What was the occasion? Hot cross buns were an Easter specialty. I waited till she walked out before closing my eyes and rolling over as much as I could. Warm, I was warm. I felt myself being dragged into the beautiful world of sleep as the door opened.
Keep the hot cross buns there, Ma. I’ll eat them when I wake up. But I couldn’t move my mouth to mutter it and instead of the chocolate smell, I smelt cologne.
Chapter Five
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. She blew against the imaginary dust that collected when I dropped it and scowled at me.
That was a beautiful story; she should make it into a fairytale. But have a happing ending in there somewhere because there was never going to be a happy ending with me in real life.
"You're joking, right?" I asked when I could finally speak. I looked at my father who had a sad expression on his face and stopped laughing.
“You are joking, right?” I said a bit calmer and when I got no reply I blew it.
"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 cut him off, again.
"You are turning twenty one soon. You are a legal 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 right 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 cousins 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 degree 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. You will be given full training while he is on his-"
I stared at the ceiling, not even a crack visible to divert my attention as I tried not to pay attention to her words. Just tell me this was a dream, a bad one, a nightmare. Marry a man I had never met, only for him to disappear for six months.
"What do you say, Ivory?" asked my father, coughing, as he stood up looking uncomfortable.
Present Time
By the time I woke up, it was Sunday and I groaned, feeling my face puff from too much sleep and the fact that all of Saturday was gone.
I rolled over in bed squinting at the sun that was probably still rising. I must have forgotten to close the curtains. I blinked, trying to go back to sleep but I was wide-awake and my stomach was grumbling, a reminder that I had skipped dinner. What happened to my hot cross buns? I looked beside my bed. Nope, even the soup was gone.
I struggled out of bed but I did it for the food I can eat and rubbed my eyes, walking across the room. It was Sunday, which meant there was probably some boring party to attend. And this time I have the amazing company of my husband who didn’t even remember my name.
I scoffed. Metal. I would even understand if he called me a colour. Ivory was a colour but where on earth did he get Aluminium from?
Then again he was probably mingling with the other men talking business, or whatever he does.
Margaret walked in just as I was about to open the door and smiled.
"Hope you slept well, dearie. You were out all night." She walked to the other end tying the curtains up more securely and opening the windows.
"I think I was just tired or something," I said, yawning as I watched her. I wobbled on my feet and my vision dazed and I stopped blinking till it returned to normal. That was weird. I blinked again, nothing.
"Indeed. Darius has sent me to remind you of the afternoon party today. It will be both your first appearance as a couple so I had Charles bring by some new dresses you can try on, darling. We can try them after you get a good breakfast."
"Alright. I'll be down in a second, Ma," I said. Margaret nodded and left me alone to get ready quickly.
Walking downstairs, I could smell something amazing. It smelt more like lunch than breakfast but looking at the clock, I saw that it was only half past ten. Way too early for breakfast, I thought sarcastically.
"What's happening?" I asked Margaret as I walked into the private dining room. She was setting up plates and I helped serve 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. Just be careful with what they give you, dearie. Miss Alvin cooks it herself and it's known that her pastries can make you quite sick."