Chapter Eight
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Axel sat in his office, staring at nothing. At first, he’d been angry to discover Lucy’s true heritage. Why hadn’t Lucy told him she was a wealthy, Designer-class Duvall sister? He tried to remember if he’d made any disparaging remarks about rich people when he’d been with Lucy, but only remembered her smile, her sweet attitude and all their shared kisses.
She had never expressly said she was not a Duvall. He had just assumed she wasn’t one of the airship’s wealthy passengers because of the way she was dressed. And everyone knew a person should never assume. He also remembered something his aunt Dixie used to say, “You can get glad in the same drawers you got mad in.” So, Axel dropped the mad attitude and he got glad.
He pondered his own dismal situation. He might be in an arranged marriage. Well, him or one of the brothers was. It was possible it was him. He never really cared to know before. Lots of folks thought Diesel was supposed to get the arranged marriage since he was the oldest brother. Diesel said different, though. And it was too late. Diesel had a wife.
Axel wished his parents were home so he could ask them about it. They would have to sit down for a long talk the moment his mom and dad got back.
As if the heavens above heard his plea, Nova knocked on his door as she opened it to burst into his office. “Hey, guess what? Your parents just pulled into the truck stop in their RV.”
Axel frowned. “You’re kidding.”
“Why would I come all the way in here to kid you?” Nova shrugged.
“Because I just now wished they would come home? I didn’t think anyone was listening.”
She grinned. “Well, now you know somebody is. I’d be careful what you wish for next.” Nova left without saying anything else, as if his prophetic request had no bearing on her life. Perhaps it didn’t or she didn’t believe him. Either way, having his parents show up early was a boon.
Axel left his office and climbed the stairs to the Big Bang Truck Stop convenience store on the ground level. He looked out the front window to see that his parents were indeed home early.
He went out to greet them as the door on the side of the RV popped open. His father exited the RV down the wobbly little steps attached to the side of the vehicle, followed by his mother.
“Mom. Dad. Did you get tired of traveling around?”
His parents both did a double take, then stared at each other as if in telepathic communication, which he knew they couldn’t do.
“What’s wrong? Why are you staring at each other like that?” And then it hit him. “Wait. You’re back early because of the arranged marriage thing, aren’t you?”
Both his mom and dad dropped their mouths open. They said in unison, “How did you know that?”
“Because I just found somebody I want to marry. And my understanding is that one of us boys has to marry a stranger from Alpha-Prime because of an arranged marriage. But I’m hoping that the girl you selected for me to marry has the last name of Duvall and her first name is Lucy.”
His parents smiled when he said Duvall, but Lucy’s name turned their smiles to frowns. Oh no. Now what?
“I’m sorry, Son,” his father said. “But I believe the name of the Duvall girl you’re to marry is Francine. Francine Duvall.”
Oops. Wrong sister.
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Lucy took every minute of her hour before dinner to dress up into someone she wasn’t used to being. A study in the mirror made her shake her head. She didn’t recognize herself. That should throw everyone off-balance right at the start of the pre-dinner social hour.
She entered the private dining area five minutes before the first call, attempting to further throw off her family. Her mother and father were already in attendance, as was Ardelia. All had drinks in hand.
Ardelia gave Lucy an odd look, as if she didn’t recognize her, but soon the bored, aloof expression she’d perfected took over her beautiful features and she turned away as if disinterested in discovering why Lucy had dressed up.
Ardelia was the quintessential perfect child, although she’d had several months of teen attitude years ago. She was adored by their parents for the supposedly good example she set for her younger sisters. Ardelia acted like royalty, as though everyone and everything was beneath her notice or regard. Meanwhile, her hair, clothes and makeup were always impeccable. In fact, everything she said, did or wore was absolutely, infuriatingly perfect.
Lucy ignored her parents’ puzzled looks and Ardelia’s indifference to walk straight to her assigned dinner chair.
She put her hands on the back of it and waited, staring straight ahead with a peaceful look carved into her features. She didn’t dare look at her parents or Ardelia because she might laugh out loud. This traditional formal dinner was ridiculous, with too much food, too many courses and too much pomp, circumstance and formality for any meal, in her opinion. Why did they have to dress to the nines just to eat? Why did there have to be so much falderal for every meal?
Luckily, before she exploded in laughter at the foolishness of it all, the door to the room opened again and her other three sisters trailed in one by one by one. Francine came to stand next to her, followed by Prudence, who stood by the chair next to Ardelia. Last but not least, Drucilla entered the room as if everyone inside it were her loyal subjects. She and Ardelia had quite a bit in common. They both exuded the snobby don’t-bother-me-I’m-too-rich-to-talk-to-anyone-lesser attitude to perfection.
Harris Duvall, the patriarch of their mostly feminine household, stood at the head of the table, their mother to his right. At his nod, all seven took their seats in unison. Whatever.
Lucy sat up straight, staring across the table at her sister Drucilla doing the exact same thing. Out of the corner of her eye, a second nod was rendered from their father and they were allowed to move and prepare for their formal dinner to commence. Whatever.
Someday when she was in charge of the meal she would just put the food on the table and tell everyone to start eating as soon as they sat down. She would not do this rigorously formal routine every single night. Nope. She was going to be very different.
“Lucinda,” her father said in a not amused tone, “I understand from your mother that you had some excitement today.”
Lucy turned her head slowly toward her parents. “What excitement is that, Father?”
Her father’s brows folded inward. He squinted at her mother. Adeline rolled her eyes. “Let’s begin dinner, shall we?” her mother said.
Lucy kept her comportment serene, as if she had no idea what they were talking about. She hadn’t had any excitement.
Well, she had met the perfect man. A guy she wanted to marry and live the rest of her life with on Earth if need be. Except that he, Axel Grey, was promised to Francine. What made that really cruel and unusual was that Francine was her very best friend of all her sisters.
She didn’t expect her father to comment further about her day. Likely he’d make an inane comment about one of her other sisters.
“My understanding is that you left the basement facility, Lucinda, which was exciting at best and dangerous at the very least.” Nope. Her father wasn’t going to let her get away with this. Fine.
Lucy could play this game, too. “Yes. That is true. I met someone, a man.” Every single pair of eyes at the table turned to her. Lucy wasn’t used to having the attention on her. But this time she had something to say and she would speak her mind. “In fact, I met the perfect man today. Would you like me to tell everyone about him?”
Her mother sat up so straight she almost stood up. “That won’t be necessary, Lucinda.” Her mother gave her the look. Her mother had a very stern look. Francine cast widened eyes in Lucy’s direction with an implied question of what in the space potato farm was going on. Lucy mouthed the word “later” to her sister. Francine nodded and looked back at her plate.
Before anybody else could speak or ask any questions, or take Lucy up on her offer to tell all she knew about the man she’d met today, her mother whispered something to her father and stood up.
And then her father stood up as well. “Your mother and I have some important news to impart tonight.” All five of them stared at their parents. “We had planned to wait until Drucilla turned twenty in order to tell you all about the arranged marriages we’ve established for the five of you. However, because of recent events we feel it would be best if we shared a portion of the information tonight.”
“What?” her sisters said at the same time.
Lucy didn’t have to ask, since she knew exactly what was going on. Her parents were about to ruin her life by telling everyone that the man she wanted was promised to Francine. Poor Francine. She wouldn’t want him the minute she found out Lucy did want him with all her heart. Lucy wasn’t sure what to do. She loved her sister. But she also loved Axel Grey. It was so easy to say those words in the privacy of her own mind.
“Typically, we would have started with Ardelia. However, due to circumstances beyond our control, we will be announcing Francine’s bridegroom first,” her father said, ignoring the outburst from the table.
Ardelia jerked upright in her chair. “Well, when will my bridegroom be announced?”
“In due time, dear.” Adeline Duvall was apparently not going to brook any argument from her oldest daughter. Ardelia would just have to wait.
“But I’m the eldest. I’m supposed to be first.” Ardelia’s tone was acrid and whiney at the same time, until their mother gave her the special look reserved for misbehaving children. That seemed to cow her for the moment.
Meanwhile, their father kept talking as they all listened to his every word. “In fact, the family we have chosen resides here on the planet Earth.”
Francine paled. Likely no one else noticed. Lucy reached out and stroked Francine’s upper arm from shoulder to elbow. Her sister gave her a wan smile.
“The grandfather of Francine’s future husband was adopted into a Technician family when he was very young,” their father continued. “Although he’s not a true Technician by blood, the family thought very highly of him. Therefore, we think very highly of his descendants. And that is why—for the best possible luck for our family and theirs—our second-born daughter will be married to their second-born son. We’ve invited them to share dinner with us tonight.”
Lucy felt her stomach drop. She wondered why she hadn’t noticed the three extra place settings.
Francine stared at her plate as though it held all the meaning in the universe and she needed to memorize every detail. She looked up at their parents briefly, but didn’t say anything. Lucy wondered what she was thinking. She and Francine would have to talk later about tonight’s dinner. The hard part would be telling Francine she had feelings for the man set to be her future husband. What would her sister do? Lucy hoped she’d decide not to go through with the arranged marriage.
She realized the hardest part of the evening would be when Axel and his parents showed up. Lucy would not be able to keep her eyes off of him. She shot her mother a look of defiance. Her mother looked amused, as though Lucy’s anger were something to be laughed at.
Francine cleared her throat, put a smile on her face and said, “Well, I look forward to meeting my new bridegroom.” She sounded very sincere.
“I’m certain the two of you will suit,” said their mother.
Lucy hoped not. She was about to spend a lot of quality time figuring how to break her sister and Axel up so she could claim him for her own.
A knock at the door stopped her from jumping up and declaring her amorous feelings for Francine’s future husband. Everyone in the dining room stilled.
A servant near the double doors opened both of them wide.
“Ah, perfect. Here they are, right on time.”
Lucy wondered if she’d be able to even hold food down as they announced to everyone that the man she’d spent an exciting day with was also the man about to be wed to her favorite sister.
“I’m sure all of you will extend them your best manners and courtesy,” her mother said, staring directly at Lucy.
“Mr. and Mrs. Zebulon Grey and Axel Grey,” the servant announced formally.
Lucy and her sisters stood up and gathered by the doors to greet their guests. Lucy waited slightly behind Francine as the Grey family entered the dining room.
An older gentleman who looked very much like Axel entered first. He wore a nice charcoal Earther suit with a white shirt and blue patterned tie. Following him was a very pretty older woman in a lovely long blue shimmery Earther dress. Her eyes looked like Axel’s. Finally, Axel entered, also wearing an Earther suit and tie. He looked uncomfortable and beautiful. Lucy stopped breathing and stared at him, her gaze riveted on his face, his eyes, him.
Axel glanced around, staring briefly at everyone else before finding her with his rather intense gaze. They stared at each other for a long moment, until her mother introduced all of them one by one.
Second to last was Francine. “And here is your intended, Francine. Next to her is our middle daughter, Lucinda. Welcome to our humble Royal Caldera Forte quarters. Thank you for joining us on such short notice.” Lucy was surprised her mother hadn’t said, “I know you’ve met Lucinda already, but too bad, you have to marry Francine because of birth order,” or something along those lines. But she didn’t and Lucy wondered if Axel understood why he was slated for her sister Francine. Had his parents explained the rationale of the supposed lucky second-born marriage legend?
Francine looked at Axel and smiled. She looked at Lucy and also smiled as if to say, isn’t he cute? Yes. He is. I’ve always thought so. I wish you didn’t think so.
The dinner seating was reordered so Axel sat directly across from Francine. Lucy was next to Francine and across from Drucilla. Ardelia was at the foot of the table next to Lucy on her left, probably steaming mad because she wasn’t getting married first. But she wouldn’t make a scene with guests present. Later, she’d whine, lament and complain loud enough to let everyone on the airship hear about her unhappiness at this new arrangement. Even so, hers was a distant second to Lucy’s misery about these coming nuptials.
The four parents gathered together at the head of the table, likely to discuss the rolling out of the arranged marriage paperwork and wedding ceremony details.
Lucy wondered if she could keep from being sick through the entire long meal. She didn’t want to have to excuse herself and miss anything.
Francine was quiet at first, looking her intended over shyly without comment, but soon enough she became quite chatty with Axel. Lucy tried not to be jealous. If her sister knew how she felt about Axel, she’d likely help with a plan for Axel and Lucy to be together. For now, she seemed happy about the arrangement. Lucy fought her baser feelings and swallowed a lot of angry words during the first course alone.
“When did you find out about our arranged marriage?” Francine asked Axel.
“A little over an hour ago. How about you?”
“I found out just before we met, about ten minutes ago.”
Axel glanced in Lucy’s direction as he smiled at Francine. “Surprise.”
“I think that means I win,” Francine said and then giggled. Giggled!
Lucy watched Francine’s animated face. Animated and giggling at Axel. What? No! She then watched Axel and his reaction to her giggling sister. Unfortunately, he seemed rather enchanted. And then it dawned on her. Of course he was enchanted. Francine was beautiful inside and out.
While Francine and Lucy were much the same in manner and attitude, her sister was very beautiful, like their mother. And Lucy was…well, she looked like her father’s mother, Grammy Matilda. Nothing like the forgotten realization that she looked like her grandmother to immediately cool Lucy’s jets.
Axel, given the choice between the two of them, was naturally going to count his lucky stars that he got to marry Francine. What man wouldn’t? She was so much prettier than Lucy. Besides, Francine was a lovely person. Her very best friend and confidante. But how could she tell Francine the truth about Axel if, according to their parents, she had to marry him. Knowing Francine and her typical attitude of getting along, her sister was likely grateful to have such a wonderful future husband. Axel was getting a wonderful, kind and, best of all, more beautiful sister.
Lucy sucked in a trembling breath and exhaled slowly, doing her best not to break into loud hiccupping tears. The dinner continued, but Lucy went to a very dark place inside herself. She stopped looking at either Axel or Francine, or anyone. As each course was set in front of her, Lucy either took a single taste, or ignored it altogether as she pondered her miserable fate.
Francine and Axel chatted about the surprise dinner, their likes and dislikes about Alpha-Prime and other inane things. Lucy wished she could slink out and hide in her room for the duration of dinner.
“I want you to know, Axel, I am very glad you’re so young. I thought you’d be much older,” Francine was saying when Lucy started paying attention again.
“Older? Why?”
Francine shrugged. “I don’t know. I’m afraid I pictured a man only a few years younger than my father all these years as my arranged marriage partner. You are a very welcome sight. When your father walked in, I was certain I’d been right all along.” Francine bestowed her brightest smile on Axel. Lucy wanted to be sick.
She chanced a quick look at Axel and he winked. Lucy did a double take. When Francine looked away, Axel winked at Lucy again and his gaze was unmistakably on her. She stared back until Francine looked at Axel again.
Lucy quickly stared at her plate and the undisturbed food there. She picked up a utensil and took a bite, wondering if Axel had something in his eye or if he had truly winked at her. A very common Earther flirtation or a speck of something causing irritation.
“Lucinda?” he asked.
Lucy looked up when he said her formal name. “Yes.”
“Is that your name?”
“Yes. Why?”
“No reason.” He smiled.
She narrowed her eyes. What was he up to?
“So, Francine, do you have a nickname?” Axel asked.
Francine smiled and put her hand on Lucy’s shoulder. “Not exactly, although Lucy used to call me Fancy when we were little because she couldn’t say Francine.”
“She used to call me Deelah,” Ardelia chimed in, making Lucy even more self-conscious.
Can they not all see how much I care for this man? Maybe not. Maybe people only saw what they wanted to see. Francine was apparently relieved that her intended husband wasn’t the same age as their father and Ardelia was helping to point out embarrassing facts about Lucy’s inability to pronounce words at a young age.
Was Axel really flirting with her after being told he had to marry Francine? Was it even possible he was still interested in Lucy? She didn’t care if it was true or not, she decided to hang on to that possible scenario as if it were a verified fact.
The rest of dinner was uneventful until right after the dessert dishes had been collected. Her father stood and invited the Greys into the library for an after-dinner libation.
That meant alcoholic beverages.
Lucy didn’t drink often, as alcohol became a veritable truth serum for her. She certainly wouldn’t be able to keep a civil tongue in her head if she had any libations this evening.
But then her father added, “Axel and Francine can join us, as well? I expect they have quite a lot to talk about.”