chapter 6

Saturday evening came like a flash to me, I mean I was not very happy about this dinner, I knew how I was and I would probably end up saying what I was not meant to say, and open up about the family secrets as I did with Lisa, but unlike Lisa, the Douglas's didn't have to sign an agreement to not disclose any information heard in our house. 

I couldn't wait till the end of this dinner so we didn't have to see them again until Christmas time. I put on my black spaghetti strap v-neck shirt and a pair of blue jeans. When I heard Sidney screaming in excitement I knew my brother in law was back. I ran down the stairs after wearing my shoes

“Siobhan” Vincent greeted and pecked my cheek “the wicked witch of the west”

“That’s me welcome home Vincent how was your trip” I smiled at him

“Stressful but I get to see my beautiful wife afterward and that is something I can get used to” Sidney smiled and wrapped her hand around him and he kissed her.

“Okay let us go to the dinner table and wait for our visitors,” My father said and everyone went to the dining room. After a while of waiting there was a doorbell, “Marco” Christian yelled

“Paulo” my father yelled back, that never failed to make me laugh. Then their family entered the room there was a strong scent of designer perfume and expensive car but I chose to ignore it. Everyone at the table stood up to hug the members of the other family which included Tyler his younger sister veronica his father and his mother.

“Where is Siobhan” Helen their mother asked, I was not that short but I was sitting down so

“Siobhan, don’t be rude, stand up” My mother ordered and I darted out of my chair. It is time to wear a fake smile.

"Uncle Christian" I pecked his cheek "how are you doing, the last time we saw I remember asking you to wait until three years from now before you made another appearance" 

"Oh good Lord" I heard my mother sigh, I moved on to kiss Helen,

“Siobhan what a surprise you are blossoming every day,” she said

“Thank you” I hugged Veronica, she was my friend we talked often

"Hey how are you doing, how's high school?"

"The worst" maybe she was bullied sometimes because of her braces, but I think it did nothing to hide her beauty and she was taking them out very soon anyway, I moved on to Tyler.

“You,” I said with a fake sweet voice and pecked him on the cheek

“Me” I patted his head

“You know I don't like you right” Tyler caught my hand and inspected it, my hand compared to it was so tiny.

“The feeling is definitely mutual,” he caught my eyes and I stared into the dark blue pool, I knew what he was thinking, in his mind he was saying she definitely isn't as ugly as I remembered her from last year, she doesn't have unruly eyebrows and tied up hair, she is not like before, he wasn't saying it with his mouth but with his eyes the way they swept over my features, he was gradually making me self-conscious with that look of hunger in his eyes. I dragged my hand out of his and went to sit down.

Clearly our family was shocked by what just happened in front of their eyes, they all sat down around the table and there was a whisper of a smile on Christian's face, I wonder what business deal was forming in his head

“Now that we are complete let’s have dinner” 

“Siobhan dear say grace,” My mother said

“Thank you, father, for the food you have put on our table and the clothes on our back and this wonderful family dear lord thank you for the protection and the provision in Jesus name”

“Amen” everyone chorused

I wasn't hungry so I just occasionally sipped wine and looked at everyone eating.

"Siobhan are you not going to eat anything?" Helen asked

"Oh no, I am not hungry"

"She is watching her weight" I knew that idiotic voice anywhere, it was Sebastian's voice

"Would you keep your mouth shut" my sister intervened, I smiled at her, when everyone went to minding their own business, I felt like I was being watched, I looked up and saw Tyler staring at me.

"Can I help you"

"I didn't say anything" Tyler replied and went back to staring at me, okay he was a weirdo.

"Vincent" Sidney said

"Yeah?" I looked, she was about to tell him about the baby.

"I got you something"

"Okay?" he took the bag that Sidney was holding out for him and removed several layers of paper, he brought out the cutest pair of  blue baby shoes I had ever seen. "what's this" I smacked my hand on my forehead

"Its shoes" Sidney replied, I could tell she wanted to cry from happiness

"For what?"

"For a baby" she sobbed

“What?” Vincent exclaimed and hugged his wife “we are having a baby” he picked her up and twirled her around kissing her. Everyone at the table clapped for them

"Since that is out of the way, another news is coming, Siobhan and Tyler are getting married"

“As in a marriage of convenience," I said, SIOBHAN RELAX

"Yes Siobhan"

"Nope, I am not doing it, I am not marrying Tyler"

“As we confirmed it is a marriage of convenience, Tyler needs the heir and the advantage"

"And what does Siobhan get from it?" I asked

"Stronger business deals and a bigger family"

"That sounds like what the rest of you get, I mean me" I pointed to myself

"It's not always about you

“I am not marrying Tyler dad”

“Siobhan you and Tyler are getting married”

“Wait and you are alright with it"

"I have nothing to lose except the different girls in my bed"

"I see, so what about my internship"

"We would have to cancel it we don't want any slip-ups" my eyes started to water, this is just the last straw.

“I can't marry Tyler, you know this I am not ready for a family"

"Siobhan stop bringing that minor incident back all the time," my father said

"It wasn't minor,"

“There is nothing wrong with marrying me"

“I suggest you just shut up”

Tyler stood up “if you think for one moment that I want to be married to an ugly monster like you; you have got another thing coming I suggest you watch your tongue"

Tears streamed down my face“I thought I was a bad person but it turns out that you guys are the cause don’t I deserve to be happy, I know why you are doing this, this is not about some business deal, you don't want responsibility for me anymore, you want me to leave, you don't need my rent money anymore you just want to push me to the next unsuspecting person right"

"Siobhan that's not true," my mother said

 "Excuse me” I stormed away from the table

“Siobhan come back here”

“Sidney, did you know about this?" my elder sister kept her mouth shut

"I see"I stormed out of the dining room. Brian caught my arm “what’s wrong”

“Brian, just leave me alone”

“No tell me; what is wrong I will fix it up” he wiped my tears away and wrapped his arms around my shoulder.

“There are some things you can’t fix Brian I’ll talk to you later” I pushed away from him and went up the stairs.

THIRD PERSON'S POV

Marco put his head in his palm and massaged it then he looked at everyone who was looking at him for how to fix this problem.

“I’ll talk to her” Sidney stood up

“No let her future husband talk to her and calm her down, Tyler you are up”

“I’m not going to her room”

“Go now” Helen commanded with an authoritative voice then he stood up

“Fine” he went out of the dining room and followed a passageway to the stairs when he got up he walked around checking for sounds of any sniffling noises and when he heard sobbing he immediately knocked.

“Brian I don’t want to talk,” she said with tears in her voice. He opened the door and saw she was on her bed face down and she had changed into a sweater and sweatpants. She was crying like crazy he sat on the bed.

“Why don’t they like me am I adopted”

“Of course not, they like you”

“Then why do they do stuff like that”

“They just want the best for you” he soothed her hair

“They think that me marrying that psychopath is best for them and not for me”

“I don’t think Tyler is a psychopath that is a strong word”

“Seriously he is a psychopath he called me a monster Brian an ugly monster am I that ugly”

“Of course not I think you are a beautiful woman”

“Thanks, Brian you always know what to say” she stared up at him and jumped with fear “please tell me I wasn’t talking to you”

“Who is this Brian your imaginary friend or something?”

“He is my best friend”

“I don’t think I like to share what is mine with another man”

“I”m not yours I will never be yours”

“well I”m not sure about that we are getting married, beautiful girl and I am your father’s weapon to break you and take you back to factory stage make you what”s the English word submissive”

“You need help mentally”

Tyler chuckled “I don’t think I would have made it through business school if was stupid your father wants me to get you on the terms of obedience and what I get in return is stable business and clients now you will choose to do this my way or my father can sue yours for going against a valid contract that was never actually terminated”

“Your father won’t do that to my father they are best friends”

“well I will like you to think again if you don”t do this I will make sure your family goes bankrupt you don”t want to be the reason why your whole family is living on the street right” he threatened and she flinched a little, “I thought as much”

“What do you want from me?”

“It is not what I want from you that is the matter here beautiful thing it is what your father wants from you and what I want from your father”

“I hate you so much” she cried

“I can live with that” he stood up and went to the door opened it and slammed it behind him.

“What happened?”

“I gave her a scare, she isn’t against the marriage anymore but she sure as hell hates me more”

“You were supposed to get her to trust you,” Christian said

“Well she fears me so that is good fear is good”

“Dad you are taking this too far,” Sidney said

“Sidney this is none of your business she is my daughter and I know what is best for her”

“Okay fine, baby let’s go home since my opinion is irrelevant here” she tugged Vincent's arm and he stood up and followed him out the door.