Love or business

Not this little brat

Sam POV

“Hey son,” My Dad's greeted stepping into my office

“Hey dad, Why are you here? aren't you in the vacation mode?” I said

“Your grandpa wants to see you,” he said

Wow, grandpa wants to see me!!! I didn’t see him since I was 16 and have barely talked to him over the phone three times over the past 12 years.

“What!!? see me?!! why??? I made it clear that I will never get back there long ago they are totally different from me, and I can’t even compromise a visit” I said clearly that I won’t go there now. No one can force me when I am 28 to do something I refused to do when I was 16.

I am not a toy, my parents forced me to change my life and come here when I was young letting me suffer all the differences between the two cultures, languages and even weather. it took me years till I made friends here, while I was living the life of a prince in Egypt, I suffered a toll of bullies once I reached here. and once I am finally fitting in, they want me back to have the same problems again, but this time is worse as I am 28 and not ready to try to fit in Again!!!

“Yes but you are his grandson and heir and your behavior makes him take a decision that you should marry to get your inheritance” dad said bluntly.

“What I marry come on I have a life to live and you are his heir, not me,” I said

“I am old now you will manage the work better than me and I could take a full break,” he said.

“But I don’t even have a girlfriend,” I said

“Your grandfather choose for you and you are marrying your cousin,” dad said and I stopped hearing him now. It can’t be true…

“What? No!!!” I finally get the words out, still in shock “SHE IS A NERD, old fashioned, inexperienced in life and love and upove all is unattractive … we are not a good match in any way”

“HEY calm down and never talk about Maya like this, Ok? She is smart and beautiful” dad said

“She is your niece, of course, you love her, but I haven't seen her in a long time but I am sure she never had a boyfriend how she could handle a marriage. and she is not my type in any aspect… I can’t marry a woman then get to know her after that and she isn’t even a grown one she is a little naive girl” I said

“Ok you are right I really love her and she has little or no experience with love and of course never had a relationship in your terms before, she is a conservative girl but she isn’t naïve at all” dad said

“I am not going to marry some random one”

“She isn’t random; she is your cousin the fact that you are bad to your family to consider them strangers should end now” Dad stated firmly and I thought I have to step down to think, I could never marry like this and not Maya in any possible way but I will postpone this argument now.

“Ok, ok, I will finish some work here first and come with you, book the flight next Friday. And I am just going to solve this matter no marriage involved” I said

I really do not want to bother my dad but this bullshit is all wrong, I can’t marry a young girl like her without any history together. The last time I saw her was long ago and we kept fighting, she is too much. A judgemental, stupid nerd with a loud voice. I think she has never grown up I finished my day and meet my best friend Tom at a bar near the office

“Hey Tom, “I said, slumping onto the bar stool beside him

“Hey Sam, why the long face?” Tom said

“Grandpa wants me to get back to Egypt,” I said

“Yeah it’s all about the time I guess,” he said

What!!!” I wondered what does this mean. Does everyone know about my own engagement except me?

“I mean… he is an old man, of course, wants to see his grandchild and can't travel this distance…” he explained.

“No, no, he wants me to marry…” I said and he cuts me “of course bro, you got to do this Congrat…”

“My cousin, he wants me to marry a certain one which is my cousin, so shut up,” I said

“Ohhhh s**t, wait you have a cousin!!” he said

“Yeeeh what surprise, my married uncle has a child, of course, I have a cousin this isn’t the problem here,” I said

“But is it normal to marry a cousin?” he asked

“Yes, it is typically normal, we are Muslims can’t marry our siblings and their children. And this is in the Egyptian culture to marry the girl to her cousin to protect her as she isn’t out of her family and these silly traditions” I said

“Cool, I mean being so protective of their daughters but this means your mother is your father cousin,” he said

“No, it isn’t like all couples are cousins there, and this isn’t my problem now, it is the arranged marriage thing. I am not gonna do this” I said

“Yeah I can't understand are we in the 17th century or something?!!” he said and I remained silent for minutes sipping my drink. I can’t talk anymore, I have a life here, I don’t want to move back.

“Ok man why do not go and give it a try” tom cut the silence

“What No Way,” I said

“Why it doesn’t seem like you are in love or even have a girlfriend for a long time so if this relates to your business go see your grandpa visit your country and get to know her…” he suggested

“No you don't understand I am not gonna see her, “I said

“Blind marriage!!! “ he said

“No I will see her but no physical action involved, we only can talk for a while but no touch not a kiss or even a handshake, if she wants to, before the wedding , how can I know my emotions like this" I asked

“Ok it is not that bad, she is your cousin and if anything likes you she must be hot look yourself at the mirror,” he said holding his phone and searching in it.

I sighed and said “I don’t know it is a disaster”

“And what if you just refuse” he suggested

“Grandpa will separate our office from his company, “ I said

“And… this is… bad?” he asked

“No, not at all, it is just natural catastrophe; our office is just part of his business, we cannot survive alone and if it happens we will have to start over like it is a new one and even that we don’t have enough cash to do so,” I said

“Oooh, I have always known your grandpa is loaded, but not like this look at his mansion it is a palace,” he said looking at his phone.

“I know it, bro, I grow up there till 5,” I said “wait why are you searching for my grandpa’s mansion”

“I saw it by luck while searching for your cousin… oh wow …she… is… Dangerously Beautiful, Ok this is insane you should go because this is too much to lose,” he said closing his phone quickly. I tried to take the phone from him but he quickly turns it off.

“Show me what you found” I demanded

“No go and find yourself what you are missing in person because there are only a few photos for here, most of them are long ago, and she was hot…” he said

“She is my cousin you are talking about; we don’t appreciate you talking about her like this. If my dad hears you, you would be lying at the hospital from bones break” I said

“Oh someone is jealous” he teased me

“Of course not, I just warned you because you are my friend, and my dad is serious in defending her, but you know better than me that I want nothing to do with her,”

“Go there, have a good vacation, and find yourself a way out of this marriage it will be easy once you there,” he said

“No harm in trying, I guess so” I said and spend the next week finishing some work and preparing for the unlimited vacation far from work