Marriage Arrangement cover image

Marriage Arrangement

by Meyer Ricci for FDP Reads

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(Marriage Arrangement continued from image above)

The second date with Marshall began nice and quiet--soft words and telling looks--but ended with a startling announcement.

"Adele, I am very drawn to you," he said. "I'm drawn to you for some reason, not just because I find you to be everything I want a woman to be. There's some other reason also. That's why I came here against my better judgement."

Adele held back a smile at the beginning of the speech. She hadn't known what to expect but she'd anticipated something better than that disconcerting ending.

She took care in asking, "Against? Why was meeting me against your better judgement?"

Marshall sighed heavily. His eyebrows wrinkled. He licked his lips.

"I just don't want to be involved with a married woman and whatever is going on with you and your husband."

Adele took seconds to process this statement. Before she knew it, loud laughter erupted from her mouth. People at other tables were throwing dismissive glances.

Marshall seemed even more resigned.

"Marshall," she said. "I'm not married."

Marshall didn't budge. In fact, he refused to look at Adele.

"Who is that man that you introduced to me as your husband? And why did you say he is your husband?"

Adele's sense of humor hiccuped.

This isn't going to be easy, she thought.

"Okay, Marshall," she said. "I never actually introduced him as my husband. I introduced him as my partner."

"And the two of you were wearing matching rings."

Adele tilted her head in surprise. He noticed that?

"Yes, that is right that we wear matching rings."

"Okay, so let me see if I am understanding you. You two are business partners, not heart partners? The two of you wear matching rings to symbolize your business pact? This is a new level of business. I don't think I'm ready for it."

Adele took a deep breath.

"Marshall, I'm not excited to tell you that you have most of that right. Maybe you are giving us a little too much credit."

Adele paused. She wanted to take Marshall's hand, to reassure him, but she realized that was about to sound less than the woman he probably wanted a woman to be.

"Wilson and I are nothing more than business partners. Please just hear me out. This isn't going to sound great but I am telling you, confidentially, that we are not married. We never have been married. I've never dated him. I've never slept with him. This is entirely a business thing."

"That makes no sense," Marshall said, simmering.

"It does in a way. Listen, Wilson had an idea when we were just getting started. He said he'd noticed lots of husband-wife ventures that were doing very well. He thought that added to the appeal of the business somehow, kind of like the new mom-and-pop, homey, trustworthy, stable--"

Marshall's lips parted. "You're not serious."

Adele hung her head. It never sounded as bad as it did in that moment.

"I'm completely serious. We are careful to never actually state anything suggesting that we are married. We let the rings do that for us and the fact that we conduct almost all business functions together. I admit that I worried about it in the beginning, but after a few years of this, I rarely even remember. I don't want to mislead people. I never really considered the consequences until now."

"Right. Until a guy that is interested in you points out that you seem awfully married. Did the two of you ever think about what would happen when one of you met someone? Someone you might want to actually marry?"

"Marshall, you should know by now. I've been all about business for the last five years. I never expected to meet anyone ever. Wilson--Wilson is in his own category. He is more than happy to sleep with every woman he meets."

"Except you, right?"

Marshall's eyes and Adele's eyes locked for a long time.

"I'm all about business, Marshall."

"Then why are we here?"

Adele was all about business but that wasn't all she wanted in her life anymore. Surely, Marshall would not force her to choose between them.

"What do you want me to do?"

Marshall dropped cash on the table. He stood and looked toward the door.

"Adele, I really want you to do whatever you think is best for you."

Then Marshall walked out of the restaurant.

Wilson's office was pristine as always. He rarely did anything inside that room, so why shouldn't it be? Wilson spent his time in meetings, in lunches, on flights, and whatever else he could fit in his busy schedule. Adele was fortunate to catch him and to find him in a good mood.

"Adele, did you see those reports? I need numbers before I leave this afternoon."

That was an interesting response to the question, "How are you this morning." Adele held back a loud groan.

"Kim is working on it now. It will be ready before lunch. I need to discuss something with you."

"Go ahead. I've got a conference call in about twelve minutes."

Adele shut the door to the bright and neat office. Wilson glanced around nervously.

"What is that about? Why are you closing the door? We aren't going to consummate this thing now, are we? I told you I only have twelve minutes. But if that is good enough for you--"

"I'm glad you brought up consummation, Wilson. Thank you so much. I want to talk about our arrangement, but no, I do not want to talk about sex with you."

Wilson laughed. He looked positively jovial.

"This conversation is long overdue," he said.

Adele moved a chair to the side of Wilson's desk and sat down.

She whispered, "I think we need to dissolve this."

"Dissolve this? What? Our fake marriage? You're not wearing your ring."

"Listen, I met a guy, I really like him, I want to advance things with him--"

"I hoped that his day would never come, Adele. You are a work horse. What in the world do you think you are doing finding a guy?"

During a long and awkward pause, Adele tried to determine whether her business partner was serious or joking. Then Wilson grabbed her hand suddenly.

"We've built a terrific business and we are preparing to go to the next level. Do you think this is the right time for anything like that?"

Adele shook her hand free.

"Frankly, if our terrific business, which I have put my everything into for the past five years, is built entirely on the silly appearance of marriage, we really don't have much at all."

Wilson sighed loudly. "Granted."

"I'm afraid that we are really only being dishonest and misleading people and, worst of all, that it is totally unnecessary. Are we only fooling ourselves? Me and you?"

Wilson let his head fall back into his shoulders. He seemed to consider. When he lifted his head again, he looked calm and completely settled.

"I don't really have time for this conversation now. Conference call in a little bit. Why don't the three of us get together and go over this in more detail?"

More detail? Adele had the feeling that Wilson was determined to treat the matter like another business deal. What would Marshall think about meeting with her husband.

"I'm not sure he'll be interested in doing that," she said.

"Nothing beats no but a yes. Why don't you ask him? I'll have some time this weekend. We'll get together."

Adele stood. She didn't have much time either.

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(Continue reading)

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Pub: 04 Sep 2020 01:29 UTC
Views: 139