CHAPTER 6—Jake
Olivia’s piercing eyes follow me around the bathroom, and I can immediately tell that she’s not happy about this.
I’m not happy about it too but I couldn’t risk my parents finding her now, they were bound to question her.
It would be so easy for my dad to pick her apart with words and no doubt find out about our little arrangement. I couldn’t let that happen.
Finally I pull out a towel and wrap it around my waist. At first I had forgotten she was there until she grabbed my junk from under the table and pulled hard.
I had to clamp my palm over my mouth to stop the scream from escaping until she finally let go with a huff. I apologized furiously after that which brings us to the present moment.
When I leave the bathroom she has her middle finger up in the air which makes me unsure why I’m putting up with her.
I dry off and quickly put on my clothes, my door bell ringing at the same time I open my door.
With quickened steps I rush to the door and open it too see the flushed face of my mother. She pulls me into a hug.
“You smell of wine” she sneers as she steps into the dining area. My father follows her, acknowledging my presence with only a huff as he goes to sit down at the head of the table.
“Jake!” my mother yells and I turn to her. She holds up a thong she most likely found on her seat with her face squeezed in distaste.
“What is this?” she asks before throwing it at me. I catch it midair and immediately stuff it in the pocket of my pants.
“It’s Olivia’s, she was over here last night, and we got a bit carried away” I lie through my teeth.
Mother leaves the seat and goes to sit by my father’s side, “The girl you’re getting married to? What kind of woman is she Jake? To leave her underwear on your dining table.”
I want to bang my head on a wall already, this breakfast is bound to be a disaster, “Mum!”
She cringes “I already told you to let me find you a well-behaved wife, someone that won’t leave questionable items in places for your guest to find. I know this girl, she’s the daughter of one of my…”
I can already tell how this conversation will go so I end it before it escalates “You don’t need to do that mum; I have someone I’m getting married to.”
She pauses her lips at the interruption “I and your father don’t believe that.”
I nod as I get up to serve them breakfast. I made bacon, salad, and pasta. The only things I could cook comfortably without burning my entire house down.
When I’m done I sit down on the other side of the table and watch as mother serves her husband.
“I don’t expect you to but very soon we’ll be getting married, and you’ll see it for yourself” I direct this last bit to my father whose gaze hasn’t left my face, like he’s waiting to catch me slip up.
“If you’re so sure about this girl then we need to meet her” my mother surrenders, biting into her salad carefully. “Dinner today will be great.”
I shake my head “She’s always busy mum, I’ll have to discuss that with her first” I say, trying to buy myself some time.
“That’s no way to handle a woman” my father suddenly says, “You tell her what she should do and not the other way round”.
“She’s not telling me what to do, I just need to be sure that it’s okay with her too” I defend.
“A cultured girl would ask to meet your parents first, not us asking to meet her. The nerve of you to try and get her permission first!” he slams his fist on the table which makes mother squirm in her seat.
What was I thinking letting him into my house? “Dad, it’s not what you’re making it out to be”
His eyes flash in anger “Then pray tell what it is?” I don’t answer him which makes him madder.
“Then I will tell you what it is! My dimwit of a son can’t keep it in his pants and now I’m worried that he’s going to run through my properties just like he does with girls…”
“Henry…” my mother calls him, placing her tiny hand on his but he shrugs her off.
“And I don’t believe even for a second that you’ve magically found yourself a wife! You cannot fool me Jake, I’ve lived in this world longer than you have.” He is heaving by the time he’s done talking and I just watch him.
“Your mother has found a nice girl for you; her family is well respected, and we can work out a meager between our companies to become even more powerful.”
Apparently he wasn’t done. I shake my head “I don’t need any of that, your company is doing just fine without them.”
He glares at me “But for how long after you take over?”
I don’t have the answer for that.
“Can we all just calm down” my mother says but my father is too busy staring at me to listen.
“Just get married to her and we’ll put this behind us, my entire company will be yours” my father continues with a smug look.
“I only have to get married to have it; you weren’t very specific in your contract” I throw back at him with a smile.
My mother flashes me an annoyed look but I don’t back down “I’m very capable of finding my own wife just like you found yours.”
“One month” he finally says after a minute of awkward silence. “One month to get married.”
“What!” I exclaim “That’s too short, I can’t plan a wedding in a month”
“It’s specified in the contract Jake, seems like you didn’t read that part thoroughly” he smiles without remorse “Get married before a month or have all your properties gone.”
“Mom!” I whine “What if it puts too much pressure on Olivia and she freaks out?”
“The girl we picked for you wouldn’t consider this little inconvenience a pressure” my father muses and I want to hit him in the face so bad.
“I love Olivia, you both have to understand that. I’m not marrying anyone else.” my father doesn’t look like he believes me one bit.
“Then marry her in a month to prove just how much you love her” he says.
“I can’t…”
“A month or you’ll marry whomever I choose” he finishes, signifying that it’s the end of our conversation. He stands up and my mother follows, so much for having breakfast as a family.
“We’ll have breakfast with her tomorrow, make reservations.” I’ve never hated my father’s voice so much.
My mother touches my shoulder briefly like she always does when I have an argument with my father.
I walk them both to my door, ready to forget what just happened and get Kyle to figure out my next move.
My mother gives me a brief hug and is about to leave when a loud thud comes from the hallway, and we all freeze.
Father slowly turns, “Who is inside?”
“Uh…” I don’t have an answer that wouldn’t ruin my plan “That must be the television or something”
“And we haven’t heard it the whole time?” he asks, taking a step back inside.
I hold his arm “There’s no need to go in, I’ll check what it is after you leave”
He pulls his hand from my grip which so much force that I stumble “I’ll see it for myself, I need to make sure that my son is safe after all.” He marches down the hallway and I know I’m about to get busted.
My mother looks torn as she looks at my father’s disappearing form and then back at me. “Is someone there? You have to stop bringing girls home Jake, it doesn’t leave a good impression on your father.”
That is my mother’s way of caring for me, to make sure that I look good in the eyes of my father.
“Nothing I do will ever leave a good impression on him.”
She says nothing. She doesn’t have to because we both know that I’m right.
I wait quietly for my dad to come back from his search. In a minute he’ll be storming out with Olivia in tow. I need to think quickly on how to explain what she’s doing in my bathroom and try to diffuse the situation.
I’m surprised when my father finally emerges from the hallway alone, muttering to him, “I’m pretty sure I heard someone in there.”
A say a quiet thank you to Olivia for not getting caught.
“Have a nice day” he says before briskly walking out of my apartment. My mother gives me a sad smile before she leaves, and I shut the door with a sigh.
I lean on the door to catch my breath. That was a close call. I put away the untouched food, didn’t know why I even bothered cooking in the first place.
When I’m done I go to find Olivia but she’s not in my bathroom. I turn swiftly and start searching the rooms for her.
The guest room and there’s no sign of her. “Olivia!” I yell as I walk through the house but there’s no response.
I’m going back to the kitchen when I hear a soft snore coming from the storage room. I open the door quietly and walk in.
I don’t see her at first but soon I make out her curly hair from under a table at the far end of the room.
I squat when I get to her, and true enough she’s sleeping like she doesn’t have a care in the world.
Pushing her hair from her face, I see her slightly parted lips as she slept. Her face looking relaxed for the first time.
I’m not sure if I should let her sleep or wake up. I stand to leave when her eyes suddenly fly open, and she screams only for her head to hit the table.
She forgot she was asleep under there. Cute.