06

6 Months Ago

I started laughing dropping the box. My mother picked up the box scowling and glared at me as I continued to laugh,.

« You’re joking right ? » I asked after I caught my breathe. I looked at my father who had a sad expression on his face and stopped laughing.

« You’re serious ? » I asked looking back and forth.

« This is a great opportunity-«

« I am barely twenty ! » I yelled loudly. My father winced and opened his mouth to say something but as usual my mother had cut him off, again.

« You are turning twenty one soon, you are an adult, » she said. I scoffed, that wasn’t what she said with all my other choices. You are a young girl not mature enough to be an adult, leave the stuff to Father and I she would say.

But now my decision with James was proving her righter by the moment. I shook my head, I didn’t want to think about him.

Was I seriously the only girl in five generations ? I knew my father had a lot of brothers and male cousin but I never expected that was in five generations !

« What do you mean, exactly ? » I said.

« We mean for you to get married to the man we have picked. He is a direct descendant like you, not a cousin or anyone else. He is q-«

« When ? » I asked wearily.

« Soon. It will be a small private wedding. The boy needs to finish his training and so must leave right after for six months. You can take this time to learn your duties and impress him when he gets back. Mistakes will not be accepted Ivory »

I stared at the ceiling, not even a crack visible to divert my attention. Marry a man I had never met for him to only disappear for a month.

« What do you say Ivory ? » asked my father coughing as he stood up.

Present Time

By the time I woke up it was Sunday and I groaned. I had slept through my « my » day ! I rolled over in bed the sun was rising and the light was coming through my curtains. Again I had forgotten to close them and I couldn’tt sleep in.

Sunday usually meant an afternoon party we had to attend. Only this time would be different. Instead of Rose sitting beside me and gossiping it was my h- Darius beside me probably making some business conversation with some other man.

That reminded me, what was his business. I had never seemed to ask or find out. Mother had probably told me but I never paid too much attention to it.

Like on cue Margret came through.

« Hope you slept well dearie, you were out all night. » she said helping me sit up on the bed and started opening the windows.

« I think I was just tired or something, » I said yawning and standing up. I wobbled on my feet and my vision dazed and I stopped blinking till it returned to normal.

« Indeed. Darius has sent me dearie to remind you of the afternoon party today. It will be your both first appearance as a couple so I had Charles bring by some new dresses you could try on darling. We can try them after you get a good breakfast. »

« Alright I’ll be down in a second Ma, » I said. Margret nodded and left me alone to get ready quickly.

Walking downstairs I could smell amazing smells, it smelt more like lunch than breakfast but looking at the clock it was only half past ten, way to early for breakfast.

« What’s happening ? » I asked Margret as I walked into the private dining room. She was setting up plates and I helped served the water. She shot me a look and I shrugged, he wasn’t here so he wouldn’t know I helped.

« Darius doesn’t like the food at the party and so he usually eats in the morning before. Just be careful with what they give you dearie. Miss Alvins cooks it herself and it’s known that her pastries could make you quite sick, »

I let out a small laugh nodding, « Alright I’ll try to keep that in mind, » I said. Personally I thought it was mean that everyone knew it but no one told her anything. Will she not be offended when she realises no one has touched her food ?

I rubbed my eyes leaning back in my chair as the chef came out with the food and served it on the table. He probably noticed my face and sent me an apologetic look.

« I can make o-«

« It’s fine, don’t worry » I assured him trying to put on a strong face. He nodded and left and Darius came in and I stared at my plate in shock.

Seafood.

If there was one thing I hated, it was seafood. Great.

I stared at my plate longer and pushed the edible pieces to the side which happened to be the vegetables in the sauce. The smell of the fish and prawns was overpowering and I tried not to show that I was sick.

I looked up and saw Darius staring and quickly grabbed a spoonful and shoved it in my mouth chewing. As soon as he looked away I grabbed the napkin and placed it near my mouth spitting whatever it was out.

It probably tasted good but for as long as I knew I disliked the taste of seafood.

Margret came into the room and looked around to see how things were going and then saw my plate and her eyes widened.

« Oh, Ivory, Charles has come. Would you like to go now or in a while, »

« Now’s fine, » I said quickly before she finished and shot up, a bit too soon. I sent a quick smile around the room and rushed out the room with Margret hot on my tails.

The moment I was in my bedroom I rushed to the bathroom and brushed my teeth again.

« Oh I am so sorry dearie I completely forgot your hatred for seafood, »

« It’s fine, » I said with a mouthful of paste, probably something my mother would kill me and have a heart attack for. So very unlady like she would say, this is now how I raised you !

I walked back into my bedroom and froze looking at the new dresses on the bed and silently groaning.

Oh god,

If I thought dinner and lunch times were awkward sharing a limousine ride with this man would probably be worst.

Seated opposite each other both of us stared out the window not even a word of conversation. Did my parents even know who they were marrying me too ?

I finally gave a cheer of happiness when I saw the place but soon died out when I saw how many people were going in.

Most of them were more lavishly dressed than me with jewellery and fancy caps and some of the weirdest dresses I had ever seen. I on the other hand was in a simple deep blue ink dress that make my skin look brights.

Margret had pinned my hair up into an elegant bow with plaits and decorated pearl clips that held up my thick wavy black hair. She placed a bit of eye liner to make my black eyes stand out even more in my tan skin and placed natural lip stick to just make my already natural pink lips shine.