Done Deal
1208 Words
Ida couldn’t just walk in to greet the elders in her current getup. When she mentioned she was going back up to change, Kensley quietly followed. At the front of her bedroom, Ida turned to give him a stink eye.
“Just go first. I’ll be down in a minute.”
Kensley walked into her room and leaned against a wall. Pulling out his cell phone, he lowered his head to read.
Frustrated, Ida punched his arm. “You can’t be here! I need to change!”
Kensley raised a brow and looked at her from head to toe then went back to reading.
“What’s there to see?”
Ida glowered at him for a second then whirled around on her heels and stomped to her walk-in closet.
Kensley raised his head and a rare smile broke across his face— not that anyone was there to witness it.
***
The family was shocked when Kensley escorted Ida into the living room. Ida, dressed in a simple beige cocktail dress, her short hair neatly pinned down with a pearl accessory and matching pearl earrings looked demure, a stark contrast to her usual unwilling self.
“My! Our princess has grown up well!” Katy exclaimed as she stood up with her arms wide open.
Ida obediently walked over and hugged the older woman. “Hello, Mrs. Hendricks.”
The fathers exchanged a look and nodded slightly.
“Let‘s head over to the dining room,” Charles suggested. His old eyes twinkled as he looked between Ida and Kensley.
“Aren’t we going to wait for Henry?” Thomas asked.
Charles waved at his son. “No need. That boy is busy and we shouldn’t force him to attend a casual dinner.”
Ida pursed her lips. ‘Casual dinner my ass. How come you forced me to come?’
She knew better than anyone that the family didn’t care which of the two Hendricks brothers married her so if she showed any favoritism to one of them, it was a done deal.
Ida turned slightly to glance at Kensley. He immediately noticed and their eyes locked. Ida blushed and looked away.
‘What’s wrong with me?!’ Ida mentally slapped herself.
Kensley on the other hand just offered a soft smile and continued walking, half listening to the men’s conversation.
When they were all seated, Ida felt caged in. With Charles at the head of the table, every couple was seated across the table from one another with Ida sitting between her mother and Katy. Even if she managed to sprout wings, there was no escape.
Dinner, as always, was a quiet affair, a genuine testament to the chef’s superb culinary ability. As soon as Charles finished the last bite of tiramisu, he addressed the group.
“With James gone, I am the only survivor of my generation. I am not getting younger so I hope to witness the union of our families before my dying breath.”
His sharp eyes landed on Ida and everyone could almost hear the silent words: no pressure.
Ida shrunk in her seat, staring at the silver spoon in front of her as if it held the secrets of everlasting youth.
Charles coughed slightly. “Ida, dear. What are your thoughts on the matter?”
“Huh?” Ida was startled and looked up to see everyone’s eyes on her. “Oh, well… I’ll leave it to you, Grandpa.”
Charles smiled broadly and looked to Kensley whose eyes twinkled as he smiled. “And I’m fairly certain I don’t have to worry about you, right?”
Kensley nodded. “I’ll do right by Ida.”
His father, James, clapped him heartily on the back. “That’s my son!”
The table broke out in cheers but amidst the jubilation, Ida glanced sullenly across the table at Kensley and mouthed, ‘Don’t forget.’
Kensley wiggled his eyebrows and blinked once to signal he understood.
***
The family proceeded to plan the wedding forgoing an engagement party as if afraid Ida would change her mind. Although rushed, there was nothing money couldn’t fix and they decided on a small intimate wedding early next month.
Ida found herself tossed around like a rag doll from morning to night, the house was in pandemonium, with various lace lined up against each other, flower samples, and endless cake tastings and menu alterations.
“Which color ribbon do you want on the Corinthian columns?”
Ida avoided her mother’s gleaming eyes and glanced at the selection with a heavy sigh. “I honestly can’t tell the difference anymore, Mom. They all look the same.”
Fern smacked Ida lightly on the arm. “Shame on you! And you being an artist! How can you not see this is ecru and this is cream?!”
Ida rolled her eyes, rubbing her arm. “Seriously, I feel like all this wedding planning has made me colorblind.”
Fern snorted and picked a color herself commenting, “I just got off the phone with the fashion designer. Her whole team is working overtime and promised your dress will be available in seven days. Make some time next week for the fitting they want to double-check and alter as needed.”
Fern paused and studied Ida seriously before adding, “Personally, I think you’re perfect just the way you are so don’t eat any more junk food from now till the wedding. All that salt will make you bloated.”
Ida puckered her lips, pulling them in and to a side to show her displeasure.
Fern tsked and poked Ida’s nose. “Stop making that face! What if your muscles froze and you end up looking like that forever?!”
Ida quickly flexed her facial muscles to relax. Better safe than sorry.
Fern then added off-handedly, “Don’t browse the internet too much until after the wedding, okay?”
She walked off leaving a confused Ida in her wake.
The funny thing about humans is that the moment you tell someone not to do something they will immediately do it out of spite or curiosity. Ida dug out her phone and looked for the latest gossip news.
The first thing that pulled up was a trending ad with her sexy fiancé holding his arm close to his face, his lips brushing against a faded scar on his forearm.
Ida immediately recognized the old wound as her doing from the ranch incident all those years ago. In a daze, Ida clicked on the interview clip below and listened attentively as it started up.
Host: Mr. Hendricks, your latest ad has your fans screaming. The screenshot of you seductively kissing the scar on your forearm has become a trending meme. Everyone is asking if there is any deeper meaning to it.
Kensley: Perhaps.
Host: Some fans zoomed in and said it looked like bite marks. Do you want to comment on that?
Kensley: They are correct. A small female dog bit me when I was a kid.
The video cut off on Kensley with a wistful smirk on his face.
Ida’s face hardened and she blustered. ‘Small female dog!??! Is he calling me a short b***h!?”
Enraged, Ida seethed.
- Writer
