The Marradith Ryder Series, Part 53
Can I tell you that our three days alone went too fast?
When I finally got around to calling Mama, she was deadly calm. This could mean many things, but it was usually not an indication of happiness. I explained to her that I was sorry for eloping, but there was no way around it.
I tried to imagine her expression as we talked over the phone, chosing my words carefully.
“I understand,” she said softly. And then I heard a little sigh, which meant she was smiling. “One of these days, honey, you are going to realize you’re more like me than you think. I expect you’ll be completely horrified.”
And then she chuckled at her own joke.
“Just get home with your husband,” she continued, suddenly turning on her more formal tone. Teacher speak, I used to call it. The official sound of order giving. “Have him buy you a red dress.”
“Why?”
“Because I said so. I expect he‘ll wear a suit, and you’ll be wearing your dress when you get here.”
“I hope you haven’t gone out of your way to plan anything….”
“I didn’t get a chance to see you get married. The least you can let me do, my only daughter,” she snapped. “Is not complain about whatever I am planning to do in your honor. You need to appreciate your elders. Marradith, are you listening to me?”
“Yes ma’am.” I said. Justin was in the bathroom, but I knew he could probably still hear our conversation with his enhanced sense of hearing. I took a breath and lowered my voice before continuing. “Please, be nice to Justin. I heard Dad gave him a hard time.”
“Yes, well, that’s your Daddy. He’ll be fine, he’s got issues. He’ll get over it.”
“We can hope that he will.”
“Be here at seven, Marradith,” she said, and hung up.
*************************
I see why Nora told Marradith to wear red.
We went shopping and Marradith found a red satin, shoulder-less dress. When I saw her in it I told her that it was definitely the one. She smiled and agreed with me.
Back at the hotel we both changed . I saw her put on her heels with the dress and put her hair up. She was beautiful. What a difference from the girl with the messed up ponytail and the baseball bat I met all those months ago, I thought.
Soon enough, it was time for us to go.
I know Marradith was worried about how her Mother would take things.
I was worried about Paul.
***************
Coming up the drive to Ryder House, I could already see Japanese lanterns strung across the front. The house itself was lit up.
“Oh no,” Marradith groaned. “How many people did they invite? A few hundred?”
“In and out.” I said with a wink. “Nobody expects the new couple to stick around that long.”
I took her hand as we got out of the car.
There was Sojourner security all around, but no one bothered us, they knew who we were. Interesting as there seemed an army of young guards I’d never seen before.
And at the door, which was open, standing with his arms crossed, was Paul Ryder.
He looked like a sphinx from a Greek myth. You cannot cross here without the correct answer to my riddle. How go you there, and what gives you rights to this woman?
“Daddy,” Marradith said, and he hugged her. Paul was all smiles to his daughter but shot daggers with his eyes behind her back.
“Justin,” he said, extending a hand to me. “Welcome.”
I shook his hand. Marradith walked up ahead of me, besieged by Fiona and Nora and some other women I did not recognize.
“I want peace within my home,” Paul growled. “Since she is our common interest, I will tolerate you. Not like. Just tolerate. If she remains happy, we have no beef with each other. Understand?”
“I understand.”
“Make sure of it,” Paul snarled, his eyes lit with barely concealed anger. His eyes glowed yellow, long enough for me to see the implied threat. He blinked again, and his eyes were normal. The look on his face hadn’t changed.
As I walked away, Daria slid up beside me.
I almost didn’t recognize her, for two reasons: one, I had never seen Daria in a dress. And secondly, I’d never seen her without braids.
Her hair was straightened and pulled up into a mass of curls. Her black dress was backless and dipped dangerously low.
“I had your back in case Old Man Ryder got carried away,” she whispered . “Him and Nora have been fighting like crazy.”
As Nora’s personal guard, Daria would know.
“In that dress, you have my back? That looks like the whole thing would rip open if you tried to kick somebody. I mean, the part that’s not open already.”
“Yeah well, that big brother stuff is old now. How many years has it been since you gave me fight training?”
“Six. But why count? I need a drink,” I said. The place was so bright and loud I felt my head start to throb. Who were all these people, and where did they all come from? “Where’s my wife?”
“She got carried away in the mosh pit,” Daria said sarcastically. “She’ll resurface. Congratulations on the wedding, by the way.”
“Thanks, sweetie.”
Daria leaned forward, lowering her voice. “Rafael must have ordered every damn Sojourner to come here tonight. I have seen people tonight that I’ve only heard about. What’s up with that?”
“I’m not sure. When I find out, I won’t tell you.”
I was only half joking.
Rafael walked up to me just then. He patted me on the back and congratulated me loudly. And then he whispered, “Can I see you in my office?”
©2009 Lori Titus
Lori Titus is the Managing Editor for Flashes in the Dark, and Short Story Editor for Sonar4 Ezine. Her work has been included in three anthologies so far. Most recently her stories have appeared in Mausoleum Memoirs, and Toe Tags: 21 Spine-Tingling Stories by the Best New Authors in Horror. Her own anthology of short horror stories, Green Water Lullaby, is available for pre-order:
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June 16th, 2010 at 5:29 pm
Time to face the music all around. At least Paul is going to play nice as long as she is happy.