Chapter 5

"Hey Delancy, do you think we should put an ad in the newspaper for the store?"

"Maybe," I shrugged. "I suppose it could bring in more customers.

"Yeah, I guess it could." My father said flipping through the newspaper.

I slouched against the cash register, trying to pull myself together because I didn't want him to know how tired I was. The store was busier than usual today, but I felt no enthusiasm towards it even though I was glad it had reopened and was running much better than before.

"Ahh yes, the newspaper!" Daniel smiled while leaning on the broom he was sweeping with. "If I could get in there everyone would know me!"

My father huffed at him before flipping to another page.

"Delancy, can't you see me in the papers one day!"

"Yeah, the obituary." my father cut in just as the store bell rang.

"Samantha?" I said realizing that she was the person who had come in. "I didn't know you were coming?"

"Delancy I heard that some crazy ass is telling everyone that everything's half-priced today!" She said ignoring me.

My father looked like he was going to have a heart attack when I turned to him, his face glowing red.

"Who the hell said that?" He asked heatedly.

"I guess that it was probably Daniel!" Samantha smirked while pointing at him. My father looked like he was going to have a stroke when he turned to him.

"I- I thought I could bring in a lot more customers and -"

"Daniel!"

"Help!!!"

Tapping my fingers on the newly bought counter, I waited for someone to come up to the cash register since the store was flooding with customers.

I turned away momentarily and sighed feeling off today, the sound of fleeting pleas passing me as Daniel ran away from my father.

"Isn't it a nice day we're having Walter?" A mocking voice suddenly called behind me. I was so engrossed in my thoughts that I didn't even hear when someone walked in. I turned back to the cash register and froze when I saw that it was my father's friend who standing there. He smirked at me mischievously as I stood petrified on the spot, my heart nearly stopping at that one moment.

Over a month had passed since I had met with him and agreed to marry his son, and since then he hadn't contacted me or my father. The store on the other hand, as a part of the deal, was renovated as promised and was now looking much better than before. During all that time I had almost forgotten about the deal, I had put it behind me that I was going to be married, and that I was going to leave the store. I didn't want to think about it but it was going to happen.

"You're still into games I see." he laughed. The booming tone of his voice caused me to involuntarily flinch. My body moved back on its own as he sauntered across the room toward me.

"Charles, you should have called before you came," My father said halting his chase after Daniel. There was a seriousness in his tone and the steely way he walked up to us. "I don't appreciate you dropping in on us like this."

"Why? I don't see the point of going through all that when we're going to be family." He grinned. Something about his voice made me shrink back, but I contained my composure.

"It's nice that you came, I'm glad to see you," I said, my voice betraying my words. I was anything but enthusiastic about seeing him, just standing this close to him made me want to run away.

"Oh yes, Delancy, as sweet as ever!" He said after seemingly forgetting about me for a moment. "Sweet and homely."

Homely?

"Don't worry about anything, I only came to take you with me."

"You came t-to... take me with you?" I asked in half shock, not taking in his words.

"Yes, I want you to meet my son today."

My breath hitched in my throat as the words left his mouth, shock hanging around me.

"I'm going to meet your son?" I repeated, the words sounding unbelievable to my ears.

"Yes, yes, so go and get ready, I'm leaving in a few minutes."

"Wa-wait!"

"Charles we haven't even talked about this." my father said to me.

"What's there to talk about? They're just going to meet each other, nothing else."

My father paused and nodded to him before turning to me.

"Delancy, go and get changed."

"Okay." I uncharacteristically said weakly.

My legs shook as I turned and walked away from them. The way I felt was hypocritical to the words I had uttered to my father. Didn't I say I was ready? Didn't I say I was willing to sacrifice everything? All those words didn't seem to matter now as my hands were shaking as I went to get ready.

With each step I took I had to resist the urge to run to my father and tell him no. No, I didn't want to do this, I was too afraid. I couldn't do this. I was only going to meet his friend's son but I already felt so helpless. How was I going to survive without him?

I swallowed hard and hastened my step as I climbed the stairs. I knew I couldn't tell him no, not now. My father had already repeatedly asked me if I was okay with this and I had said yes so how could I say I wasn't now? I had already gone this far and so much had already been done so it was my time to do my part. I couldn't walk away.

***

Being at his house was an uncomfortable thing for me because a flurry of emotions filled my mind; Guilt, fear, curiosity, dread, and anxiety - So many things made me uncomfortable, especially the fact that I was away from my father and alone with this man.

His house, which shouldn't have surprised me, was one of the biggest I'd ever seen, it was no small feat calling it a mansion in comparison to my father's two-bedroom home above the store.

The walls surrounding his house stood twenty feet around in ivory white and elegance and the entire estate reminded me of the backdrop of a fairytale. Thick rugs, elaborate decorations, and polished marble floors. Everything radiated elegance down to the winding staircases. Though my admiration was great, it didn't last long as the weight of why I was there met me.

"I hope you like it here," he said anticipating my answer as I followed behind him. I honestly had no words to say as I felt the back of my throat drying up. "It's okay if you don't say anything, it's not the first time someone has been awestruck coming here." he laughed.

He continued carrying on about his wealth and laughing as I trailed behind him, an unfamiliar vagueness finding me as I entered a crowded decorative hall. So many people were there, it was like he was having some kind of party or banquet and he had just decided at the spur of the moment to bring me along. It felt so strange being surrounded by so many people - people whom I didn't know were from a different class than I was.

Now and then as we walked by I saw someone looking at me, and each time it made me more uncomfortable. Some smiled at me while others threw me looks of indifference and even occasionally vague looks were passed my way. The more I followed Charles - my father's friend, the more I felt out of place. I wasn't exactly great at blending into a crowd or stirring up a conversation or even interacting with strangers despite having worked in the store. I sometimes felt uneasy when I was talking to someone I wasn't familiar with. I always preferred small talk and mild conversations rather than boisterous ones, especially with people I didn't know.

"Delancy, wait here," he said suddenly, shaking me out of the mirage of fear I had built around myself.

"Where are you going?" I had to ask as he walked away, leaving me by myself.

"I'm going to get my son!" He said with a smirk of a smile on his face.

I felt my legs tremble away to mere nothing as I backed up to the wall behind me, my body slumping but fortunately enough I found a chair.

I was going to meet him.

I hadn't ever felt as nervous before in my entire life as I did at that moment. A million thoughts filled my head as I stared at my shaking hands that had gone cold out of fear.

Why did he want to marry and why me? Was he in the same situation as I was? Was he also frightened and afraid? Was he forced to make this decision because he had no other choice?

Thoughts bubbled in my head as I thought it through and through.

But then again, what if he was horribly scarred and hideous and I was only going to marry him because no one else was?

What if he was gorgeous and only wanted me as a possession to show off his beauty and power?

As horrible as those things were to think, I couldn't help thinking about them as I was oblivious to who the man was that I was going to marry.

The man whom I was going to spend the rest of my life with.