The School Guidance Counsellor

Chapter Eight

Ah, it was going to be a splendid day.

Becky and her minions were away at the grand opening of a major fashion store at the biggest mall in town and now, she was free to walk down the hallways slowly, free to make any sounds she wanted to and free to be happy. The thought of spending the entire day at the library crossed her mind and her feet turned in its direction.

Except they took her to his office. She did not bother to knock, and stepped in easily. When the door was firmly closed behind her, she discovered that Gunner was nowhere to be found and her heart sank a little at that. She was looking forward to seeing him, though she did not want to admit it. Putting her bag on the floor beside the wide couch, she made her way to the large fish tank on the other side of the room and bent down to its level to stare into it.

There were several goldfish inside, rhythmically opening and closing their mouths as well as some grey fish-like creatures that were stuck to the walls of glass, their whiskers moving up and down. What were they? Why were they stuck to the glass like that? The rest of the tank was decorated neatly in foliage that appeared to be real and not simply pieces of plastic made to look like the real thing. She could see more creatures hiding under some mound-like coverings and she focused her eyes, trying to make out what was inside.

"Calming, isn't it?"

Kitty turned around. Gunner was right behind her, his hands in the pockets of the most uncreased dress pants she had ever seen. She straightened her back and spun around to face him. "Yeah."

"You're not someone who listens to others," he said. "Right?"

She shook her head. Men always preferred women who took orders from them in submission. "No."

"Now, that's a smart girl," he said as her eyes widened in surprise over his unexpected approval.

"I thought men liked women who listened to them."

"Some men prefer a challenge."

"Are you one of them?"

"What do you think?"

She blanked. "I don't know - " she said as he stepped forward to stand beside her. He picked up a bottle next to the tank and uncapped it to drop some feed into it. The fish inside went mad and swam to the surface, biting away at the food.

"You know I could lose my job if we keep seeing each other without a professional reason to."

"I'm sorry," she frowned. "I don't want that to happen. I just wanted to be here. I feel safe when I'm in this place."

"It's alright."

"I would really hate it if you lost your job."

"I'd hate it too."

"I'm really sorry."

"Don't be. You can continue to visit."

"But why? Wouldn't you be in trouble?"

"Well," he said. "Something tells me that you're worth breaking rules for."

❃❃❃

"Take that off," Barry told her. "The diamond on your ring is too small."

"My finger is skinny," she said. "A small diamond suits my hand more."

"You're going to be Kitty Abernathy soon. An Abernathy wears better rings."

"The ring isn't important. It doesn't represent anything. Why can't we just get a normal plain band?"

Barry looked at her as if she had gone mad. "What would everyone think of you if they thought I got you a normal ring? They'd think poorly of you."

Or more accurately, they'd think poorly of him. "That ring you're holding looks so gaudy. I hate it."

"Come," he said as he took her hand in his and slipped the ring into the finger. "It looks perfect."

"No, it doesn't."

He removed the ring from her finger. "Okay, then. Let's choose another ring."

A sudden burst of energy coursed through her. She jumped a little and pointed at a simple ring, asking the saleslady to take it out for her to try. She put the ring on and held it at a distance to gaze at it. "I love this!"

"Any ring would look flawless on you, my love."

"Thank you," she beamed at Barry. "I'm so happy. I think I want this ring."

"Pack that up, please," Barry told the saleslady, and slipped the gaudy ring over to her as well. "This too."

Kitty raised a brow. "Why are you getting that too? I don't want that."

"Kitty, you can wear the ring you chose when you're staying in our mansion, but when you're marrying me, I will put my ring on your finger and when you walk outside, you will wear that ring like a proud Abernathy, alright?"