Curvy Girls Can't Date Bad Boys - Kelsie Stelting Page 0,47
Once Zara got old enough, we kept her on.”
“As a house manager,” I added, much to Dad’s frustration. We didn't expect her to plan our meals for us, and we certainly didn't expect her to remember our dinner orders down to the location of the salad dressing. Dad and I could get food for ourselves.
The maid came back in and meekly set the salad in front of Pam. She picked up her silverware and began cutting into the salad. “Let us know if she has any friends so we can replace these disappointments.”
My heart went out to the maid. I felt bad, thinking of her as that. She had a name. A life. A history. She couldn't have been more than a couple of years older than me, and yet she was taking a verbal beating with more grace than I ever could have hoped to muster.
As she walked back to the kitchen, I said, “Excuse me, what’s your name?”
She looked around, shocked that any of us had spoken to her outside of criticism. “Hannah,” she answered softly, like she wasn’t even sure if she was supposed to be speaking.
“Nice to meet you, Hannah. I’m Zara. And thank you for my salad. It looks amazing.”
Everyone around the table was staring at me as if in shock. Because common human decency was definitely lacking around here, and that judgment included my father. He stared across the table at me like he didn't recognize me at all. But I recognized him. I recognized him for who he truly was.
Pam was the first one to resume eating, continuing cutting through her salad like it was a steak. Mr. Alexander made some joke about hoping for real food. Merritt complained that she didn’t have enough dressing, which brought Hannah back for another round of requests. I was tired of this, and we hadn’t even made it through the first course.
I couldn’t wait to get out of here and confront my father. What would happen after, I had no idea. If he was so invested in my marriage as to pay an actual bribe that would satisfy the Alexanders, I didn't know what chance I had in talking him out of it. And apparently I had no chance in talking Ryde out of being with me.
Finally, we made it to the dessert course, which I couldn't even stomach. Apparently, Dad couldn't either, because he pushed his plate away from him and said, “I'd like to discuss the marriage of our children.”
Merritt’s face soured, but Pam and Mr. Alexander looked delighted. Ryde appeared determined, resolved. I never would have guessed that Merritt and I would be in the same boat, reacting the same way to something my father said, but here we were.
“Ryde has asked my permission to marry you, Zara, and I said yes. I propose that we set the wedding date,” Dad said.
My mouth fell open. He was lying, like he hadn’t paid them off, and if I hadn’t known, I never would have been able to tell. The thought made me even sicker than I already felt.
Pam clapped her hands together excitedly. “I think that's a fabulous idea!” She turned to me and Ryde. “When do you think? We can make it happen right after graduation. It might be a little tough to pull some of the details together, but I think we could make it happen.”
“The day after graduation sounds perfect to me,” my father said, all business. He smiled between Ryde and me. “These two will have plenty to learn about marriage, but I am sure they will figure it out. They have the rest of their lives to do it.”
Why did that sound like a prison sentence?
Pam grinned at her husband. “It's all practice, isn't it, honey?”
He winked at her across the table. “I’ve never minded practicing.”
Did he just make a sex joke in front of everyone? Dad laughed, but I just felt sick. The room was spinning, and I had to take a breath just to steady it.
“What do you think, Ryde, sweetie?” Pam asked.
At this point, I knew it was all a formality meant to keep me in the dark. But since Ryde blew the secret, I could tell he was acting as he answered, “I've never met anyone like Zara, and I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with her.”
Gag me with a dessert spoon.
“Then it's settled,” Dad said.
No one waited for my answer; no one wanted to hear what I had to say.