Debt Forgiveness
Dante
Dinner at my uncle’s is never a simple affair. Sara is dressed in the green dress Finn’s father gave her and I’m in a suit and tie. When I step out of the car, I offer Sara my hand. We haven’t really talked, with the exception of her telling me about her afternoon with Drew on the car ride here.
Nervous energy flows from Sara. I need to prepare myself for what we’re about to walk into. My uncle has never come out and said he has plans to marry me off, but the intentions are there. When the butler lets us in, my mother meets us in the foyer with her hands outstretched.
“Dante!” Her smile is proper and forced. She takes my hands and I lean in to kiss her cheeks.
“Mother.” I step back next to Sara. “You remember Sara Morris. Tom’s younger sister. Sara, my mother, Helen Stone.”
“Of course.” Mom’s smile is frozen in place as she flicks her gaze to mine. Her hand reaches up to toy with her necklace. “David let me know you intended to bring her with you.”
“It’s a pleasure to see you again, Ms. Stone.” Sara nods when my mother doesn’t reach out for her hand. It’s not a huge slight, but it’s a slight. I have vague memories of my mother before my father’s death. How warm and loving she was.
When we’re alone, occasionally I’ll see that woman in her, like a ghost of who she could have been, but somewhere she got lost in who she should be.
Mom smiles. “We should go into the living room. David is waiting for us.”
I rest my hand on the small of Sara’s back, drawing comfort from the familiarity of touching her. This is most definitely a setup, but my uncle allowed me to bring Sara. I’m not sure what his intentions are, but he likely wants to make it clear to Sara that I’m not available.
Last night she spent the night draped over me. I could spend the rest of my life with her in my arms, holding her soothes something wounded in me. That little boy who wasn’t good enough for his uncle. I always had to be smarter, more athletic, and politer than everyone else.
I gave him everything he wanted from me because he took me and my mother in when we had nowhere else to go. He still takes care of my mother and that’s his hold over me.
When we walk in, David stands at the bar pouring drinks.
“Come in. Sit. We have a few moments before the rest of the party arrives.” David doesn’t smile. This is usually when he lays down the law. When he tells me what the stakes are and why I need to be particularly kind to whoever’s daughter he’s about to force on me.
“Where’s Aunt Vi?” I ask, knowing perfectly well that she’s rarely in the same country as my uncle. That’s what he wants for me, a loveless marriage. A socially acceptable marriage that furthers the goals of his empire.
“Germany.” David doesn’t add anything more because she’s never his focus.
I lead Sara to the couch and sit next to her, keeping her hand in mine. My intentions are to make it clear to my uncle I’m not his puppet anymore. But to do that, I need my mom on my side for once.
Sara squeezes my hand as my mother sits across from us. She runs her fingers over her pearl necklace with a practiced smile.
“I’m surprised to see you…together.” Mom clears her throat. “Does Tom know about you two?”
She wants me to say we’re just friends. That it’s nothing serious. Anything to make tonight go easier.
“Tom knows. I’m very happy with Sara.”
Sara keeps her formal smile on, and when my uncle brings over drinks, she politely thanks him as she takes her wineglass.
“I hope you like red.” David hands me and my mother a glass before sitting with his own and taking a sip. “It’s a vintage I’ve been saving for a special occasion.”
Mom runs her finger along the rim but doesn’t take a drink. “Nancy seemed to have a lovely time at the fundraiser.”
I smile. “Nancy is a very sweet girl. Sheltered, but we had a good time getting to know each other.”
Sara doesn’t say anything.
Mom brightens and looks at Sara. “You were there with Drew Young, correct?”
“Yes, I was.” This is delicate.
While I’m all for coming out to our families with our relationship, I don’t know if my mother or uncle will consider it anything more than a passing fad if they know the truth.
Sara and I talked a little about whether to mention anything, but if it got brought up, we hadn’t decided whether to deny or just not confirm.
“I already had a date or I would have brought her.” I glance at my uncle, who watches us closely.
“I’m sure Sara understands how business works. You come from a well-off family.” David smiles and leans back like he’s comfortable. “Relationships for our class can be difficult to navigate. Take you two.”
I draw in a breath to control the rage bubbling up in me. Whatever he has to say won’t be good.
“You both come from good families, but on paper, do you make sense?” David takes a sip of his wine. “There comes a time when you have to do what’s best for your family. I’m sure you both understand.”
Sara’s lips tighten, but before she can say anything, we hear voices from the hallway followed by a middle-aged man and woman walking into the room with someone trailing after them.
“David!” The man has a booming voice to go with his pot belly. He throws his arms open. “I figured we’d have to tour the whole house before we found you.”
David rises out of his chair and strides forward to greet the man. “Howard, I’m so glad you and Agnes were able to make it. And this must be Juliette.”
I stand out of duty.
They part and a young woman about Sara’s age stands behind them. Her blond hair is in a bun. A simple dress falls on her slender body. Her brown eyes are huge as they take in the room. When David offers her his hand, she steps forward with a small smile and takes it.
“It’s a pleasure to finally meet you.” David holds her hand between his.
Agnes turns and signs to Juliette. Juliette nods and signs back to her mother.
“She’s happy to meet you.”
David leads them into the room and introduces them to my mother before turning to me and Sara. Sara stands beside me.
“Dante, this is Howard and Agnes Somerset. Howard and I do business together. This is their daughter, Juliette.” David offers her hand to me.
I take her hand and glance at David. Maybe this is another date thing and they just wanted me to meet her first.
I release her hand and talk while I sign, “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
Her smile brightens as she signs, “Same.”
She glances at Sara.
“Sara Morris, pleasure to meet you.”
I sign for Sara and Juliette nods as she shakes Sara’s hand.
“Let me pour you some wine.” David moves around the couch. “Dinner should be ready shortly, but we have some time to get to know each other better.”
Agnes and Howard sit near my mother, who turns to engage them in conversation. Juliette sits in the chair next to the couch.
I sign as I speak. “Sara doesn’t know ASL.”
“I’m surprised you do,” Juliette signs and I say it so Sara knows what’s going on.
“I needed a few credits in college and I found it fascinating,” I sign and say. “It comes in handy from time to time.”
She gives me a smile and glances at her parents. “This is weird, right? I’m pretty sure this is supposed to be some sort of setup.”
I don’t say that one out loud as my uncle hands out wineglasses and turns to talk with the others.
“My uncle.” I shrug.
She nods. “My parents are worried I’m not out meeting anyone. This might be their shove to find someone.” Her eyes go to Sara, sitting close to me, and they soften. “Looks like you already have someone.”
I nod.
Juliette seems relieved. “I was worried you were going to be a rule follower and propose on night one.”
I chuckle, drawing the attention of the others. Waiting until they turn back to their conversation, I sign, “What do you need out of this?”
She looks down at her hands. “Honestly, I think my parents just don’t want me to end up alone. I’m not that old, but somehow, they think I should already be in a relationship or well on my way to marriage.”
“I understand the pressure.” I glance at my uncle. “We should include Sara and I’ll talk out loud. Maybe they’ll think we’re hitting it off.”
“At least it will get them off my back for a while.” Juliette tilts her head. “It’s a shame you’re taken. You seem nice and I wouldn’t mind going to events with you for a while to make my parents think more is happening. Bonus, I don’t have to read your lips to understand you.”
“I’m afraid I’m spoken for.” I glance at Sara and she gives me a soft smile. She’s not concerned about what we might be talking about and she knows I’ll fill her in later. I’m hers.
“I guess we do the getting-to-know-you dance.” She lifts her eyebrows.
“Did you attend college?” I ask out loud and sign. Sara clues in that we’re going to talk now.
Juliette went to college for marketing. She just graduated last year. Sara talks about getting her master’s in accounting. For a while, I just act as interpreter for the two women. Sara might have added a new friend to her friend group because they seem to get along well.
At least Juliette is someone I could see being with if Sara didn’t exist. Earlier, it didn’t matter if the women were vapid and self-absorbed, my uncle just needed to make a deal and my participation was part of the bargain.
“It’s time for dinner.” David stands and offers his arm to my mother. They lead the way into the dining room.
I offer my arms to Sara and Juliette and lead them both in. I sit between them at the table and we continue the conversation. The other adults seem content to let us get to know each other. I make sure to ask questions.
It’s not hard. Of all the debutants my uncle has set me up with in the past, Juliette is the easiest for me to understand why we would suit each other. She’s easygoing and Sara immediately picks up on it.
The thing is, this is just the introduction to see if we’re compatible. If her parents and my uncle think we would make a good couple, over the next few months, we’ll be put into situations together to see if this could become something more.