The Agreement •MXM• (Book 1)

The Contracts pt 2

Cyrus

The room is cold,but the fan is still going I want to tell whoever is in charge to turn this darn thing off. But God so help me I can't,I'm too scared.
I have been scared since its the weekend before me and Aaron have our ceremony. And here we are in this strange lobby with him and one of Mr Brown's subordinates. I saw him so many times back when he used to try and intimidate me into coming with him. Part of the reason I'm so scared,is Mr Brown going to be here. And why?
I watch Aaron carefully,how his chin is jutting out just a little,he keeps his arms crossed and stands straight lengthening his already tall body. He can do all that but despite it,I feel like he's nervous too.
I look over the teal walls of the place again and it's irrelevant jungle green fan. An old woman with glasses runs the counter right across from where we sit. It's quite obvious we're in a waiting room. But what are we waiting for? I check my watch for the fifth time,I need to get out of here I have a lecture soon. I have no choice but to ask Mr I'm trying to act all tough,
"Hey? Can I leave I'm running a little late for something."I whisper to try and escape this resting drunk ghoul's ear shot. His hallow eyes and stiff figure,I wonder,was he carved out by Mr Brown's cruelty. If his inferiority complex made sure he was wooden,a little puppet,
"No,not until Mr Brown says you can."Called it. I rest back and blush from embarrassment because he literally spoke it out. What happened to bro code. Or is it almost married code?
The door opens and I suck in a breath. Or perhaps it's because this man's mere presence sucks fresh oxygen from a room. His shoes strike against the floor,but there's another pair of shoes. Heels actually,I first notice Mr Brown in his suit,definitely looking more aged than I last left him. But there's a woman by his side,her dress flowing likes there's a steady breeze in here. Tall heels,the vintage red lip look and bold eyeliner. Her blonde hair pinned perfectly into curls,I look at her dress one more. A fitted evening gown with a silt just above her knee.
Is it an occasion? I look down at my hoodie and faded Jean and realise I've done it again.
As soon as their both close the woman leaves Mr Brown's arm and comes to me,"Cyrus! I'm so glad you're here!"Her voice is bubbly almost too bubbly. Holding familiar aspects,like we've spoken before. I'm certain we haven't. She places a hand on her chest like she's been hurt,"You've grown so much since I last saw you."next thing I know I'm in a hug with this woman and her flowery perfume hits my nostrils,further solidifying that she is a woman who comes from money. No less expected from Mr Brown's wife. I find myself wondering what would've happened if Mr Brown here had accepted my mother as his partner. Would she be dressed up like this? Would I look a lot more like Aaron? Not carrying myself like the country bumpkin I am.
I think she recognises my confusion,she hugs me tighter and whispers in my ear,"We met from your grandfather's funeral."That's it. I remember it,I must've met her then. I can barely remember the whole event. Only meeting spare son,and my grandmama bawling her eyes out because the love of her life was gone.
"Mrs Brown."I give her my best smile,really make it shine for her because bless her heart she had the option to embarrass me but she didn't. She saved me.
"Am I not worthy of greeting?"Mr Brown asks and I frown in his direction,ready to bite him back,but Aaron gets there before me,
"Mr Brown and Mrs Brown,its been a while."He says with a smile so cute I thought he wasn't even capable of it. He shakes their hands,standing to my side,
"Only because it looks like someone was in a hurry to get married."
"What does that even mean Mrs Brown?"I ask and it looks like I was speaking informally. Mr Brown gives me the side eye,
"Oh please,call me Kate. Or mom when you're ready."She scrunches up her nose and makes a cute face,"What I mean is you two wanted to be married so bad that you made the date to sign the papers earlier. Isn't that right Aaron?"she nudges him in the shoulder with a teasing grin. Instead of acting the way he does with me,he just smiles and pretends to blush. Huh?
I realise we're here to sign papers. The wedding papers. What?
Before I have more time to think Aaron's hand slips around my waist in a charming I love and care about you but that doesn't work because we don't. Never will. Is it only not working for me because Kate seems sold on it,"We just wanted a little more stability in the situation."I look him and make sure my eyes deliver two messages,we did?and GET YOUR HAND OFF ME.
He gives me a tight lipped smile in return,leans in close to my ear,"just this once,we can't have Mrs Brown thinking that we were forced."
Okay I have two options. Throw a fit start crying saying that I was pressured into this and I can't believe Aaron would be in such a rush and totally embarrass him. In revenge for him acting like and entitled jerk. It looks picture perfect,that helpless look on his face as he struggles to revieve his face. I break out into laughter,in my head of course. But I also weigh the cons and realise I'm better off giving him his precious little just this once.
I smile and place my hand over Aaron's,leaning into his shoulder as best I know how too. The best I know isn't the best because let's be so honest- I've never touched someone like this. I've never had another person's presence invading my personal space. For a moment think I hear Aaron's heart beating way too fast,I must be imaging it,
"You know how Aaron is."I sigh speaking about him like I know and only then to I look in his dark eyes and realise I do not. I have recollection of what he likes and what he hates. Nothing. I watch carefully over his casual light green suit. And we still manage to harbour hate like no others,funny isn't it.
"You do?"his warm voice sends shivers down my spine,like we've been together for years. And now we're in that happy little stage where we finally tie the knot. We are not. But he still keeps his hand around me,looking at me like I'm his entire world. I think I'm to throw up,by the grace of the good lord I keep my smile and I don't smack this man in the face,
"Of course I do,gumdrop."I grin at how easy it is to see that that name made him tense. Looks like I can have my cake and eat it too folks. I'm celebrating when my eyes fall on Mr Brown,his all black suit skin that no longer wants to hold his bones and flesh. Sagging over the sides,hair that started greying a long time ago. It started the last time I saw him. Grandpapa's funeral.
I was young then. I had just lost another person in life. Someone who was supposed to be there with me till now- cancer said otherwise. Before it was just me and my Nan it was the super awesome always cool trio of my grandparents and me. As I liked to call it when I was younger. I liked following the two of them around,seeing what they were up to. All that jazz,I became well know amongst the elders of my small home town because of it. Thus the nickname button. They thought I was small and sweet,then I stopped being small but heck that name had already stuck.
It was me and them ever since my good for nothing mother decided to leave them with me.
Back when he got sick we didn't even have the time to prepare,to keep visiting the hospital for his lung cancer. Because two days after his diagnosis,he went into cardiac arrest and passed on. That night my Nan was making home made bread for him to eat the next morning,she was devastated. So was I. Because this it was all happening to quickly for me. But time didn't care,time made me dress up in a black suit wipe of my tears and go to my granddaddy's funeral. To face everyone's pitiful looks because it was a known thing,everyone knew my father was a rich man who didn't want me. My mother left me. And all I have is my grandparents,who have now stopped being plural.
That day I was in a bad mood. I didn't want to see anyone,all I wanted was to make sure no one bad came to talk to my grandmama while she was mourning. Then I saw him,standing there in black get up suit vest and all. Like it was a fashion show not a funeral,in his signature horse lick swept hair. Slicked all the way back. Fourteen year old me knew he was older than me,and also standing beside Mr Brown.
Everyone was whispering when he showed up in a limousine. And when I finally caught the wind on what people were muttering. The Lord said storms a brewing,that Aaron here was actually Aaron Brown. His other son,instantly I held malice for him. I hated the way he walked before I had the change to criticise his talk. Mr Brown because I refuse to call him father pulled me aside and asked if I wanted to leave this poor,miserable life to go back with him. I wanted to yell and scream that it's only poor and miserable because he didn't care to be there when it started. But I didn't I held my dignity,my class and honour right on my sleeve and told him,"Over my dead body."
The worst part about it was that he didn't even look mad,he just sneered at me. Like he could see through me,my past my present and my future. Like he was silently telling me that one day I'd crawl back to him. I hate that he was partly right about me not being able to handle all the debt me and my Nan racked up just trying to live. Especially since she didn't even have a job when my mother left. He looked at me like he is now,with that cold I am so better than you look.
I can try to be tough all I want but it doesn't change the fact that I'm scared of him. Scared of what he's cable of. He stares at me and Aaron like he knows what our little act is,of course you do you old geezer it's not for you. It's for your lovely wife.
"Enough of that,you two have to sign these papers."he takes his hat off his head and gestures to the lady at the counter. She nods and opens the door we had be staring at for two years. We're led into a room were a jovial looking old man sits on a desk,he tips his head at Mr Brown. "So many witnesses. This is actually the best part of the wedding really. Not the cake not the flowers just what makes it real,the paper work." He smiles at the sky and I frown because I want this to be anything but real. I want it to be fake. I want this to be a stupid dream and I'll wake soon and act like it never happened at all.
            "Sign here please."He says after removing a marriage certificate from his desk drawer. My breath hitches,I look back at Mr Brown and wonder what made him want to do this even earlier. Why is he in a rush to finalise all of this? My throat locks up the moment I look down at all the blank spots on the paper that are supposed to be filled by me. Oh dear,
"Go on."Mr Brown urges me with a pat on my back,I shrug him off and watch in anxiety like there's an imaginary clock ticking as Aaron sits down and signs it like its nothing. I wonder to myself if there will ever be a day where I can go back on this. Get a divorce or something.
I sit down next to Aaron who watches me intently,teasingly raising a brow at me. I can't even bring myself to hold the pen right,it's polished material slips in and out of my grip like a bar of soap. It takes me thirty seconds to do it,to write Cyrus Mclain on the paper. How dare the decorate this paper with all this nonsensical gold and glitter. This isn't a celebration,I'm busy being imprisoned in a marriage to pay of all of me and my grandmama's debt. None of this is fair,none of it. I get so mad the pen nearly cracks in my palm,a single tear wets the space between both of our names. As if signifying the pain between us.
I wipe my eyes quickly because none of these people deserve to see my tears. "Your name is Brown now you know that."Aaron whispers to me,
"Stop trying to tell me what to do,gumdrop."I give him a tight lipped smile and he presses his lips into a line only for there to be a glint of mischief that sparks in his eyes,
"Alright then,button."There it is. I hate you,you hate me back. I call you gumdrop to get under your skin. You call me button to get on my nerves. Fair plays.
I get up quickly,instantly I want to takemit back because all three pairs of eyes are on me as soon as I do. "I- I just need to use the restroom."I burst through the double doors and head to the dull bathroom. I stand there and calm down,slowing my breaths.
The door to the restroom opens and I pretend I was washing my hands.
There he is. His cold eyes peering into my soul right besides me on the mirror. Like a ghost,grandmama always said that real ghosts follow you everywhere. He's a real one that's for sure.
I want to give him my best choice words but I remember my granddaddy's words,people you hate aren't worth your energy. I keep on pretending to wash my hands with a grunt,
"Cyrus."
"Don't you go on calling me that Mr."I grumble realising I can't spend a moment longer here next to him,
"And don't you go on talking like that when you know how much I've spent to pay off your debt."
"Don't you dare hang that over my head,because you brought yourself there and paid for everything with your money."I scoff,looking him in the eyes ready to pace out of here like I own the place. I think I might with that fire come back but he holds my shoulder qith a death grip. His boney fingers make my skin crawl,but I'm still scowling. Never let them see how scared you are rule number one,
"I expect you to start wearing your ring from today. Don't appear outside without it,it's common etiquette, something you are un familiar with."
"Maybe I would if you had spent the time to actually be my father you old geezer."I yank myself free nit being able to bare him talking down to me like that. His gaze makes it even worse,like this is what he expected,me to get angry. To show off,my uncultured country side bumpkin side,
"Way to prove my point Cyrus. Which sort of high class person calls there farther that?"
"Listen here,Mr Brown. You are not my father you never will be. All you asked of me was to marry that spare son of yours and I did. Don't bargain for more."
"Are you boys in there? We've been waiting for an eternity. Unless one of you is having stomach problems..."Mrs Brown's voice comes from the other end of the restrooms door,I jolt a bit and head to open the door.
"Nope,we just got to caught up chatting. Father son stuff."Mr Brown grunts at my statement,I ignore him.
"Good,because I was hoping we could have dinner. To celebrate."