Quiet Love

1

Lillian stood in the entryway of her childhood home listening to the murmurs coming from the family room. Her father, Paul, unexpectedly summoned all his children home to New York for an unexpected family meeting.

"Lilly! We've all been waiting for you." announced Malcolm, her older brother, who first noticed her enter the family room.

"Well, a two-hour notice is not feasible." She rolled her eyes and scanned the room seeing her family scattered among the family room. In one corner stood, her two older brothers, Malcom and Hendrix. On the large nude couch sat her two stepsisters, Kendra and Keisha, and her stepmother, Kelsie. Lastly, she noticed her mother, Bridget, and father, Paul, speaking in hushed tones in the corner. Paul and Bridget had been married for sixteen years until one day, they unexpectedly announced to their children they were getting a divorce. They never disclosed the real reasons, simply signed the papers, and the next year Paul remarried Kelsie. Lillian and her stepsisters did not have a strong relationship, neither side ever reached out, so they only saw each other for the few Holidays that Lillian would visit home.

"Dad, please begin." spoke Hendrix, wanting to ease his nerves about the nature of the conversation.

"Okay, son. Everyone, sit down." said Paul, who walked over to the center of the family room and stood in front of his family members. "Please do not interrupt until I finish." said Paul, taking a deep and dramatic breath before continuing.

"In 2000, I signed a contract with a friend, and they loaned me some money for the family company, and I agreed to pay them back within twenty years. They gave me three extra years to pay the remaining balance of $500,000 back. However, the business is not doing well, and I cannot afford to pay it back." Paul tilted his head towards the ground and refused to make eye contact with anyone. "The contract had a clause for failure of repayment. My daughter's hand in marriage."

"What the fuck?" interrupted Lillian, bursting out of seat with wide eyes

"Lillian, let me finish." he ordered, wiping his hands down his face in shame. "I had a meeting with him yesterday. He agreed to drop the remaining balance and save me and the family humiliation and public embarrassment."

"Who is the friend?" interrupted Hendrix

"Jamal Roberts." he spoke, watching his family faces freeze in shock. "But the daughter will be marrying his son, JR." explained Paul, trying to reassure his family.

The Henderson's knew of the Robert's family. They were considered the wealthiest Black Family in America. Both Jamal Roberts Sr. and Jamal Roberts Jr. were ranked on the Forbes richest men in the world. Jamal Roberts Sr. ran a commercial real estate business and owned the New York Knicks. While his son JR owned a successful security company called JR Operations. The Roberts family was very exclusive and private to the extent that most members of the family did not own social media. Although, they led a private life they were constantly in the worldwide news, both positive and negative.

"You signed a deal with Jamal Roberts for my daughters' hands in marriage and kept it from me." spoke Kelsie angrily, approaching her husband in a quick pace

"Kelsie, baby." he attempted to console her. "They have to be related to me by blood." he explained

"LJ." yelled Kendra. "Why did she get to be chosen?" stomping her feet and crossing her arms in frustration.

"Kendra, you want to be in an arranged marriage?" asked Hendrix, furrowing his eyebrows in confusion

"To the richest Black men in America. Why not?" she rolled her eyes, leaning against the bookshelf

"Just like your mother." whispered Malcolm.

"Everyone, this is not the time to start arguing. The contract was already signed, they are coming tomorrow morning at 7 am."

"What do you mean coming to get me?" spoke LJ, wiping her eyes in confusion. "I haven't agreed to anything. I am not marrying a complete stranger. Mom, why aren't you saying anything? Did you know about this?" asked.

"I did, darling. Let's go talk." she gently grabbed her hand, guiding her daughter out of the family room and into the kitchen.

"Mom, I cannot do this." she yanked away from her embrace. "This agreement was signed before you even had me."

"Baby, when your father signed that contract we never imagined that his business would fail. But you're not a child anymore, you're an adult, and you have to make sacrifices."

"Sacrifices, you call this a sacrifice." she yelled loudly.

"Lillian, you don't think we asked them to reconsider, and let your father sell the business." spoke Bridget. "Now, you have to think of the greater good. Your family and yourself. Baby girl, the decision has been made."

"Bridget, give us some time alone." spoke Paul, leaning on the kitchen island. Once Bridget exited the kitchen, Paul stepped closer in Lillian's direction.

"Darling, I am so sorry that it has come to this. I have pleaded and begged to get an extension, but Senior told me all exceptions have been made."

"What if I refuse?" asked Lillian, crossing her arms in defense.

"Then they will take everything. The house, your mother's home, your grandmother's home. The cars. Everything. We'll be homeless." Paul gently reached for Lillian's hand. "I know this is a lot to ask, but you must think of the well-being of your family. His security is coming tonight."

"Tonight, I don't even time to think about this."

"You do. An hour." he responded.

After the emotional conversations with her parents, Lillian retreated to her childhood room and locked herself inside. She sat quietly on her bed, swinging her legs, and thinking about how her life could change for the better or worse if she chose to decline the deal. She did not want her family to be homeless, especially her grandmother who meant the world to her. So, she ultimately decided that she would accept the offer for the sake of her grandmother. Only for her grandmother.