Marriage Arrangement cover image

Marriage Arrangement

by Meyer Ricci for FDP Reads

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(Marriage Arrangement continued from previous page)

Adele invited Marshall to meet with Wilson. He refused. There was no need, he said. He was right. It was between Adele and Wilson. It was not his concern. That was why it was particularly troublesome when Wilson showed up, unannounced and uninvited, after Adele had to practically beg Marshall to meet again with her.

They'd been warming up to the conversation very nicely until Marshall looked above Adele's head where she was seated and stared.

"Adele," he said after she finished her sentence. "Your husband is here."

Adele did not comment or look around. She shut her eyes. She wanted to lay her head down on the table. Wilson selected a seat that positioned him next to the other two to form a nice triangle. He motioned to a waiter. Marshall never took his eyes off of the other man.

"Nice to see you both," Wilson said. "I see that neither of you have ordered yet. Adele, are you going to introduce me to your friend?"

Adele swallowed hard. "Marshall, you've met Wilson before. Wilson, this is Marshall."

"Marshall. That is a strong name. I like it. Yes, I remember our first meeting. Didn't think that would lead to this."

"Why would you come here?" Marshall asked.

He was calm, no sounds of malice, it was just a question. Marshall took a menu into his hands and thanked the waiter who brought it.

"You didn't seem interested in meeting with us. So, here I am. Don't blame Adele. She didn't tell me she planned to meet you here but I have access to her calendar. That's what partners do."

Adele laid sad eyes on the man she'd shared her life with for the past years. She didn't think she would be able to get out of that evening without making a choice, though she'd tried her hardest to avoid doing so.

"Maybe I should leave."

Wilson scoffed. "Marshall, we're just getting started. There's no need for any animosity here. We all want something. I'm sure we can work together to hash out an workable arrangement."

"Yeah, Wilson. Can I call you Wilson? You set up a nice arrangement to fake a marriage. Look how that turned out."

Adele thought she could feel more engaged if the two men had been fighting over her. They didn't seem to be doing that at all.

"It has been extraordinarily lucrative. I'm not sure Adele is aware of that. I doubt that I'm aware of the full extent of it. In business, we do what works, that's all. You operate your own business, I know that you understand that."

"No, thank you, I don't operate like that. Please do not assume that I take the low road just because you do. What you are talking about worked until it didn't. Now what? Are you going to sink your business out of respect for your co-founder's life? Are you going to hold her hostage so that you can go global? Seriously, I would like to know what you do when what works stops working."

Wilson smiled thoughtfully. A waiter returned soon after. Only Wilson ordered. During that time, Adele and Marshall watched and waited. Wilson showed no sense of urgency.

"When what works stops working ... it is time to reinvent."

Adele inhaled sharply. "Wilson, no. Don't--"

Wilson interrupted, "Maybe it is time for one of us to go."

Marshall shook his head. "You are joking, right? Tell me that you are joking. This woman has a life. She did not sell herself as a slave to you and your business, did she? You are threatening to can her because she has an interest outside of your company."

"Pardon me," Wilson said, and he leaned toward Adele. "Do you hear him? Pardon me, Marshall. This is our business. Equal partners. I am suggesting that perhaps one of us should leave."

Marshall pushed his chair back from the table in frustration. "And which one do you mean?"

Wilson looked into Adele's eyes, which were sadder even than before. "Which one of us, Adele? Should it be me?"

Adele paused for minutes. Finally, she whispered.

"This company cannot survive without you."

"What makes you say that? You've been with me every step of the way. What is it that I do that you can't do?"

Adele stuttered. Marshall spoke up.

"Okay, maybe one or both of you understand now why I did not want to meet with the two of you. Adele, maybe you understand now why I said that I didn't want to have anything to do with a married woman. Because maybe you are not really married, not legally married. But you two are definitely married. This is nothing for me to figure out."

Marshall shook his head.

"Adele, did you know that he had you caught in a catch-22? If you did, have you been okay with that all this time?"

Adele was still reeling. She reached for her glass of water. She acted as if the two men were gone and she was there alone.

"Uh, Marshall, Adele is overwhelmed right now. We've discussed some heavy things. Perhaps after dinner we might--"

"Adele," Marshall reached across the table toward her but his open palm laid empty there. "I told you before that you are ... you are everything I want in another person. I don't want any part of this but something always brings me back. The thing is that I don't want to put you in this situation. You are free
to have the life that you want, not the one that I choose or that he chooses--unless that is what you want. So, I'm glad that I met you. I hope we meet again. Wilson, I'd had have wished for better circumstances."

Wilson showed no reaction. "Are you sure you won't stay? I'm paying."

Marshall left and Adele sipped her water.

"He's a nice guy, Adele. I'm impressed."

Adele placed her glass on the table. She stood.

"Wilson. I quit."

She gathered her purse and her phone while her unfazed partner watched.

"You don't mean that. I see where you are coming from. But you don't mean that. And I can't believe you are going to leave me here alone."

"You are perfectly happy being alone, Wilson. You always have been. Why did you want a partner anyway? But I am not happy with this situation anymore."

She turned to leave.

"You know what I am only just now realizing, Adele?"

She faced him again.

"I thought you could run the company without me. Now I see that you are absolutely right that the company needs me. You don't even understand the art of the negotiation. Go ahead and quit. Laters."

Adele took a deep breath. Then she returned to the table.

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

"Adele, let's get married."

Adele held back a smile. "Are you asking or are you telling?"

"A sharp business woman like you? Oh, I am definitely asking."

With a glow, she said, "I don't see how I could say no. You helped me to become a better business-person and a better woman."

Marshall shrugged. He had a glow himself.

"I can't take all the credit. That rascal of a partner you have had something to do with it."

"You helped that to happen, too."

Adele and Marshall laughed and shared a kiss.

He asked, "Do you think that real married will be better than fake married?"

Adele grinned. "Let's find out."

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The End

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Pub: 04 Sep 2020 01:32 UTC
Views: 67