The Arrangement
1127 Words
Lucy shifts uncomfortably in her seat under the intrusive gaze of her mother. After all these years, you’d think she’d be used to it by now. But Emily McAllister is a formidable, intimidating woman.
She waits until the door closes behind her other two daughters before she finally speaks.
“Lucy, I am going to be honest with you now. What I’m about to share is highly confidential, and it cannot be discussed with anyone else. Is that clear?”
Whoa. Lucy blinks, taken aback. She was expecting yet another lecture about not showing enough enthusiasm for the High Tea and the ball. What is this now?
“Yes, Mother,” she replies automatically.
“The business is in trouble.” Emily pauses briefly. “We are on the verge of bankruptcy.”
Lucy inhales sharply—partly from shock, partly because of the intrusive thought that slips into her mind: That might actually not be the worst thing in the world. Losing all that money might actually free them.
Her mother scowls, perceptive as always.
“I know what you’re thinking, Lucy. You’ve always rebelled against our wealth and our lifestyle. But remember—our wealth is generational. Your great-grandfather built all of this from the ground up with his blood and tears.”
And yet you squandered it all, Lucy thinks bitterly, but she stays silent.
“He built it so his bloodline would never have to start from the bottom. Never have to struggle.” Emily continues her monologue, but Lucy is already tuning out. She’s heard this speech countless times. Where is she going with this?
As if sensing her boredom, her mother’s tone shifts.
“We’ve been in trouble for years, but your father fought tooth and nail to keep us afloat.”
Lucy can’t contain herself any longer. “Then why didn’t we cut back? Adapt? Change our lifestyle if things were so bad?” she blurts before she can stop herself.
Emily doesn’t even flinch.
“Because we have a reputation to uphold. If the world saw even a hint that we were struggling financially, we would have been finished. Deals would have collapsed. Sponsorships cancelled. Partnerships ended. Contracts broken.”
A long silence follows. Emily fiddles with a loose thread on the couch.
She never fiddles, Lucy thinks, unease settling in her stomach. This must be serious.
When Emily speaks again, her voice is barely above a whisper.
“We’ve taken several loans against the house.”
Lucy leans in slightly. She’s never seen her mother like this—fragile, almost… human.
“A few weeks ago, we received a letter of demand from the bank. Your father…” She stops, pressing a hand to her mouth as she tries to compose herself. After a shaky breath, she continues softly. “Your father couldn’t bear the thought of losing the house. So he… he did something.”
She looks up, eyes glistening.
Lucy’s heart pounds. The air feels heavy, thick with dread.
“What did he do?” she asks hesitantly.
“He embezzled money from Luigi’s account.”
Lucy’s eyes widen. “Frank Luigi?” she whispers.
Her mother nods.
Silence swallows the room.
Lucy’s mind is spinning. She never cared for their business dealings, but when her father announced he was partnering with Frank Luigi, she protested, begged him not to do it.
“Does he know?” Lucy finally asks.
“Yes. He found out a few days ago.”
“Oh no…” Lucy’s voice trembles. Frank Luigi is a notorious gangster in a suit—renowned for being the type of man you do not cross if you want to stay alive.
Warning bells explode in her mind.
She hasn’t seen her father in days. She assumed he was away on business.
“Mother… where is Father?”
Emily doesn’t look at her. She stares blankly out the window. It’s a hot, sunny day outside, yet a chill runs down Lucy’s spine.
“Frank has him.”
“No…” Lucy breathes, covering her face with both hands in dismay. “Is he okay? Is he… alive?” The last word comes out thin and terrified.
Emily turns back to her—elegance restored, her brief c***k in composure tucked neatly away. She’s back to being the unshakeable Emily McAllister.
“Yes, he’s alive,” her mother says calmly. “But the stakes are high, and we need to act swiftly.”
For the first time in her life, Lucy is actually grateful for her mother’s poise. Inside, she’s a wreck—her heart is hammering, her mind spinning—but seeing Emily in control somehow grounds her.
“Okay… what do we do? Do we call the police?” Lucy asks, scrambling for solutions.
Her mother looks at her as if she’s lost her mind. “No. We do not. Not under any circumstances.”
Lucy frowns, confused. “But Father’s life might be in danger—”
“Lucy.” Emily’s voice is steady, firm. “If we call the police, he will definitely lose his life. And if he doesn’t, he will go to jail. Now, I don’t know about you, but I would prefer neither of those outcomes.” Again, that pointed stare—those eyes that always make Lucy feel singled out.
“Why are you telling me this?” Lucy asks slowly. “Does Jamie know? Sandy?” Suspicion twists in her stomach. Why her? Why now? She's never been the daughter Emily confides in.
“Jamie knows,” Emily replies. “I’d prefer Sandy not know about this.”
“Okay… so we don’t call the cops. But then what do we do now?”
“Well,” her mother says, smoothing a hand over her hair, “there is a solution.”
Lucy drags out an irritated sigh. “And that is…?” She hates when her mother does this—speaking in riddles, dripping information drop by drop.
Emily hesitates. “Frank has offered us a proposition…”
Lucy’s annoyance spikes. “And that is?” she repeats, exasperated.
“This will keep your father out of jail, help us keep the house, and allow us to stay in business,” her mother explains carefully. “So please… keep an open mind.”
“What is it, Mother?” Lucy demands again.
“You have to marry his son,” Emily says, deadpan.
“What?” Lucy’s jaw drops. And then she laughs—loud, incredulous laughter at the sheer absurdity of it. But her laughter dies quickly when she sees her mother’s face, still and unfazed.
“You’re serious?” Lucy whispers. “Oh my word… you are serious.” She stares, utterly gobsmacked.
- Writer
