Different Forms of Happiness

Part 2

Chapter 1 - Graham

Graham looked down at the paper. As soon as the headline clicked in his mind, he let out a deep, amused laugh. It bold letters on the cover page were the words, 'Billionaire Seeking Wife.' Scott was going to have a lot on his plate. His hand froze. Not Scott, Scott wasn't going to have a lot on his plate, Graham was.

"Dammit!" he shouted, listening to the sound echo through his house.

He heard the small squeak before she burst into the kitchen with a glare. "Graham, what did I tell you about that foul language?"

"It is inappropriate for a man such as myself," he answered with a smile as the woman he considered a second mother darted around the kitchen to begin his meal. He made a move as if he was going to rise. "I'll do that. You sit down and enjoy the paper."

Her sharp eyes cut to him with a disbelieving look. "You would not move from that chair if it were on fire. You can fool your mother, but I've lived with you for too long to believe in your façade. Plus, you pay me for a reason."

"That is true," he said with a thoughtful nod before placing his coffee onto the table. "Make it to go. I have somewhere I'm supposed to be."

"Let me guess," she said in an exasperated tone, "you were meant to be there five minutes ago."

He shrugged. "It is a favor for Scott that can wait another ten seconds while you cook a bacon and egg sandwich."

He glanced back at the paper without another word, but when something smacked into his nose, he looked up. "What was that for?" he asked while rubbing the now red spot.

"Drink your juice," she snapped before turning back towards the stove.

He bent down and grabbed the juice box while rolling his eyes. "I'm twenty-five, Nan. I don't need a juice box."

"I can't wait until you find someone else to take care of you," the old woman mumbled. She turned towards him with a brown paper sack. Handing it to him, she motioned at it. "Your breakfast is in there, plus some money for lunch."

Opening his mouth, he was ready to tell her that he had more money than she could think of on him. There was no reason to put it in the bag, but he snapped his mouth closed. There would be something to happen and he would need what little money was placed in that bag. Sneaking a peak in the bag; he made a mental note of how much money to add to her next check.

"Bye, Nan!" he said while throwing the juice into the bag.

"Bring home a nice young lady!" she yelled as he darted out of his house.

A small smile tugged at his lips as he walked down the sidewalk. The air may have been a little muggy, but he loved it. He was a man who couldn't imagine living the quiet life, a life without all the chatter of nearby people. As he turned the corner, the smile on his face dropped. The meeting spot his friend had decided on was a library? Scott wanted him to scout out potential new wives in the library? What did the man think? Just because a woman could read, she had to be ugly?

A loud sigh escaped his lips as he looked at the line, which had already formed outside of the place. He did have to wonder how many of these women had to plug the library's name into their GPS. Not many people knew this library existed, and he had to admit that he had never been to it himself. Walking down the line of woman, he looked at their faces as he passed. "Go home," he said pointing at one woman. Did she honestly think glasses would disguise the beauty on the woman's face?

"But-" she started.

He waved her off. "You're gorgeous; get lost."

A large smile spread across her face as he said the first statement, but his smile and his last words must have startled her because she stood there as he walked down the line, still pointing at women. The poor women he pointed at had a hopeful expression on their faces, but as he finally reached the base of the line, he turned towards them all. "If I pointed to you, go home. Sorry, but you're not what we're looking for."

Mumbles of disappointment echoed through the air, but they left. He smiled before walking into the library. If he was right, Scott would already be sitting inside, table in front of him for a small amount of protection from the crazed women outside.

Just as he thought, Scott was hunkered down in his seat, his eyes darting in each direction. The image caused Graham to chuckle. "Little too much to handle?"

Relief entered Scott's eyes. "You could not even imagine the horror I went through to get here. Did you know that women will actually throw themselves in front of your vehicle to get attention?"

"Really?" Graham asked skeptically. He had seen his friend drive before; the poor woman was most likely just trying to cross the street.

Scott shuddered. "It's horrible. I'm backing out."

"No!" Graham shouted, surprising them both with the demand. "I really cannot handle another one of your mother's parties. If that means I have to sit here all day long and go through a long list of women, I will. You're not allowed to back out. Do you understand?"

Scott nodded slowly while taking a deep breath. Just as he did, a woman walked by. She halted for a moment next to Scott, but Graham knew the woman did not want his friend's attention. If anything, it looked like she was wondering what the man was doing in the middle of the library.

Scott glanced up for only a second before letting out a loud moan of relief. "Thank you," he mumbled while grabbing the coffee out of the woman's hand. Graham wanted to laugh at the shock he saw flash in the woman's eyes.

Instead of snapping at him, as he knew another would, she shrugged. "You're welcome. Now, would you mind pointing me in the direction of the encyclopedias?"

"What?" Scott asked in a confused voice before sitting up straight in his chair. "You don't think I work here?"

The eyes behind her large glasses narrowed as she pushed the glasses further up her nose. "You mean to tell me that a man sitting at a large table with pamphlets and what looks like a list of book titles, who also is in the library, doesn't work here?"

"Well," Scott answered, seeming to mull over her words. "No."

"So," the woman drawled, "what was it that made you believe that since I stopped at your table, that coffee belonged to you?"

A flush spread across Scott's face as he jumped to his feet. "I am so sorry. I just assumed."

"Ass out of you and me," the woman interrupted, while waving her hand dismissively. "Forget about it, but next time remember that looks do not determine a situation."

Scott made a move to give her the coffee back, but a large smile spread across her face, making Graham's breath catch in his throat. The smile was so caring that he had to wonder if the woman actually knew Scott from somewhere. Were they past friends, and Scott didn't recognize her? "I have more coffee, and you look like you need it."

She began walking off without further words. Scott watched as she began walking away before calling out, "Wait, where are you going?"

"To the encyclopedias," she threw over her shoulder in amusement. "I happen to work here."

The mysterious woman turned a corner, disappearing from sight. Scott plopped down in his chair with a sigh. "It's a sign," his friend mumbled.

"What is?"

"That woman," Scott answered impatiently. "Did you hear what she said? She said I shouldn't judge people by the way they look. It's a sign that I'm doing the right thing."

"Isn't that what you're doing though?" Graham asked in amusement. "Aren't you judging these women on the fact that they aren't beautiful?"

Scott's eyes narrowed on him. "Do you want to go to my mom's party?"

"No," Graham answered hastily.

"Good," Scott said, his eyes crinkling at the corners, letting Graham know that his friend found something about the situation funny. "Let them in," he said while motioning towards the doors.

Graham stepped towards the entrance, ready to let the women in the door, but it didn't keep him from noticing the thoughtful expression his friend gave the coffee.