Chapter 3
Patience
The weekend flew past, and before I knew it, Monday had come in hot.
I had a late start at the sanctuary today, so that gave me time to run errands and mentally prepare for the week ahead.
What I didn’t expect was for my grandfather to be on my line, letting me know a car was outside my condo waiting for me.
That I didn’t expect at all, but I knew better than to ignore a summons from the old man.
On the ride out to his house, I made the executive decision to inform my job I was working from home today.
Not only was my grandfather long winded, but he was old and you never spent just fifteen minutes with him.
Somehow it turned into an entire day. He could get that every once in a while though because I didn’t spend much time with my family.
Ever since my mother died, I avoided being too close to them.
That didn’t include my sister, but definitely my brother, father, and grandfather.
When we pulled into the gates of the O’Leary estate, I didn’t know what to expect.
The main house belonged to my grandfather, then on the left side was my mother and father’s home, and on the right, my brother’s.
No homes were ever built for the women because it was expected that we’d be married off and live with our husbands.
Boy were they wrong, given my little sister lived in Boston with her fiancé.
Then there was me. I didn’t rely on my family to live, so not a soul had the power to marry me off.
The door for me to exit the car was open seconds later.
I turned my head to the side, glancing at my grandfather standing at the top of the stairs, his expression serious as he looked at my father who I hadn’t expected to see today.
It always amused me how my grandfather never looked a day over fifty when he was, in fact, seventy-two years old and climbing.
Shamus O’Leary was every bit of any Irishman you’d expect, except he didn’t sport the freckles or red hair.
He had a head full of grays, always styled to the side and back of his head, allowing only one bit to curl forward.
His skin was warm, a thick, lightly bronzed ivory, and he had the most beautiful eyes.
The only thing I had inherited from him.
While his eyes were a crystal ocean blue, mine had a different array of blues.
Then there was my father, a fair, almond skin tone with less of a slick back style to his hair, but instead, two-inch curls rising from his scalp and the same crystal blue eyes.
They looked alike, one just older and white while my father was Black and took more of my grandmother’s features.
“I don’t enjoy being summoned,” I said once I was out of the car and moving toward the stairs where they both stood awkwardly. While my father looked extremely uncomfortable, my grandfather wore his usual poker face.
Grandpa grinned. “Well, my dear, had you answered your phone, you wouldn’t have been summoned.”
“Is that so?” I reached the top of the stairs.
“Yes, I called you Friday and Saturday.” My father approached, pulling me into a hug before he kissed my forehead. “Too busy with those animals to return calls, baby girl.” He gave me a once over, that uncomfortableness still in his eyes.
Then it was my grandfather’s turn. He kissed my cheek before looking at me intently. “You cut your hair again,” he commented, those blue eyes tracing my face.
“Yes, last year. We talked about this already.” I laughed, knowing he hated when I cut my hair. Something about hair was a big deal to controlling men.
“I guess we did.” He looped his arm in mine as my father led the way into his home. Nothing had changed, everything frozen in time since my grandmother passed on. Quiet ivory luxury with gold accents.
I was led into the kitchen where a breakfast feast was prepared and that had me staring at them. It made me wonder what was wrong. I knew them too well and they were acting like someone had died.
“Do you remember when my cat Cheil died and you told me she ran away? I saw right through it, and Pop, do you remember when you taught me to play chess? You told me a man’s eyes were the window to his soul. With that being said, what are you guys not telling me?”
For a moment, neither of them spoke, both silently passing the imaginary hot potato. I guess my grandfather was stuck holding the potato at ten because he began to speak while my father went over and poured himself a drink. Whatever was to be told to me was wearing on him.
“Your grandmother and I were not fortunate enough to marry for love, but we were lucky enough to fall in love with one another. As you are aware, many people with our background don’t marry for anything less than status and power.
That is how it has always been and will always be.
My father brokered my marriage, as I brokered your father’s marriage, and your father brokered yours. ”
“Say what now?” I looked from Pop to my father who looked like he wanted to disappear at this very moment.
“Over the years you’ve been allowed to live life at your every whim and have remained whimsical with little to no input from us. Now it’s time you give back.”
I tilted my head to the side, mentally mulling over his words. “Give back?”
“Yes, give back.”
“By marrying a man I don’t even know?” I asked, tilting my head forward and to the side so I could hear this better.
My grandfather laughed. “You know him, sweetheart. You’ve known him your whole life. Don’t act clueless, Patience.”
“Excuse me?” I had always known how controlling my grandfather was, but I had never fully experienced it. Not until now.
There was a ring at the door, which had my grandfather excusing himself to see who it was. A brief silence filled the room before my father spoke again.
“I brokered your marriage with another family years ago, before I knew where we would stand as of this day.” My father looked at me like he was pleading.
“So what does that mean?”
“It was simply a failsafe. I had no intention of you ever having to marry him, but he requested and is not backing down, and with the state our family is in, it has to happen.”
“What do you mean the state of the family?” I asked, confusion filling my being. I wasn’t around much, so this was all news to me.
My father shook his head. “Nothing for you to worry about. Me brokering your marriage all those years ago will be what saves us. Aren’t you glad he requested you and not your sister? That would be a nightmare.” He shook his head like this was sweat off his back.
“Who requested? I cannot believe this… and you.” My throat was dry and my head felt like it was spinning.
“Because I needed to ensure our family didn’t decline. Aligning our family with a family of equal or more power would keep us afloat. All of these decisions and thoughts were happening years ago, so I did what I believed was needed. You should be glad that you’re able to save this family.”
“Oh god, I think I’m gonna be sick.” My dramatic ass hugged myself, walking back and forth with all types of thoughts running rampant in my mind.
“I know it’s a lot, but believe me, this is better than the sacrifices we’d have to make had I not.”
“And what does that mean? What sacrifices?” I looked at him for answers he obviously didn’t have, because he wasn’t making the decisions.
He dragged his hands down his face, irritated. “Sacrifices we don’t have to talk about. He wants you and you’re going to marry him. Bottom line, Patience.” He raised his voice with that last statement.
I just stood there, bothered by the look in his eyes. He was acting like I was being so exhausting, when he had literally just thrown this marriage on me. This was why I didn’t come here, why I stayed away from them.
“Who the hell was this he?” Who had so much power that they could force the hand of Titus O’Leary?
My father looked up from the drink he’d just made, eyes locking on mine before he spoke.
“Hondo Carter.”
At that moment I wanted to pass the hell out because what the hell did he mean? Shit, I knew what this meant, but really? It meant that the man who had bullied his way into my day Friday had plans of doing more than kidnapping my day. He wanted my life.
“Well, son, you have impeccable time.” My grandfather led someone into the room and a part of me already knew who it was.
Why is he here?
I was literally screaming in my head when I locked eyes with none other than Hondo. The entire room shifted, and if I could teleport, I’d be anywhere but here.
I glared at him while amusement filled his features. He now knew that I knew and he was elated, I could tell that much. While I felt like a bag had been thrown over my head and the person holding it was tightening it around my neck, he looked to be in complete bliss.
I glanced from Hondo to my father whose expression heavily contrasted that of Hondo’s and my grandfather’s.
My father looked like he wanted to disappear, like the drink in his hand would be the first of many this morning.
He looked weak, like a kid who made a bet he lost without the necessary things to pay up… and oh had he lost… me.
A throat cleared and I looked in the direction of the door. Also standing in the doorway was Hondo’s father. I hadn’t seen him in ages, but I still recognized him. A tall, lanky, chocolate version of Hondo and his brother Otto.
Just as confident as I remember, Hondo walked over and shook my father’s hand as his father approached me. The apple didn’t fall too far from the tree.
“It’s nice to see you again, Patience.” He greeted me in a polite tone then I was pulled into his arms and he kissed my cheek.
I forced it, pushing myself to be polite, because it wasn’t like he was the one who’d promised me like a freaking library book to be loaned out.
“You as well, Mr. Carter,” I responded.
He laughed. “Formalities aren’t necessary, especially since we’re to be family soon.”