Roulette

Part IV: A Marriage To Remember

Our trip finally came to a close. Argent and I enjoyed our trip. As we headed back to the states I couldn't get it out of my head that Sylvester was gonna try and blackmail me, just so he could use me for political power. I mean, I never thought to be someone of importance, but I slipped up, and now jobs, images, and people's credibility are in jeopardy, and I don't see a way out of this. Our flight back to Georgia was swift, considering the fact we slept the entire way until the plane grounded itself. As we exited the terminal and waited to be picked up, my head was still swimming from the exhaustion of Sylvester's "proposal". I didn't even bother telling Argent about anything that happened after we left Barbados. I rode home in silence as Argent slept on the way to his apartment. We exchanged farewells once we arrived, and I headed home myself.

The next morning, I awoke very early. I didn't bother to look at my phone. As I was prepping for a day of relaxation, I knew I wasn't going to get it. I began to prepare breakfast until there was a knock on my door. I called out, "Hello"? No answer. I started to shrug it off, but my curiosity got the best of me. I called out again, and again, no answer. I gathered my courage and marched straight to the door. I looked out of the peephole, and saw no one. I unlocked my door and slowly began to open it. I peeked out and looked. Pulling the door all the way open the hall was empty. I began to listen carefully. Nothing. As I was about to close the door, one of my neighbors' kids jumped from around a wall frame to try and scare me. I tensed up ready to swing on this poor child. I squatted down to his level and said, "You can't just knock on people's doors like that ok?" He shook his head in response. Before he left, he went back around the wall frame, only this time with a vase full of pink and white carnations. They were beautiful, soft, and full of such radiance. The boy then returned to the frame and came back with another vase, this one, full of lily's. Gorgeous soon to open lily's. On his final return, the boy handed me a card, bowed to me (with such historia as I tried not to laugh) and fluttered off back to his own home.

With haste I gently lowered the gifts onto a nearby table, I then returned to shut my front door. I scanned the flowers and found the mini cards. I opened the big card first. As I removed it from its envelope the card was quite beautiful. It was a bright auburn with a maroon glitter accent, on the front it had "Will Love Always' ' in the most etiquette cursive. I opened the card and a ring fell out. I picked it up and looked at it and thought "Sylvester," I began to read the card, and as I was reading more of it, it didn't sound like a forced proposal... What I'm reading is an apologetic proposal("We've been friends for years, lovers for months, and were promised sweethearts. But I want us to be more, more than just heaven and earth, more than just the yin and the yang. Please forgive me, what I did was stupid, I know that my faults is what drove us apart, but I want us to work like it has for years. Please Please Please be mine, for ever"). Oh no. It wasn't a ring from Sylvester... It's a ring from my ex Avery. I don't know what to think now, but I gotta figure something out. I put the ring on top of the card that it came out of and slid it to the other side of the table. I then looked at the mini cards that came with the flowers, "Were these both from Avery '' I thought. Reading the card that came with the carnations said, "A little birdie told me that these are your favorite flowers. Call me😘. I flipped the card over to see who it was from... of course "Señor Casco '' himself. That's somewhat of a relief. The Lilies were a different story however. I picked up the card and read it, "Join me at the Blue Moon Hall, and we'll make music together". -Signed C.D
...C.D?

It was all so very strange to me. To think that my life was flipped and twisted into one of those jank pretzels you get at a fair. What to do what to say... and if only I knew. I left my apartment with the lily's in arm. The Blue Moon was a few miles away, "no time to waste with secret admirers", I said out loud to myself, as I hurried into my car. While driving I kept trying to figure out who "C.D" was, but nothing was clicking. I pulled into the parking lot and paused for a minute, still trying to wrap my head around who it could possibly be. I pulled up to the hall, and parked in the rear. As I parked, I saw a beautiful black Bentley by the rear door of the hall. I crossed the parking lot to get to the hall. I went around to the front and pushed open the glass doors. I walked through and entered the main lounge. As I scanned the area for any sign of life I began to hear footsteps approaching from a hall on the right side of the lounge. There she was... Cordelia Dubois. Cordelia looked exquisite, stunting a white form fitting cocktail dress with diamond studded belt and brooch, along with teardrop earrings to match, and diamond engagement ring, and white platforms that completed her ensemble. Her skin was radiant. It almost felt like I was dining with a queen.

Cordelia motioned me towards a table with the wave of her finger. I walked over and pulled out her chair. She then approached me. Even as she walked towards the table, her sashay was graceful and elegant. Cordelia got to the table and sat down, I pushed her into the table slowly and carefully. I sat down by myself. Cordelia then thanked me. I nodded. I then gazed at the spread that was on the table. Food, papers and drinks clustered on the square table top. As Cordelia was writing something down I observed the lounge, but not for long as the silence was broken by Cordelia clearing her throat. "Addison", she began, ''I'm very pleased that you decided to join me for this little... business venture", she said, "So before I go on please help yourself, these are a few new menu items that my chefs prepared, and I want an outsiders opinion". I looked down at the labeled food and drinks and began to sample them. Cordelia spoke again, and this time, this was personal business. "Addison, I want to make you my personal assistant. Yes. My very own assistant. You'll be able to travel the world with me and see new places, experience new cultures, and the only thing you have to do is help me expose my husband's nephew". In shock I lowered my fork and peered into her stern eyes. She wasn't joking. I finally opened my mouth,

"Mrs. Dubois I-"

"Please" she interrupted, "Lia"

I began again, "uhhh, Lia, I'm quite flattered by your offer but, exposing Sylvester? Expose him for what exactly"?

She answered, "Blackmail, perjury, arson, illegal gambling, just to name a few. Look, I know he's planning to marry you, you're a very special gem and people like Sylvester want you as a political figurehead and I as a business woman cannot allow someone so unstable to be put in the position of power. Neither can my husband or you".

I was shocked, but what choice did I have? Either way, I was kinda screwed. Lia then stood up. And held out her hand. "Come" she said, "Let's make music together". I looked up at her hand, and then wiped my face with a napkin. I grabbed her hand and we didn't walk to the dancefloor, no, we ended up walking to what looked like a dance studio in the back of the Blue Moon. She opened the door and to my shock, Sylvester was standing there in athletic attire. "Welcome Addison, my aunt has agreed to teach us how to ballroom dance for our upcoming nuptials", Sylvester said with a dark smile. I began to peer into my future come election year. Let's just pray this asshole loses. For my sake at least.