17 17

Henry awoke the next morning with a strange sense of restlessness.He had thought he would feel something more akin to dread that he had felt when he had first left Ellie in the hospital after attaining her agreement.

Today was the last day he would be a sought after bachelor.

Strangely, he wouldn't miss it. He knew once it was general knowledge people who flock to find out who Ellie Chen was.He had done some research into her background and had found she had actually been a decent racer.If she had been well and whole, he would have considered her potentially.She was not without merits.

He dressed himself with care in a sober maroon three piece suit and slicked back hair.When he unfolded it he had found the white carnation had been removed by whoever had done the laundry and placed on top.He looked at himself in the mirror as he pinned it back to the lapel.It was fate maybe that his old man was stuck with him on this momentous day.

As his maid peaked in on him he raised an eyebrow, "Anna, what do you think?"

She put a brown thumb up as she appraised him.She cooed that he should bring home a pretty lady to liven the place up to which he couldn't help smirking.He didn't want to raise her hopes or have her know too much of the morbidity of the occasion so he dismissed her with a irrelevant request.

=//=

At half past nine, Henry alighted at the hospital main entrance with a bouquet of white flowers in a box. The flowers were supposed to last for a year with minimal care and they were a bit expensive, but he wanted Ellie to have them. Waiting in the main lobby was a businesslike Mr Chou with a sheaf of papers tucked under his arm as he anxiously tapped his watch. His clothing was a bit scuffled like he'd been up all night."Were you in traffic?This late to your own wedding, what cheek?The Chaplin wanted to leave but he is sated."He pointed to behind Henry.

He turned and saw the monk eating a sandwich. Once they made eye contact he gave Henry a corny thumbs up sign before stuffing the whole of the sandwich in his mouth. The monk stood and threw the crumbs off his orange robes as Henry turned back to Chou.

"Is that really the best you could do?"

Mr. Chou shrugged. "I'm not a miracle worker. You didn't give me much time. I pulled what strings I could. He's a new monk who was ordained from Tibet. He's the new hip hop monk the gossip rags have been clamoring about. He's going to do a fusion ceremony so you'll get vows and whatever else he wants to do. I'm not sure where he came from honestly. But he's an ordained minister from China that's what I needed to satisfy your Wong family.I'm sure Conrad would be fine with him."

"Well he's here in memory."Henry tapped the carnation on his lapel as Mr Chou adjusted his glasses.

"How touching. Conrad would be incredibly proud that his son is finally married, despite the circumstances.He did care about you a lot you know.He didn't mean for you to do things this way.Conrad wanted the best for you.But, I suppose the only good to come of this is I'll get to keep a long term client."