His face went through multiple emotions, shock, anger, then it returned to stone.
“You’re not considering my Truly, are you?” He asked carefully.
“I am.” I answered confidently.
“Now wait a minute, Bleu.” He took his time to walk around the counter.
He stopped a few feet away from me and talked very low.
“Truly been through enough, she’s a very hopeful girl. She doesn’t deserve to be married off to you just because your mother is forcing you to do so.” He spat out.
“And your oldest Calissi does?” I asked getting pissed off.
It wasn’t because of him offering Calissi hand in marriage. It was simply because Calissi was the oldest. I understood how it felt to have all responsibility placed on you just because you were the first born.
“No, I offered Calissi because she can get with your ass. All your bullshit, and womanizer ways, Calissi would humble you. Just how you’re in the marriage for the wrong reasons, Calissi would be too. For her, it would be about the money. She won’t wait up at night crying her eyes out behind whatever keeps you away. She’d be in bed with someone else or checking her bank accounts before going to sleep.” He spat.
“Oh, she’s a whatever you can do, I can do better type of woman.”
Those were the worse type. Women like Calissi didn’t view their bodies as a temple. They viewed it as a weapon.
“Truly is different.” He sighed and placed his eyes on Princess.
Princess dipped a full cookie into milk for seconds too long. I imagined the cookie to be soggy by the time she put it in hermouth. I returned my attention back to Mr. Jackson. His eyes were sharp; it reminded me to how serious he was whenever he entered a court room to defend my family’s name. His jaw clenched before he spoke.
“Truly has a heart that loves too easily, and it breaks just the same. She’s kind. She cares more about people than herself. She’s trusting, even when she shouldn’t be.”
I remained silent, as I listened to every word he said.
“She’s also lost sometimes.” He continued.
“She’s searching for something that won’t hurt her this time. And the last thing she need is some powerful man with money trying to control her life like it’s a puzzle he can solve.” His stare pinned me.
“What exactly do you think you can give her?” he asked.
I hated that the first word out of instinct that popped into my head was, control. I already knew I couldn’t control, Truly but I could make her surrender. Control and loyalty were something that was pressed and ironed into me since a kid. I could also give her security and purpose. Without saying that, I knew it was the wrong answer to his question. I was a truthful man; it wasn’t in my DNA to lie.
“A future, and friendship…I can give her a life she deserves, her and Princess.” I answered.
“Princess?” He asked confused.
“Doesn’t she look like a princess to you, Mr. Jackson?” I nudged my head in Princess direction.
“Oh, of course she does.” He smiled.
“Does Truly know?”
“She doesn’t, I don’t plan on telling her until I decide that marriage is something that I really want. I’ve already told my mother that it will come out of her pocket since it’s her forcing my hand as always. I don’t need my mother’s money, but I came up with something that could work in Truly’s favor. Help her with all of her many creative ideas, this could possibly help her find the right direction in life itself,” I smiled.
My smile wasn’t a cocky one, it was sincere. Truly was the type of person that didn’t want to do just one thing. Even if she found her passion, there would be other passions to follow. She needed something to call her own. My mother had lots of money that she would never use the type of money that would continue for generations to come.
My plan for Truly was probably over the top, I viewed it as an opportunity to shut down her naysayers.
“Wow, that’s impressive…She’s my middle child…the one I worry about the most. I try to give her whatever and support her as much as I can. I don’t think marriage is a fix for her or you.” He stated.
“Friendship first, of course, if she agrees to marriage then things will be made clear. Even my personal affairs,” I said.
Mr. Jackson remained silent. His silence was full of unspoken words and doubt that I could feel radiating off of him. That silence was occupied by the sound of Princess happily munching on her cookies. Next, I heard footsteps and arguing coming from the staircase.
