by Lauren Wood
When I told the hostess my name, the wattage of her smile doubled. It was once again not because of whom I was, my name pretty big in Chicago. She was more worried about making Ronald happy and I came to realize then that I was going to have to leave my ego at the door if I was going to be seen around town with him. No one here was going to ask for my picture, not with a guy like Ronald around. I was no longer the big fish in the pond. It was a strange sensation to say the least.
“Keenan, glad that you could make it and on time. Punctuality is the key to life.”
I could have mentioned that he was late the last time I saw him, but I would imagine that he was always on time. No matter where he went, whatever time that he showed up was the time that he was supposed to be there. He just had that kind of pull on everyone. It was that quality in particular that I wanted to harness from Ronald, that and more money.
“I wouldn’t have missed this lunch for the world. Like I said before, you are a hard man to get in contact with.”
Ronald shook my hand and then I sat down. He was dressed in much of the same suit as he had been before. It was one of his quirks. The same brown suit that he had been wearing for thirty years. Some say it was because it was a lucky suit and he was superstitious. Others assured that he had taken away the options of what to wear in the morning for efficiency. It was a question that I would have liked an answer to, but I couldn’t bring myself to ask such a thing.
“I have seen a few calls from you Keenan, but I felt at the time that we weren’t very compatible to work together. We have very different goals and are in different stages of life.”
I had a bad feeling that this was going to be a polite rejection and I raced to think of what to say so that wouldn’t be the case.
“Well you have really ramped up your charitable giving.”
His brow went up. “You have kept up with what I do?”
“Sir, I think there are thousands of people, maybe more, that do. When you drop a stock, everyone scrambles to do the same.”
“But my charitable giving doesn’t make me money. You have done well for yourself son, but it is clear where your priorities lie.”
I didn’t like the way the conversation was going. We didn’t even have food on the table and I was starting to think that we weren’t going to get that far. It was hard to not feel anxiety bubbling up. I really wish that Ashlyn was here. She would know what to say.
“I have made a lot of money and I plan to make more, but I am becoming choosier about how I do so. I want to make a difference, just as much as I want to add to my net worth. That I think is something that we have in common. You did not get where you were just doing the right thing. I believe that multiple goals can be accomplished with only one act.”
Now I had his interest and I was thankful that I was right. I knew that the old Ronald was still in there.
“You are right Keenan, there is always more than one goal. I have a few of my own and it doesn’t solely involve giving away most of my money.”
I hoped that this was a sign that we were getting somewhere. I just had to figure out what his goal was and make sure that he knew that I was the one to do it.
“What kind of goals are you looking to accomplish? I am sure there is nothing that you can’t do.”
The old man looked away and I felt a redness creeping up his neck. Whatever it was, it was something big and I waited on the edge of my seat to see what it was. What would make a man like that, act like this?
“Did you know that I had a daughter?”
I actually did not. I heard and read a lot about his son, doing big things in business like his father, but I had never once known that there was a daughter as well.
“No I did not.”
“You wouldn’t. She is quite a bit younger than Anton. Gemma is our miracle child and I tried to keep her from this life. Now she rejects it all together. I want her married off, but it doesn’t seem to be in the cards. Anton has decided that he is gay, a decision I stand by, but that leaves me with only Gemma to give me grandchildren. I want to see them before I leave this world. That is my goal.”
I sat back and tried not to whistle through my teeth. How many things I had imagined he would say? Never this. I had so many more thoughts in my head and I had to admit that he had me stumped. I told Ronald as much and he chuckled as he sat back. “Well you asked my goal. Main one is to get my daughter married. She is spirited though and she has yet to get a suitable suitor. I have paid off countless men to get her away from them, but it doesn’t seem to matter. She just finds another one and I think she does it to drive me crazy.”
I was shocked that Ronald was being so forthcoming. It made me a little leery of why I was being told such a personal tale. The man was the type that didn’t do or say anything for no reason. He had a reason, even if I didn’t know what it was at the time.
“So why are you telling me this Sir?”
“Because you asked.”
I nodded, but waited for what was left. I knew there was more and I was starting to get an idea of what it was. I was holding out with the hope that I was wrong, but I really don’t think that I was.
“And because I think that we can help each other.”
Now I was paying attention listening for the terms that I knew were going to be high. I just had to see if they were too high for me.
“In what way?”
“Well I take it you want to work with me, have me take you under my wing, teach you everything that I know so you can take your 3.27 billion and make it into something a small country would envy. Am I right?”
He was exactly right in so many words and I was waiting for what he wanted out of it. I was sure I was wrong about what I was thinking. He didn’t want me to…
“Well you know what I want, my goal.”
“I don’t see how they are connected.”
“Well I am not going to waste my time on a no-name. I respect your father, but it is not enough to take you under my wing and teach you. You would have to become something to me. You would have to become family Keenan.”
I sat back in the seat and took another drink of my flask. I didn’t even bother with the wine in front of me. I knew that it wasn’t going to be strong enough for the sort of day that I was having.
“You want me to marry your daughter?”
I had gone from excitement to thinking that this man must be crazy. There was no way that he could be being serious, right? How could I marry a woman that I had never met before? It didn’t make any sense and I knew that he must be senile. That’s what it was. He had lost his mind somewhere along the way and I was now making a deal with a crazy man.
“Yes, that’s exactly right.”
“Why?”
“You have the sort of background that I would like to see her marry and although you have a colored past, you have also shown that you can do what is necessary. Your father left his company in a messy state and look what you have done with it? I think that you are the perfect one for the job. My daughter can be quite troublesome and I think you are up for the challenge.”
I had to wonder what kind of woman would need her father to help her get a husband. Was she hideous? He said she was difficult and I had a feeling that was an understatement. How did he figure that he was going to get her to marry me in the first place? He couldn’t make her and we were long past the age of arranged marriages.
The food arrived and I was relieved to get away from the subject. I knew that Ronald wasn’t joking. He was being serious and I had to wonder the desperation that he must have felt to have even propositioned such a thing. How bad could she be?
“So what do you say Keenan?”
I was speechless and there really wasn’t much that I could say. “Well Sir, I appreciate the offer, but I am not really looking for a wife.”
“Why, you are getting old and will soon be past your prime. Do you not want to carry on your name and bloodline?”
I wasn’t that old. I was thirty six, bu
t I had thought about what was going to happen to my legacy when I was gone. I had no brothers or sisters to carry it on and it was all down to me. I am sure my father would be absolutely thrilled, but could I really do something so drastic to make others happy and to further my career? It was a lot to ask for and I needed time to think about it.
“How do you know she would marry me?”
Ronald was happy that I had asked, it meant that I was actually thinking about his crazy scheme.
“Well she would lose her inheritance if she didn’t. Gemma may turn her nose up at money and privilege, but she isn’t stupid. She is used to a certain kind of life. That is how I will get her to agree. Do I have your agreement as well?”
Chapter 3
Gemma
The day had gone from bad to worse. First I went to the store to grab a few things. I needed a new dress and bathing suit for a party on a yacht over the weekend and when I got to the register, all of my credit cards weren’t working. It was extremely embarrassing and I left the store with a bright red face. I don’t know if I am ever going to be able to show my face in there again.
So then I went to the bank to withdraw some money. I wanted to show those store clerks with their smug smiles that I had the money. It was just some kind of bank error. Maybe someone had charged it up and stolen my identity. By the time I got to the local branch, I had convinced myself of this.
When I got in there and talked to the bank teller, I was given the same answer. My request was denied.
“Why may I ask, will you not honor this check?”
“Your account has been frozen Miss. Gray. I am sorry to be the one to tell you this.”
“How can my account be frozen?”
“The other person on it has stopped you from being able to withdraw any money for a temporary amount of time.”
“How temporary?” I could deal with a day or two. I don’t know what is going on, but I was still grasping at straws.
“I can’t be sure. Your father will have to take the freeze off before you can withdraw any money or use any of the cars linked to the bank account. I am sorry Miss. Gray.”
I was irritated when I left out of there and I called my dad. I knew that he was the cause of it. When he didn’t answer, I decided to call mom. She would never let this stand. She didn’t want to leave me broke and without money. She wouldn’t do that to me, would she?
“Mom.”
“Hey Gemma. It is good to hear from you. Where are you? I haven’t seen you all day.”
“I am just leaving the bank.”
“Oh okay. Your father and I are leaving for the weekend. I was leaving you a note now.”
I had a feeling that their sudden departure was not a surprise weekend like my mother wanted. Dad was getting out of town so that he didn’t have to hear how ridiculous this was to do to me. Why was he doing this?
“Can I talk to dad real quick?”
I heard the phone being rustled around and then after a minute mom got back on the phone. “He is really busy dear. I will have him call you in a little while, okay?”
I should have said something then, but mom sounded so happy to be getting out with dad that I didn’t want to ruin it for her. It was just for a couple of days and it wasn’t like I really needed anything. It would be fine.
Hanging up with her, I counted the money in my wallet. I only had twenty three dollars. What was I going to be able to do for that amount of money? My weekend plans were quickly going down the tubes, but I refused to make a big deal out of it. This was most likely more of my father trying to teach me a lesson. There was no telling what it was about this time. I would just pretend like I didn’t even know and I wished then that I hadn’t told mom where I was. He was going to know that I knew. So I was just going to have to try my best to forget about it and not bring it up.
It was just a weekend. I can do this.
***
By Saturday I was miserable and even though I had scraped together another hundred from my room, I was still back to broke and without anything to wear. I ended having to use most of the money I had left to get there and then I had to wear something that I already had. It was humiliating in a way, especially with the people I hung out with, but it was better than staying home and letting my father win.
I was starting to feel like I was the one that had won. He had tried to show me and I was going to show him in the end that I was resourceful. If it hadn’t been so hard without money, I would have stopped listening to him a long time ago. But money made the world go round and I certainly didn’t want to do anything to actually make any. My dad had enough, so I didn’t see the point of why I should have to do anything. Wasn’t that the point of getting rich? So that you could give it to your kids and they would never want for anything?
After a beautiful day out on the yacht, instead of everyone staying on it, most of the rest of the group went to a local hotel. It would be more comfortable for such a large group, but I had to stay back. I said that it was because the weather was so pretty that I wanted to sleep under the stars, but in reality I just didn’t have the money for the room. Another embarrassing moment to add to the one when my card got declined.
That night as I stared out at the moon and it started to rain, I realized that I wasn’t going to be able to last long this way. It had only been two days and I felt like I was alone adrift in the world. It was far different without my father’s money to smooth over all of the ripples and I can’t say that I liked the feeling all that much. By morning I was miserable and ready to go home, but even then I had to wait for a ride to get me back home. I had never been so humiliated in all of my life.
It was the last day of the weekend and I waited anxiously for my parents to come back home. Neither one had called me and when I tried to call mom, I found that her phone was off. I was blaming it all on dad, sure that he was going through a teachable moment mood. I did not like it at all if I had to be completely honest. It was ridiculous and the more I thought about, the madder I got. If it wouldn’t have been such a horrible weekend, I may have stuck to the original plan to not let him know it bothered me, but it did and I was never one to suffer in silence. I waited up till almost eleven o’ clock, sitting in the front room, waiting for them to come in.
When they did I stood up and asked dad if I could speak to him after I gave mother a kiss on the cheek. I was shaking from being so upset and I still wasn’t sure what I was going to say. I never really did know. I just let it fall out of my mouth like word vomit and that was that.
He must have known what I was about to say because he didn’t ask me what was the matter until mom was upstairs and out of our talking range. That also meant that he hadn’t told her about his idea. That was an angle I may have to play later. It just depended on what he wanted to do and how this was all going to end. I wasn’t going to let him get me down and I knew that this was not a lesson that I had learned very well.
“So what is the matter pumpkin?”
His sweet voice was grating on my nerves and there was nothing I wanted to do less than talk to him.
“You know what’s the matter dad, so why are you acting like you don’t know? What did I do this time and what lesson am I supposed to learn? If you tell me now, we can save ourselves both a little bit of a headache. I just want this over with, so tell me what this is about and I will change it for you. I don’t want to have to have another weekend like this. Not ever again, so what do I have to do?”
“Get married.”
It was said quickly and quietly like he didn’t want me to really hear what it was that he had to say. “What?”
“I want you to get married Gemma. I have already picked out a perfect husband for you. I can’t take care of you with just money. You are going to need more than that and I want you to do this. It will set my mind at ease to know that you are properly taken care of.”
I was sure that a fly was going to land in my mouth, it was agape so wide. I couldn’t believe what he was sayin
g. It was typical dad of course. He was so damn protective. Of course he would have already picked out a husband. I was twenty two years old and the last thing that I was worried about was a husband. This wasn’t the fifties anymore. No one got married at that age. He had me late, so now I was supposed to rush it along so he could be around longer. I had asked him before why he didn’t just go adopt a baby himself. And I was the unreasonable one.
“Dad, you can’t be serious!”
“I am Gemma. I have thought about this a lot and it doesn’t even have anything to do with grandchildren, though you know I would love it if you had some and soon.”
I sighed and I couldn’t believe that we were having this conversation, again. It was rather ridiculous and I wasn’t sure what to say anymore. What do I say to that?
“This is for your future. I know how you are with money Gemma. How are you going to take care of everything?”
Now I was supposed to answer and all I had for him was a shrug. I was still in my early twenties. Why did I have to worry about all of this stuff right now? He acted like he was on his deathbed and for a moment I thought that this was what it was all about. Maybe he was dying and he wanted me to get hitched so that I would be taken care of. Was that it?
“Are you dying dad?”
“What? What are you talking about?”
“You are acting like you are going to be gone tomorrow.”
“No, but your mother and I want to travel, be gone longer than a couple of days. How was your weekend?”
My face soured up and I pouted out my lips. “It was horrible and I think you know it. You are the one that made sure I was broke this weekend.”
“That is what it will be like all the time if you don’t take care of things or if you aren’t married to a man that can take care of you. I know you are young, but it is time Gemma.”
He made it all sound so rational, even though it was the craziest thing that I had ever heard. Did he hear himself?
“You can’t be serious!”
“I am and the way you are acting now just tells me that I am doing the right thing. I will give you a couple of days to get used to the idea and then you will tell your mother to start with the arrangements. She is not to know about this Gemma. As far as she is going to know, you and Keenan fell in love.”
