Fur Cara

Chapter ten

Agnes had just set the freshly baked pies on the table when Caroline barged into the kitchen. Her hair was windblown, her eyes glassy, her breath coming in short angry puffs.
    "What have you been up to child?" Agnes asked with concern.
Caroline searched the cupboards frantically until she found the bottle of wine she sought. She ignored Agnes' disapproving frown and poured a glass for herself. After a large gulp, she felt calm enough to sit.
    "He asked me to marry him." Caroline announced loudly.
    "Who?"
    "Mikhail."
    "I don't think that's a bad thing. It was clear he had intentions."
Caroline closed her eyes and placed both hands on her temple. It had really been clear. His endearments, subtle compliments, his frequent visit, gifts of chocolate and flowers, the way his lips lingered on her cheeks after a peck, it all made sense to her now.
    "What was your response?" Agnes asked using the opportunity to put away the bottle of wine.
    "I told him outrightly that I was not interested."
    "You didn't give him a chance?" Agnes asked.
    "He doesn't have one."
    "Why?"
Caroline gave her a knowing look. "You know why. Why are you on his side anyway? Are you trying to discourage me from being with Kelvin?"
    "Are you still seeing Kelvin?" Agnes asked. It was clear that she didn't want them together and though Caroline understood, she was hurt.
Caroline gave no reply to the question but stood.
    "I'm going upstairs." She said.
Agnes knew Caroline well enough to know when she was upset.
    "Caroline, I..."
    "No need Aggy. All I know is that I'm not marrying Mikhail." 
She exited the kitchen leaving Agnes and her pies.

Caroline's rejection was painful but not enough to make Mikhail lose interest instead, he chased her with renewed interest. He liked her as a woman but not as much as he liked her money. Her family was not only one of the founding families of the town but the richest as well. His family had power but their wealth was rapidly dwindling, a fact that remained hidden from the public and his father had left it to him to remedy their situation. Their union would not only get him Caroline by her family money as well. She was the solution to his problem. He was always coming over with gifts, asking her to go on dates which she always rejected. When he realized that playing the gentleman would not win her over, he decided that force was the only way. She was going to marry him at all cost. He knew that her parents favored him and would support him but Caroline herself was the biggest and most difficult fish to catch. He planned to do something about it.
He decided to arrange dinner for both families. He called Charlotte and asked if it was to have his family over for dinner. Both his family and Caroline's we're surprised at his request of having dinner together but readily complied. It was the first part of his plan.
Caroline was nit pleased when she learnt that the Pritts would be coming over for dinner. It was her mother who had informed her.
She lay on her bed that afternoon going through her phone when her mother walked in.
    "Courtesy demands that you knock before entering." Caroline said without looking up from her phone.
    "The Pritts would be coming over for dinner." Charlotte said, straight to the point. Caroline sat up and looked at her mother.
    "The Pritts? Like, the bunch of them?"
    "His family, yes. They would be coming over tonight for dinner." Charlotte walked over to her closet and pulled it open.
    "What's the occasion?" Caroline asked.
    "We would find out soon enough." Charlotte said eyeing the clothes that hung from the hangers. She picked out a pale pink dress and walked over to Caroline. "This dress is best suited for tonight. They would arrive by six. You should be ready to welcome them."
Caroline did not step out of her room until six thirty. By then, Mikhail, his parents and sister- Priscilla, and her parents were seated at the table. She gave a polite greeting to Mikhail and his parents ignoring Priscilla as she took her seat beside Charlotte.
Agnes' delicious dishes were in large bowls on the table and each person took turns in serving themselves.
    "It is so nice of you to have us here." Mrs Pritt said.
    "It is a pleasure." Charlotte replied with a smile.
    "The food is so delicious." Mr Pritt commented. He was the older version of Mikhail. Caroline considered him lucky that he had not inherited any feline features from his mother.
    "I heard you started college." Mrs Pritt said to Caroline.
    "Yes." Caroline replied. "For some months now."
    "I was surprised when I started seeing her. Especially with that young man."
    "What young man?" Mikhail asked.
    "The one who works here. I think his name was Caleb...no, Kelvin or something like that." Priscilla said.
    "That was her driver. He no longer works here." Charlotte said glancing at Caroline. "He used to drive her around."
    "Maybe, because they seemed like an item to me." Priscilla gave a non comittal shrug. "Anyway, it's not my business."
    "No. It's not." Caroline said with a voice as cold as ice.  "Especially after he rejected your advances."
Silence fell over the room. Priscilla's spine turned rigid. Her eyes widening with shock.
    "You're saying nonsense." Priscilla said in a voice that did little to conceal the hatred she felt.
    "It was pathetic watching you throw yourself at him." Caroline gave her a humorless smile. "If only you knew how that irritated him." Caroline had noticed how Priscilla was smitten with Kelvin and though it irritated her, she was pleased that Kelvin never looked her way.
    "I saw your speech the other day Mr Benson and thought it wonderful. You must have gone through a lot to compose that." Mikhail said. It was a diversion and it worked.
    "How did you know that I hated speeches." Mr Benson said "To tell you the truth, I didn't even contribute a word to what I said. It was all written by my secretary." The three men laughed and launched into the modalities of composing a speech. The topic didn't suit all of them at the table but it served its purpose and cleared the tense atmosphere.
After dinner, Mikhail stood and tapped a fork on his champagne glass to  get everyone's attention. "Now, let's move the most important part of the evening. I called us here to make a very important announcement." He looked at everyone's faces then smiled at Caroline as he said "Caroline and I are getting married."
    "What?" Priscilla exclaimed in disbelief. There were gasps of surprise from the parents.
Caroline felt as though she had taken a blow to the head. This was the last kind of trick she expected from Mikhail.
    "I would like us to toast to a new beginning." Mikhail said raising his glass.
    "Congratulations!"  Mr Pritt boomed.
    "What the hell do you think you are doing?" Caroline yelled as she rose with so much force that toppled her wine glass over. "Have you run mad?!!" Caroline yelled, her eyes ablaze with rage.
    "Sweetheart, we talked about this..."
    "Don't you dare sweetheart me!" Caroline yelled. "I made it pretty clear to that dumb brain of yours that I would never.. Ever marry you!"
Mikhail had not expected that her reaction would be so extreme but his plan was kicking of nicely."
    "What made you change your mind so suddenly?" He said pretending to be hurt and confused. "The day before, you were so compliant...."
    "You're a messed up man Mikhail...." Caroline bagan.
    "Caroline, that's enough!" Charlotte said but Caroline was oblivious to her words.
    "....you disgust me!" Caroline continued. "And I'd rather go to hell than marry a desperate bastard like yourself!"
She stormed out of the dining room. With a fake pained expression, Mikhail went after her. He grabbed her arm and swung her around just as she was about to climb the staircase.
    "Why do you reject me? I could give you everything you ever want."
    "Could you?  What can a selfish man like you offer me?"
    "If only you'd give me a chance..."
    "Why did you do that in front of everyone, telling them that we are getting married?  What had you expected? That I would smile and consent?"
    "I don't understand why you are being so stubborn? Can't you see that we are best suited for each other?"
Caroline scoffed, her anger still burning. "I can't stand you." She said with disgust.
    "This is about that...Kelvin. Isn't it?"
    "Go to hell!" Caroline spat and ran up the stares leaving Mikhail staring up at the ceiling.
Kelvin tapped a beat on the sturdy wood table to reduce the nervousness that he felt. He was seated in a small restaurant in town waiting for Mr Vanguez who was already fifteen minutes late. He was dressed in his beat shirts and jeans and clutched his bag tightly. This was a business deal that he hoped would not crash. He needed all the money he could get to support himself. Agnes had offered to help but he had declined. He had always been independent and was used to taking care of himself.
Mr Vanguez came in thirty minutes later. He was a rotund man, balding and sweaty but well dresses in an expensive suit that was three times Kelvin's size. He managed an entertainment industry that Kelvin had applied to. He felt honored that the man decided to meet him in person. Mr Vanguez offered a few words of apology, ordered pizza and went straight to business.
    "I've seen tour work. You are excellent and good at what you do but I'll be needing something more catching, more entertaining. I hope you can give that to me."
Kelvin nodded. "Yes sir."
    "You would be working with a band for now till we see how the people receive you."
    "Thank you so much sir."
The pizza arrived and Mr Vanguez set his briefcase on the table.
    "We would discuss payment and schedules tomorrow at my office." He said, his eyes fixed on the pizza.
He took this as his cue to leave. He thanked Mr Vanguez and left the restaurant feeling better. He was taking steps and all that it needed to build a career in music. A necklace on display at a jewel store caught his attention. It was a silver necklace with a rose pendant. He thought of Caroline and stopped by. It would be the first gift he had ever given her. He pocketed the small package and looked forward to seeing her that night.
He had just rounded a corner when he felt strong hands pull him from behind. He struggled to free himself but another pair of hands joined the first. They covered his face with a sack and bound his wrist behind him. He started shouting for help.
    "Shut your mouth!" One of the men said. Kelvin struggled and continued his muffled yelling. He felt something hit his head and his mind went blank.
He woke up minutes later in a small room with no windows. It was illuminated by a dim bulb overhead. There were only two chairs in the room of which he was tightly bound to one.
He felt a pounding at the base of his skull where he had been hit.
The door sudden swung open and three men stepped into the room. In the dim light he could make out their faces one of whom he recognized. Kelvin had only seen him once by he remembered Mikhail with his expensive clothes and sleek hair.
    "Mikhail?" Kelvin asked in disbelief.
    "We meet again." Mikhail settled into a chair and crossed his legs. "I'm sorry for the harsh treatment. I hope you weren't hurt."
    "What do you want?" Kelvin asked.
    "What is going on between you and Caroline?"
    "That's none of your business."
    "I believe it is considering the fact that we are to be married."
Kelvin paused for a heartbeat and burst out laughing. His reaction angered Mikhail.
    "Caroline would never marry you." Kelvin said.
Mikhail stood and took few steps till he was in front of Mikhail. Setting his hands on both armrest, he lowered himself to Kelvin's eye level. "Caroline is going to be my wife..." Mikhail began in a low menacing tone. "I don't care what you had going with her but she's mine now and I'm telling you to lay off."
    "And if I don't?"
Mikhail raised his head as if in thought. 
"There are so many ways to die. A car crash, a stage accident..." He shrugged. "I hope it doesn't come to that."
    "You're despicable." Kelvin said.
Mikhail smiled. "Funny that both of you should think of me that way. I would give you a little...gift to drive my point home." Mikhail nodded at the other men and both closed in on Kelvin. As he exited the room, he heard the satisfying sound of Kelvin's painful groans.