An Arranged Marriage - Episode 40

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Anaya.

I watch my sister speak to her husband and I look away as he brushes a hand through her hair. 

Not because I'm jealous. 

God, no, I can never be jealous of Anadia, she deserves this and more. 

But because of the love in his eyes, looking at him and her interacting is like spying on a private moment between two lovers. 

I will admit that I didn't believe he could like her, even after my sanctimonious preaching that morning long ago. 

But seeing the way he looks at her, I'm not even sure he understands how much he loves her. 

Only the people around him can see it. 

“What are you looking at?” Aroos asks as she comes to join me, her eyes in the direction of the King couple. 

“Nothing” I murmur, wondering where the stuck up asshole that is my boss is? 

He's supposed to have a meeting in 25 minutes and I'm supposed to go with him. 

“He really likes her” Aroos says, guessing correctly that I've been watching the couple standing by the door, talking to Kevin west. 

“He does” Aroos is far from stupid, it's the reason she's so much like me. 

“This all seems too good to be true though” She says, her voice betraying her fear, she's trying to hide the fact that she's worried another shoe might drop. 

I try to dispel this. 

Lighten the mood. 

“Says the girl who's dating a rock star” I tease. 

“He's not a rock star, he's a blues prince and yes, we are dating, so?” 

“Aren't you scared?” 

“of what?” she asks, perturbed. 

“Of the fact that he's so out of your league” I say. 

I don't know why I'm asking, I make it a point to stay out of my siblings messy relationship business. 

“Why should I be? He asked me out, I didn't ask him out, if he thinks he's just playing the field then well, too bad for him because he's gonna miss something good that would have been his” She says, confidence oozing from her pores. 

I bite my lip, willing my eyes not to betray me as I wish that I had more of this confidence. 

I wish that I wasn't this weak, spiteful being. 

“But you could get hurt” I say. 

“That's the point, you can only find true happiness when you finally learn to take the hits as they come” She says and I believe her. 

She was hurt earlier last month by a person she trusted. 

My strong sister was able to pull herself out of the slump and move on.. 

“Ohkay! I'm ready, let's go!” Aroofa shouts from the doorway and I watch her topple on high heels making her way to us. 

I see that Anadia has her eyes on her too. 

“Where are you going in those?” She asks, her voice carrying disbelief through the parking lot. 

“Uh.. I have an audition after class” Aroofa calls, turning to look at our sister. 

Anadia places her hands on her hips more like a mother. 

“What audition?” 

“I'm trying out for plays” Affie says. 

“We didn't talk about this” Nady reiterates. 

“Well, you've been busy” Affie replies, well, that's true. 

We all know how busy she's been. 

“That's besides the point.

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. We.. We have to talk about this kind of thing… “

“Just let the girl go babe, she will be late” Kane says. 

Anadia looks at a loss for words, But she gives in. 

“Oh.. Well, okay, just be careful” She says and my brow flies up. 

“Oh my God, Kane just single handedly talked our sister out of mother mode” Aroos whispers. 

I know! 

when Anadia gets into that mode she only does what her instincts tells her to do. 

Her instincts must have told her to listen to Kane. I muse. 

“Well, see you later” Aroos says and I nod as she walks towards the car that Kevin has open. 

He's dropping them off at school. 

I look to my cell phone and see it's just fifteen minutes to the meeting attorney dickhead has. 

I debated calling him but I changed my mind. 

I'm too flustered to banter with anyone right now, not even Cash King. 

My mind goes back to Aroos's words and I hate to admit that the fact that I haven't been living, I've been going through the motions and living safely. 

I'm lonely. 

 

“Well are you going to get in?” A voice growls from my left and I turn to see Cash in a blue suit with wet hair. 

I look away, he enters the car and I do too, he stretches his hands to me and I roll my eyes as I fix his buttons. 

I hand him the tablet and he accepts not saying a word. 

I've been working for him for close to a month and it's safe to say I know all of his moods. 

This one is the one I like to call the zone. 

Cash gets into the zone when he has a big meeting coming up. 

How he juggles his work and being an attorney in his brother's company is beyond me. 

"You have a dinner party Toda by nine pm" I say, 

"Why?" 

Oh, I don't know? Because you actually have to socialize with people who pay you a lot of money to keep them out of trouble? 

I don't say any of that though, I just refuse to reply. 

"You are coming with me" He says when he finally gets that there will be no reply from me. 

"My working hours ends at 6"I say. 

" Well, it's overtime for you then"

"I don't need the extra money" I say, I'm not doing squat,I'm taking the evening for myself and getting my mind cleared. 

"Why? Planning on seducing a rich guy and robbing him of his money?" He asks and quiet pain goes through my stomach. 

I understand that he's privileged and he has everything he would ever need. 

I'm grateful to Kane for helping me and my sister but I won't be snarked at for accepting help. 

 

If he's tired of helping me then that's fine. I don't say a word to his Jan which is an insult too, I lean forward and knock on the divider in the limo. 

It slides down. 

"Stop the Car" I say quietly. 

"Ma'am?" Maurice, the driver asks. 

"Stop the car" I say and the car slows. 

"What are you doing?" Cash asks, disbelief coloring his face. 

"I'm going to look for a guy to fuck so that he can give me money" I say, dumping the tablets and phones in his lap. 

"You can't be serious" 

"Watch me" I say grabbing my bag and exiting the car. 

"Are you hurt by my little jab?" 

Little? He doesn't know how deep that went, how would he? He's never had to be accused of being a slur just because you liked a guy with a bit of money. 

"I hope you have a good day, I'm done with this I won't be taking any handouts from you" I say, walking away from the limo, my bag in my hand. 

It's a good thing I brought running shoes in my bag, seems I'm going to have to look for a job. 

I hear the limo pull away and I don't turn. 

. .

Read " The Homecoming " by the same author ( Bebe Ernest )