Mari

I couldn't believe the information I had just received. I was in a bit of a daze on the way back home. Mother has someone else other than Father. Father possibly has an illegitimate son. The secrets in this family just keep getting better and better. Eventually they will come to light, one way or another.

As soon as I drove onto the road leading up to the family compound, knots began to grow in my stomach. I dreaded coming back to the mansion; I didn't want to discuss the marriage they were so happy to arrange. Immediately after I drove into the garage, Emma, one of the housekeepers, quickly exited the house and came to the door of my car.

"Ms. Worthington, good you're home." Emma said, opening the door for me.

"Hi Emma," I stepped out as she waited. It looked as if she had something to say. "Is everything okay?"

"No, your Father is looking for you." My anxiety went from zero to ten immediately.

"Do you know why he is looking for me?"

"No. He had been looking for you since this morning. He said as soon as you get home, he wants you to come and see him in the study."

Shit! Why can't he go to work like normal people? I can't even imagine what he wants to talk about.

"Thank you Emma. I'll head over to the study." I replied. Emma nodded and quickly left.

I slammed the car door and walked slowly towards the mansion. I didn't have the slightest idea what Father wanted as I racked my brain the entire time I walked down the hallway leading to the study. As I got closer, I slowed my stride to hear if he was alone; I peeped around the corner and he sat at the desk looking at his laptop.

I collected myself before I stepped in his presence; Father had a way of making anyone feel relatively small. I stepped in the study and Father quickly paid attention.

"Hello Father." I said walking over to the desk. Father watched me as soon as I entered the room. His gaze sent chills down my spine.

"Mari, where have you been?" He asked, folding his arms and giving me his full attention. He scanned my face to see if I would tell him the truth. I was prepared; I had mastered my lying to him.

"Oh, I just took a drive." I said standing in front of the desk. "May I sit?" I asked. He stared at me and nodded. I slowly sat in the chair, maintaining full eye contact with him.

"You just took a drive? Where did you go?" I wasn't about to answer him honestly, I would never hear the end of it. He would most likely accuse me of trying to find a way for me to get kicked out of the mansion.

"Just driving around, thinking. It was a lot of shi....stuff you and Mother unloaded on me yesterday." I had to catch myself; I had forgotten I wasn't at Vicki's place. But still it was a lot of shit they unloaded on me.

"I see." Father was just cold sometimes when it came to the family. He stared at me making me feel like a small child instead of being a 24 year old. "You don't have a job, do you?"

"Of course not Father." He wouldn't allow me to have one if I wanted one. Father has always felt that women shouldn't work as they should keep the house ready for her husband.

"Good. Have you spoken to Jeffrey?"

"No." He raised his head and looked at me over top of his glasses.

"Excuse me? Why not?"

"Father, you just informed me yesterday of this arrangement. I haven't had time to understand what is expected of me, let alone call someone that my parents have matched me to marry." I quipped. Father took off his glasses and dropped them on the desk.

"Do you have an issue Mari?" He asked. He sat back in his chair, folded his arms and waited for me to answer.

"How well do you know Jeffrey, Father?"

"His family is perfect for this arrangement." He answered. He didn't know Jeffrey and he didn't care either.

"That's not answering the question, Father."

"Watch your tone," Father growled.

"It's an honest question, Father." I said stating my case. "I'm just wondering how much you know of Jeffrey Abrams to agree to an arrangement for your youngest child." I said sarcastically.

I could tell he wanted to come back with a smart ass answer but he couldn't because he would have to tell me the truth which is, he didn't know Jeffrey at all - only his best friend who just happens to be Jeffrey's father.

"Jeffrey's father, Michael, has been my best friend for years. We had agreed a long time ago, when your mother was pregnant with your sister, that we would have our children marry each other in order to secure our financial future."

I just looked at Father. I didn't want to challenge him, yet I was very tempted. Father still hadn't answered the question, because he knew nothing of Jeffrey being gay and promiscuous. All he and friend were worried about was keeping their money. Mr. Abrams most definitely knows about Jeffrey, from what Vicki told me he doesn't try to hide anything therefore I'm sure he is well aware.

"Have you ever met Jeffrey, Father?" I kept asking questions until Father either answered them or he would order me to leave.

Father inhaled and stared at me. He knew I wouldn't stop until one or the other happened and I was fine with the latter. I think he may know I irritate him in order for him to make me leave his presence. However, I think he tolerates me because he wants to irritate me.

Ironically, I am just like Father in that aspect.

"I have not, but I trust my friend." He finally answered. "I have no reason to not trust him."

I figured as much. His friend was trying to marry Jeffrey off to make him someone else's problem.

"Father," I started. I wanted to question his 'values' so to speak. Rich people can be ignorant and a bit racial towards those that are different from them.

"Yes?" I wanted to shock him. I knew he had no issue with Jeffrey being promiscuous because Father was exactly the same. However, I knew how Father felt on the matter of someone being gay.

"Do you have any homosexual friends?" I asked. He shot me the angriest look, I felt my heart stop. If he could kill me with his looks, I would have died instantly.

"No, I do not and I do not wish to have any." He glared at me. "You know how I feel about those kinds of people."

"Interesting." I uttered. He looked at me, slid his glass back on and proceeded to return to his work.

"You may leave." He said without looking at me. I sat in the chair for a second, wishing Father was just a bit open and a lot more caring. The longer I sat, the more irritated it seemed he would become. "Is there something else you want?"

"No." I stood up and left the study. Father didn't bother to say anything else thereafter.

I made my way to the kitchen where Mother and Father's assistant, Michael Howard, were talking. Mother turned as I entered; she smiled at me. She was always happy to see me.

"Mari, I'm so glad you're here. Did you see your Father?"

"Yes."

"Oh good. Where did you go this morning?" She asked curiously.

"Hello Michael," I ignored Mother's question. I didn't want to discuss anything in front of Michael. He's a good person, but he works for Father, therefore I will trust him as far as I can throw him.

"Hello Mari, Nice to see you." Michael looked at me with his light brown eyes. He was a gorgeous specimen of a man that wouldn't mind being married to. Unfortunately, he does not come from money therefore Father would never approve of it.

"Nice to see you too." He smiled and my vajayjay quivered. His lips were full and luscious; he was blessed with nice, bright white teeth and a banging body. His frame makes me think that he may have been a football player back in the day.

"Mari," Mother quipped. "Are you gonna answer me?'

"I just went driving around Mother."

"Is it due to what happened last night?"

"Yes."

"Did you go and see Vicki?" Mother asked. I looked at Michael who picked up the queue.

"Mrs. Worthington, I believe I should return to the study with Mr. Worthington as he may need assistance."

"Oh ok, Michael. Thank you so much for what you did for me earlier."

"My pleasure," He grabbed his organizer and headed for the door. "Let me know if you need anything Ma'am. Nice seeing you again, Mari." Michael said as he left the kitchen.

"Goodness Mother," I fussed about her mentioning Vicki in the presence of Michael. "How could you bring up Vicki in front of Michael?"

"Why shouldn't I? She's my daughter, regardless of what Father says. Besides, he knows of Vicki and he has been helping me to keep in contact with her." Mother declared.

"You do what?"

"You heard me." She refused to repeat it, but she was right, I heard her.

"And you trust him not to tell Father?"

"Of course. Michael has been more trustworthy and loyal than your damn Father."

"Really?"

"Yes, he's helped me out tremendously. When he joined to be Father's assistant, I thought he would be the perfect match for you." I looked at her in bewilderment.

"A match for me? But I thought you had the arrangements agreed upon when Vicki and I were born?"

"No, that was Father. He is very adamant about it. He wanted all of his children to go through the same as he did."

"But you and Father weren't arranged. You told me..."

"Yes," Mother interrupted. "But I was pregnant with Randy and it would have been a scandal, so we got married secretly and no one knew until after I had him."

"Father was arranged to marry someone else?"

"Yes, someone he did not like. We had been seeing each other before his parents informed him of the arrangement."

"Oh wow." I was speechless. The secrets in this family just keep unraveling more and more. I was curious to find out what else is going on.

"Therefore, I was thrust into this world quickly. When we were finally introduced into Society, the family had spun a story about your Father and I having a world wind romance that resulted in the birth of Randall Ivory Worthington."

"Do you know Jeffrey Abrams?" I asked.

"I do not know him personally. However, I've heard a few things about him." We decided to take a seat in the sitting area located in front of the kitchen island.

"What have you heard?"

"I heard that he was caught with one of the young valet guys in the coat room."

"How did you find out?"

"Randy told me. He told me the day he went to the country club. I never liked the Abram family. I never liked Father's best friend. I don't know why Father wants him as his best friend."

"Why do you say that? Why don't you like them?"

"Because, his friend tried to sleep with me. And to this day, he still tries and Father doesn't know."

"You haven't, right?" I asked

"No, I have not." She answered hesitantly.

"Why does it sound like there is so much more to that answer?"

"That story is for another time for us to discuss." She said leaving me hanging. I will put a pin in it for now.

"Fine. So quick question, if I get pregnant by someone other than Jeffrey, I don't have to marry him?"

"Is that something you really want to do?"

"No, but I'll do anything to not marry him."

"Do you have someone else you would like to marry?" She asked as if she was open to discuss it. But unfortunately, I have no one that I would like to marry. I hadn't dated anyone in quite sometime due to not wanting them to meet Father.

"No, I don't. I just don't want to marry Jeffrey. Besides, he's just like Father."

"What do you mean, he's just like Father?"

"He sleeps around Mother." She looked at me as if I slapped her in the face.

"I see," she said, crossing her legs. "Well then you would have to find someone else to satisfy your desires then and just go along with it. It will blow over."