6 Chapter Six

CHAPTER 6

"But why does he suddenly want me to join you guys for dinner?"

Abigail shrugged."I don't know."

"Don't you find it weird?" I pressed.

"I do, I mean, this is a first."

We were standing in the front yard of her house. I had spent the whole ride inquiring why Richard would want me to join them for dinner.

Abigail wrinkled her nose in irritation as she saw that I wouldn't stop asking questions about her father's sudden change of behavior. I decided to drop it.

"Look, it's just dinner. It's not like it's an interview or something." She said as she opened the door to her house hastily.

"Welcome home madam," Spencer, the butler, directed to Abigail. He was wearing a typical black suit that consisted of a jacket and tie. The first time I saw him, he reminded me of Geoffrey Butler in The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air.

"Thank you, Spencer."

He turned to me. "You are welcome, madam." His British accent made every word he uttered seem charged with import and authority.

"Thank you," I replied.

"May I?" He asked as he gestured at the shopping bags Abigail was holding.

"Yes please." She replied, lifting the shipping bags upwards. "I'll be upstairs, I need to freshen up," she said to me. "Wait for me in the living room."

"Okay." I stood there awkwardly, shifting my weight from one foot to another as I watched her go up the stairs to her room.

Spencer cleared his throat, and I leveled my gaze towards him."This way, Madam." He motioned for me to follow him.

I trailed closely behind him like a child following her mother, not wanting to miss my way.

He led me across the hallway into a magnificent living room.

He pointed at an empty sofa. " You may have a seat, Madam."

"Thank you." I blurted, as I marched to where the sofa was situated and sat entrenched in it. My eyes swept over, taking in my surroundings.

The color black and neutral tones dominated the walls and surface. Aside from the beige lightweight curtains that covered the full length of the window, from ceiling to floor, and a striking feature wall. Contrasting side mirrors arranged in an abstract created a vintage and classy vibe highlighting just how much character the design possessed. The brown sofa gave off an exquisite taste and felt like I was sitting in clouds.

Wow! This is the first time I've been here.

I found it weird considering the fact it wasn't the first time I'd been in Abigail's house but I had never stepped foot in the living room or any other room apart from her room. I had only genuinely seen and registered the four corners of her room. The thought of it didn't bother me as much as it did now. I had no reason to then.

"Would you like anything, madam?" the question cut through my thoughts.

"No, Thank you."

With the shopping bag still in his hands, he found his way to the stairs, leaving me in the company of the well-decorated yet empty room.

I sat, waiting in the living room for what seemed like an eternity. My eyelids began to feel heavy and dropped at every moment. I covered my mouth with my palm and let out a wide yawn.

I heard faint footsteps and distant laughter that seemed to belong to Abigail.

Oh God! Richard.

The thought of having dinner with Richard made my insides churn.

"Marah!" I spun around to where the sound of my name came from. "Come on, it's time for dinner," Abigail said.

She led me to a spacious dining room. Richard was already seated, his nose was buried deep in some documents that were work-related.

My brows creased in confusion. Who brings files to dinner?

I locked eyes with Richard's dark brown eyes. "Marah, I'm happy to have you join us for dinner."

I rubbed my sweaty palms on my cargo skirt. "Thank you, Mr Berlette for inviting me over for dinner."

"Richard. Call me Richard."

I drew out a chair for me and guided me to sit.

I played with the napkin as I waited for whoever was bringing the food to do so.

"Dad, you promised to stop bringing your work files to the dining table. This is the only time in a day we get to eat together as a family. Do you always have to let me compete for your attention at the dinner table?

"I'm sorry. There." He muttered, as he stashed the files together and placed them on the coffee table beside him.

The cook and Spencer came in carrying the dishes. They placed it gently on the table directly in front of each of us. My gaze fell onto my plate. I saw what looked like a blend of grilled vegetables and steak.

The moment that left we were plunged into silence, the only sound that filled the air was the clanging of the cutleries on the ceramic plates.

Should I say something?

No, why should I?

Desert was even quieter, I anxiously glanced at the wall clock, hoping that the dinner would be over soon.

I poked around the chocolate cake on my plate, not having much of an appetite. My eyes darted to Abigail, she was eating away her vanilla cake with no care for the state of her surroundings.

I took a careful glance at Richard, his eyes locked into mine as if he could sense my growing anxiety. I quickly returned my gaze to my plate. My cheek reddened with embarrassment.

The tension in the dining room was too overwhelming for me. It poured into the air, crackling with strain and nerves. The ability to breathe became progressively more difficult with each second that passed.

"Are you okay?" Richard's voice cut through the air like a sharpened blade.

I arched my neck to look at him properly, his eyes were already on me showing a hint of concern. "Me? I gave him a pointed look. "I am," I answered quickly, stoking the back of my neck.

How did shopping go?"

"It didn't go according to plan." Abigail chirped.

"I know that phrase all too well," He fixed an accusing glare on her. "What did you do?"

"What do you mean?" She whined, her voice pinched.

Richard kept his gaze on her. She let out a deep breath. "I basically tricked her to go shopping with me today, she figured it out and wouldn't let me get a damn outfit for her. There! I said it. Castigate me all you want." She said jokingly.

He returned his gaze to me. "I apologize for whatever she did."

"Oh my God! Dad, you are so annoying. I already apologized."

"It's fine, I'm over it. I did enjoy the coffee session though." I said coolly.

"Of course you did. Abigail said as she flashed a teasing smile in my direction " The coffee session was really worthwhile. You wouldn't believe it, a guy walked up to Marah and told her she was beautiful."

Richard raised an eyebrow at me "Is that so?"

I lowered my gaze, avoiding eye contact "Yes"

"Dad, do you know Edward Brown?" Abigail asked between bites of her vanilla cake.

"Edward Brown. Yes, I do. Why?"

"Apparently, Edward Brown indirectly confessed to Marah that he likes her. Isn't that exciting?" She screeched.

Richard's jaw clenched "it is."

I scoffed, "It was a joke. She is just exaggerating."

We finished with dinner shortly after and Spencer had already cleared the table. Abigail left the dining room to go make a conference call in her room leaving only Richard and I.

I sat awkwardly with Richard for a while. I rubbed my hands together in anticipation of anything to distract me, from the nerves building up inside me.

"Do you want to see my study?"

"Hmm?" The question threw me off guard and left me speechless for a few good seconds.

He chuckled, "Well it would be weird for me as the host to leave you all on your own here while my daughter is practically immersed in work."

"Sure." I blurted out without a thought.

No no no, I didn't mean to say that.

"Shall we?" He said as he reached towards the files she stacked and grabbed them.

He led the way and I strolled beside him, my eyes scanning the environment and admiring the beautiful interior decor that I'd never seen before.

He stopped in front of a double-panel door and opened it. He ushered me in and followed closely behind. I heard the door click behind me signaling that he closed it.

The first thing I noticed as I walked in was the many piles of paper stacked together at the rear of the office. It had a similar antique and vintage look to that of the living room. The huge mahogany table complemented the chair. There was also an award cabinet filled with numerous plaques and trophies.

"Sorry, it's a bit clustered. Make yourself comfortable."

He gestured towards the armchair situated beside the sofa.

"I'm good, thanks." I paced around the office for a while, my thoughts clouded the inquiries.

I watched Richard position himself in his work chair, his arms folded across the table.

"I don't just get it, why does it have to be me?"

He leaned back into the chair, his forehead wrinkled. "You want to talk about this now?"

"Isn't that the real reason you invited me over?"

"Fair enough. In all honesty, it doesn't have to be you but it is you I want."

"But why? It doesn't make any sense. Are you worried about Abigail?"

"Abigail isn't a child. She would understand. And this isn't about her, it's about you. I do not want the factor of you being my daughter's friend influencing your decision."

Richard must be so nonchalant about how Abigail would react to not knowing that his daughter being my best friend is all the factor that would impede me from accepting his proposal.

"Why should I help you?"

"I told you the reason already. I'm sick and tired of being the oldest bachelor on that ridiculous list."

"That can't be the real reason."

He exhaled loudly in frustration "It isn't. Look Marah, the first thing I want you to know is that it's purely business. The reason is also business related."

I nodded my head slowly, prepping my mind to grasp what he was about to say.

"I've been trying to enter a new market and expand my business, but my prospective business partners don't trust me enough to want to do business with me."

"Why is that?"

"Because I've never been married."

I blinked "That's absurd."

He shrugged "It is and what I can do to change that is find myself a wife. Getting married is really on the top of my list right now." He chucked. "Funny."

Maybe the universe decided to stir my emotions into having some sympathy towards him or I was just a naive fool that could be taken advantage of by some pitiful story. I had no answer to that but I did have an answer for Richard.

It can't be that bad.

It's just for a while.

It will also be beneficial for you Marah, you'll be able to open your mind to the prospect of getting married later in the future. The little voice in my head spoke.

"I will help you."

His eyes widened."What?"

"I will get married to you."