ARIEL
"Hey mom." I yawned, talking into my phone Saturday morning. I'd just woken up with a hangover from drinking with Ava and some other girls last night.
"Hi honey. So I am late for work but I just wanted to give you a call, see if you can come over for dinner tonight?" She asks.
I massage my temples.
"Uh sure. Weren't we supposed to make tacos tomorrow?" I ask her. We usually always cooked and ate together on Sundays.
"Yeah, we can still do that. Your father and I just want to see you tonight.. aswell." She hesitates.
That sobers me up like an ice bath would. My hangover fog clears and I really listen to her.
She sounds nervous. And she is not a morning person, it's an accomplishment if she is articulate enough to get to work in the mornings, let alone make phone calls.
Dread pools in my stomach, making me want to throw up.
"Is everything okay?" I ask.
"Yes. Ofcourse it is, just come by around 8 okay? See you honey, bye." She hastily hangs up.
It's going to be about the stupid marriage clause. Shit.
_______________
8 pm rolled around both too fast, and not fast enough.
I was so anxious, I'd abused my bottom lip to the point that it was bleeding in multiple spots and even lip balm hurt. I'd called Ava too many times to count and I simply could not contain myself.
I was such a mess. I had procrastinated getting ready, so I pulled on the first jeans and t-shirt I saw and ran out the door to ring my parents' doorbell at 8 exactly.
My anxiety was eating at the walls of ny stomach. That thought made me even more nauseous.
"Princess." Dad smiled, warm and inviting as always. I forced a nervous one of my own before he ushered me in.
"I picked up pizza and garlic bread from the restaurant, I hope you don't mind that. Just warming it up." My mom smiles, side hugging me.
"That sounds good." I swallow. "So, is there a reason you wanted me to come today? You sounded like it was important." I break the ice.
Both my parents grimace.
"Yes, unfortunately Ariel, we're afraid it's time we talked about 'it'. I'm sorry, I tried to talk your grandfather out of it." Dad frowns.
"But Dad, my career is really taking off. And I am doing so well here I couldn't possibly relocate now. This is absurd, it's grotesque. So backward." I desperately throw out words.
"Princess, I know. But it's the price we have to pay. Your inheritance, and mine and your mothers, rides on this." his indignation reflects in his eyes.
"What so, I have to marry a stranger?" I ask.
"Well, not exactly." My mom says, her tone soft. "Your grandfather has already found you a match." She smiles.
My face drops. The anxiety burns through my gut like acid.
"He's a lovely boy, we've actually met him. He grew up in Washington so you two would have so much in common! And--"
"What do you mean you've met him?" I ask them.
"This past summer, when we visited Italy, we met him and his family, at Lucia's engagement." My dad says.
God. I feel like I'm going to pass out from the stress.
"But, you don't understand, I can't marry anyone." I whisper, my throat burns with familiar tears.
Their eyes soften.
"You just have to meet him, and see if you like him, if you two get along. You'd have many days to decide. Both of you." My mom says.
"And if you decide other wise, we can handle it." My dad says decidedly. "The restaurant does well, you have a wonderful job, the mortgage is paid off and I'll find a good job in no time." he affirms.
"Find a job? Why would you need to do that?" I ask him, my eyebrows furrowing.
"Well sweetie, his inheritance also means his position at Russo Security gets taken away. Those were the clear rules set by you grandfather." My mom explains.
My stomach plummets even more.
"But, you built the California branch from the ground up! Grandfather didn't do anything. You worked all these years." My shock douses me in cold sweats.
"Nothing but put in all the capital, buy the building, gave me his name and the recognition that comes with it to make this business what it is." My father gives a sad smile.
That is not fair.
I could never watch Dad loose the company he built from the ground up. Name or no name, my dad had stayed all those late nights and early mornings. He'd taken all those business trips and I would rather be dead than see him loose something that meant alot to him.
"I can't let you loose your company." Instant tears welled up in my eyes and my heart sank at the realization of I had to do.
"No baby, you don't need to worry about that sí? I want you to meet this boy and get to know him and make a real connection. You mean far more than a company ever could, sweetheart." he hugs me. "And if you don't like him, you have till the very day before you 26th birthday to find someone who you do make a connection with." He smoothes my hair.
I wrap my arms around his waist, crying into his blue button up shirt.
I could never make a real connection ever again. That's what hurt the most. No matter how many of these possible suitors I met, I'd already had my spark. And it had died a quick death after a short but glorious 2 months.
I knew what I had to do. For my dad. The man who truly had always put me first. He was a great father and husband. He'd loved us and provided for us and had never raised his voice at us.
Besides the one time he'd hurt me, by letting his brother run around wild, he'd never done anything less than perfectly for me. And even then, he'd meant to protect me.
I couldn't let my parents down this way.
I knew this was coming, and now I had to swallow the bitter pill.
