The Forced Wife

Gabrielle stood outside the airport, her uncle was by her side crouched down speaking to her half-brother, Daniel was only seven and he was her world. After her mother passed her father had taken years to remarry and when he did, she was surprised how much she had loved her stepmother. Clare had been a kind and loving woman; she bought a warmth to the house that had been lost and a weight Gabrielle didn’t know she carried had been lifted off her shoulders.  When she was eleven, she learned she would be having a half-brother, she had been so excited, no worry about being replaced had crossed her mind. Instead she had helped decorate the nursery, bought toys and tiny clothes, she had event attempted to knit some very wonky baby booties, but had assured a delighted Clare that the little boy she would soon bring home did not have to wear them.  But just after her eighteenth birthday tragedy had struck their lives once again. This time she would lose her father, and Daniel would lose both his mother and father. Two little orphans. She had been angry at first, furious they got in that car so late, how thoughtless they could leave them even for the night, but worse still how reckless that they would leave no will, no care. She couldn’t believe her father had been so foolish, after losing his first wife did, he not think about providing for them.  With no life insurance and little savings their fathers’ best friend had stepped in, uncle Jack. A funny man with a good heart, but even for him money had been tight, and Gabrielle was conscious of the burden that had been placed on his shoulders. Children think when they turn eighteen suddenly everything falls into place, somehow, they are grown up and old and now what to do. Shaking her head now she didn’t want to remember the nights she had spent crying, but Gabrielle was a grown up. Somehow. That meant Daniel needed her and she would do anything for her little brother.  It wasn’t until after the funeral that Gabrielle found Clare’s family information. A letter from her mother across the country, that had been her first clue about finding her extended family. It had been nine years that she had known Clare, and not once had she mentioned a mother, or two brothers. She couldn’t help but wonder why, but that didn’t matter anymore. With the help of Daniels newfound Grandmother, they had flown to meet them, to stay with them. She wanted to know her grandson and she had been generous, the flights had been arranged, she had even agreed to pay for their Uncle Jack to accompany them, telling Gabrielle that it would be too much for her to fly alone.  It had been an easy flight, they had been picked up by a smart black car, the man driving it wore a sharp suit and had carried their bags into the airport for them. They had been shown into the lounge and a goody bag had been given to Daniel, filled with toys, sweets and a portable games console. Clearly Clare’s family had money to spend.  Gabrielle tucked her long hair behind her ear, they had been told that they would be picked up from the airport but no one by the exit held a sign with their name on. Whoever was coming was late, she couldn’t help but feel nervous and apprehensive, there must have been a reason for Clare not to stay in touch. They didn’t even know she had a stepdaughter or a son. That was strange. The phone call had been awkward, Gabrielle had to break the news that this woman had lost her daughter and gained a grandchild all at the same time.  But she had taken it in her stride, finally two large black cars pulled up to where they were stood. Out stepped two men from each, all dark haired and dark eyes. All wore dark clothing and looked menacing. Instinctively Gabrielle put her hand on Daniels shoulder and pulled him behind her. He had been absorbed with his new game console until now, but the arrival of these men had caught his interest. He looked around then looked up at Gabrielle, taking in her worried expression.  As the men approached them their Uncle Jack stepped forward, the first man spoke, ‘you’re Jack Braddon?’ he asked, his voice was rough, and Gabrielledidn’t like the way he looked them over. The men behind the speaker were making her nervous, looking around as though they were expecting someone to jump out from the shadows and attack. Jack nodded and asked who they were. When they said they had been sent to pick them up Gabrielle asked quietly, ‘you’re Clare’s brother? Lucian?’ the man took her and Daniel in, he consciously adjusted his face and put on a smile, ‘No, I’m Timo, I work for Lucian, he’s meeting us along the way as it’s a long drive and he had some business to attend to, he didn’t want to delay you or make you wait so he ask me to come and get you.’  The men behind started lifting their suitcases into the boot, ‘maybe we should speak to Lucian’ Jack suggested, the men looked annoyed, ‘well if you want but like I said he is busy working.’  Jack looked at Gabrielle, he nodded at her and she pulled out her phone to call him, but he didn’t answer. Shrugging she hung up. ‘Told you he was working, he’ll call when he’s finished’, Gabrielle looked to her Uncle, he hesitated, Timo broke the silence, ‘Listen I’m a family friend, and also a worker nothing bad is going to happy,’ he looked into Gabrielles eyes when he spoke, ‘Lucian wants me to pick you up, drive you to him and make sure you are safe, let me do my job. If you want to wait for him you can but me and the guys will be in trouble and you’ll be waiting for a few hours.’  She nodded, ‘I don’t want you to get in trouble so we should go,’ she took Daniels hand and led him to the car, her Uncle followed and Timo smiled.