Don't Say Goodbye (Brett Favre)

Prologue

Prologue

            Two young men sat side-by-side on an expensive-looking white couch with a plastic covering. The older boy had thick brown hair and hazel eyes and was wearing a Minnesota Twins jersey. His brother with black hair and brown eyes was wearing a casual t-shirt and jeans. That sat in silence. Soon, a nearly middle-aged woman entered the scene. She sported a light blue business suit and carried herself very properly. Her blond hair was up in a bun, and her green eyes were piercing.

            The woman stopped walking when she neared the boys. Her stern expression did not change as she spoke in a Southern accent, “I am sorry about your loss, Doug and Chris. Your mother had always been a good sister to me, and your father was a great man. But I have called you here today because we have to discuss your sister’s future.”

            The younger man, Chris, frowned, furrowing his brow. “Her future? She’s four-years-old!”

            “And she will grow up with you two and me as authority figures,” the woman said. “We are not proper parents. Your brothers are older; they’ll be fine. But Holly will need as much help and guidance as she can get. I’ve seen these types of situations before. We cannot allow her to fall into a bad lifestyle. She must retain the dignity of this family. Why your father chose to give the Vikings to his friend instead of one of you is beyond me, but we must keep our position in sports.”

            “I’m getting into sports, Aunt Sharon,” Doug offered.

            Sharon frowned in disapproval. “Managing an athletics store is not what I had in mind. Holly is our best hope. I’m thinking marriage.”

            The boys exchanged glances. “Uh, what do you mean?” Chris asked blankly.

            “I’m talking about setting your sister up with a future professional football player,” Sharon said in a matter-of-fact way.

            Chris gave her a weird face. “Isn’t she a bit too young for dating?”

            Sharon rolled her eyes. “It’s a traditional arranged marriage. Do you know nothing of the customs of the past?” She let out a sigh. “The marriage is arranged now, but it will not actually occur until years in the future. In the meantime, the couple will be given a chance to get to know each other.”

            Doug frowned. “I don’t think it’s right to force her to marry someone.”

            Sharon shook her head. “It wouldn’t be forced. She would be able to accept or decline the marriage when the time is right. She will also be able to date other men until then. Think about it as a safety net. If she cannot procure a husband on her own, she will have someone to fall back on. Of course, the arranged marriage must be encouraged, for it will be a great match that will enhance her future.”

            Understanding slowly dawned on Doug’s face. He nodded slowly. “Ok. I suppose there’s nothing wrong with that. But if you’re choosing now, won’t that make the guy a lot older than her?”

            “Necessarily,” Sharon said. “15 years, to be exact. And before you start protesting, this is part of a long tradition. Until recently, it was only natural for young girls to marry older men. It’s much better, in my opinion. Young men are unreliable and hormone-driven. They do not make good husbands. It is better for the male to marry late, while the female should marry early so that she can start a family. Ten to 15 years is ideal.”

            The brothers exchanged glances again. “If you say so…” Doug said, seeming unsure. “Why are we here though? Do you want us to do something?”

            Sharon nodded. “The suitor I have chosen is the son of an old friend of mine who has agreed to my conditions. He lives near your school in Mississippi and also attends your college. I know you are buying an apartment, Doug. It would be advisable if you would let Chris live with you. Starting at age six, every two years Holly will go to live with you for three weeks in the summer until she is 18, when she will decide on the marriage. She will therefore have 18 weeks with the man. You two must make sure they interact sufficiently.”

            “We can do that,” Chris said. “I love Mississippi.”

            “Good,” Sharon said. “There should be no romance until the last summer right before Holly turns 17 – a year before she will be able to marry. Until then, they should develop a solid friendship that will serve them well in marriage.”

            “Ok,” said Chris.

            “So this guy plays college football; who is he?” Doug asked curiously.

            Before she could reply, laughter was heard. A second later, a little girl with light blond hair and blue eyes carrying a small, Vikings football ran into the room followed by a black-haired, green-eyed teenager and a boy with dirty blond hair and blue eyes. All three stopped their antics to look up at their aunt.

            Sharon gazed at them for a minute before turning to the older boys and saying as if she hadn’t been interrupted, “It is your friend, Brett Favre."

***

A/N: I know this may seem odd at first, but bare with me for awhile. It will get better. If you like my story, Chasing Home, You'll probably like this one. It has similar elements to it. I actually wrote this one first awhile ago and forgot about it, so I'm rewriting it now. I got the idea from the song "This is my Idea" from the Swan Princess. The first several chapters will go through the past until it gets to the main part of the story, which will begin in 2009. Enjoy and let me know if you think it's any good.