediately noticed the engagement ring on her sister's left ring finger when she came in for her last hour visit.

Ivy excitedly said, "He proposed already! When is the wedding? Do Papa, Mama and Kuya Ivan already know."

Iryn told his sister, "I have not told them yet. So I am requesting you as well not to tell them yet. Voltaire and I decided for a very private wedding the soonest possible time for your sake as well as his son's sake. We do have plans to get married but we need to expedite such to be able to cover up for your pregnancy and so that I can spend more time with Wallace not just as his psychologist but also his second mother. Voltaire wants to protect my dignity. He knows that my plans for you and your baby might affect the people's view on my reputation should we just get married after your baby is born. Wallace also wants me around all the time so the best way to address all the issues that might affect my dignity as a woman is through this wedding."

Ivy had become serious with her response, "I understand, Ate," and she even apologized, "And I am sorry if you have to make this quick wedding and not the grand one that you deserve."

Iryn expressed, "I don't need a grand wedding, Ivy. What matters to me the most is the life that we will be facing together as a married couple. Voltaire has huge respect for my career. He will never ever ask me to give up my career. We will raise Wallace together as well as your child and any other child we will have together as loving parents," she also informed her, "Anyway, I also have arranged a private obstetrician to monitor your pregnancy. For it not to be obvious among the people surrounding, it will appear as if you are just a volunteer in this NGO caring for teenage and single mothers-to-be in a private home. You will not stay there though just like the other pregnant teens or unmarried ladies. You can still go on with your studies as usual. You will still stay in my residence. Voltaire and I also have plans to have a residence within the city proper because his private villa is outside of it. He welcomes the idea of you living wit us. He knows that I also have to look after your wellbeing even if we are already married."

Ivy commented, "He is so understanding and supportive of you. You are so lucky to have him. You will be married soon to one of the richest man in the country."

Iryn pointed out, "I am not marrying him for his wealth Ivy. I even requested us to sign a pre-nuptial agreement."

Ivy was surprised, "And he agreed?!"

Iryn said, "He agreed on all the conditions I wanted. We will already be getting married tomorrow. We already secured a marriage license. We already have the wedding outfits and rings. It will just be a private civil wedding tomorrow at 11 AM at the state court. Dr. Dy's judge husband will officiate our wedding. I will fetch you here at the hospital tomorrow before we proceed to the court. Then after the simple lunch reception, you may already attend to your scheduled classes as usual," she also reminded her sister. "And do not hesitate to give me a call if you are having some uneasiness regarding your pregnancy. We can consult that obstetrician right away. The semester will already end by December anyway. So you need to hang on for just a few months. Then you will have a week sembreak to decide whether to file for an absence of leave at the school for a semester or not. If you decide to continue on with it then we will just make it appear that you are gaining weight because you have been eating more. And if you decided to have a leave of absence then we need to think of an alibi to tell to Papa and Mama. So take your time to think things through."

But in Ivy's mind – I did not expect that you will be covering up for me and my pregnancy from our parents. I have caused you a lot of trouble since I came here to live with you as I pursue my studies. I have been a selfish sister not minding all of your efforts. I feel guilty. I feel unworthy of all the sacrifices you have been making for me. You boyfriend is also showing you his support. You are both willing to raise my child as your own. I must do something to make things not difficult for you, Ate.