Total pages in book: 177
Estimated words: 163387 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 817(@200wpm)___ 654(@250wpm)___ 545(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 163387 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 817(@200wpm)___ 654(@250wpm)___ 545(@300wpm)
I started to confront them again, but he shook his head slightly and turned back to the demented coven of elders who had forgotten to drag their carcasses into the twenty-first century.
“Look, I get it, you love her, so you go to the extreme to protect her. Thank you for taking such good care of her for me, by the way.”
I kept taking peeks at the others to see how they were taking his speech. Their silence is no real indication of what their warped minds were thinking, plotting, or scheming. Cody didn’t know this, so he kept talking, maybe hoping he was getting through to them. I hated to see him waste his time, but each time I tried to stop him, he’d just squeeze my hand and smile. That only made me feel worse.
“As long as you understand that I’m also someone who loves and cherishes her, I have no problem with anything you want to do. Anything good that’s for her and our future kids, I’m fine with it.”
“Your word?” Now it was Grandpa Davenport who spoke up for the first time. Those words were tantamount to asking him to sign in blood. If I looked at this one way, my family was going all out to get me the man I love. If I look at it another, my meddling family was sticking their noses where they don’t belong as usual.
Their heavy-handed tactics aren’t new to me, but this time they’d gone overboard. “What is the matter with all of you? Who came up with this marriage idea?”
“Do you plan on marrying someone else in the future, Annalisa?”
“No, Grandma Davenport, but why are we talking about this now?”
“Weren’t you the one who wanted to get an apartment to share with him?” I can’t lie; if there’s one thing that’s not allowed in this family, it’s lying. Even though they can have no idea what I was planning, I do, so I can’t in all good conscience deny it now. Besides, how would I explain it to Cody?
“Yes, I admit the thought did cross my mind. But so what? People live together all the time. It’s not like when you were young, Grandma.”
“I beg your pardon, young lady. Good manners and etiquette never go out of style, no matter which generation you’re in. None of the women in this room have ever lived under the same roof with a man that was not their spouse.”
“As to your age. You’re the same age I was when I got married, and he’s the age your parents were when they got married, right after graduation. What other arguments do you have? Blaire, how exactly did you teach my granddaughter?” Oh no!
“Forgive her! I think you just sprung it on her out of the blue, and she’s a bit shocked. Aren’t you, baby?” Cody stopped that one in its tracks before it could go anywhere. Couldn’t he see that I was trying to save him from a semi-arranged marriage? So what if I plan to spend the rest of my life with him? It should be on our terms, not forced on us by them or anyone else.
“The fact still remains that she was planning to move in together with you, and she just admitted that she plans to spend the rest of her life with you.” When did I do that?
“And since that’s the case, why does it matter if you get married now or later?”
“You make a good point.” He pulled the folder closer and flipped it open. “Pen?” He looked around the table at the others. His parents still said not a word throughout all of this, and I was too ashamed to look back at the screen.
“What are you about to sign, young man? Are you in the habit of signing things without reading them first? And if you do read it, will you understand legalese?” Grandma Davenport picked up the phone and made a call.
“Who’re you calling?”
“Harold has been training his son to take over his position. Since he’s not our attorney as yet, we’ll lend him to your Cody for the day. Cody, do you have a dollar in your wallet?” He didn’t ask any questions, just reached for his wallet just as the door opened and a much younger version of the family lawyer walked in.
“Ma’am!’ He greeted Grandma Davenport and then made his way down the line. It was a sure sign of who was in charge here today, seeing as Harold is the Astor’s lawyer, but she was the one calling him in.
“Cody, give the man a dollar.” Cody did as he was told, again without question.
“Now he’s your attorney. Have him go over the contract with you.” They actually moved away from the table, leaving the two of us with the lawyer, who seemed serious. I don’t know why, but for some reason, I thought this farce would come to an end with his presence. That someone would say April’s fool, although it was the wrong time of year for that.