The Marriage Contract

Charlotte I pull up in my parent's driveway. I spot two other cars that I've never seen before. I get out of my car and start to the door. I knock on the door and wait for someone to answer. A girl I've never seen before answers the door. "Um...who are you?" I ask the girl. "Hello, I'm Allysa, Mr. O'Dell's personal assistant," She replies. O'Dell where have I heard that name? I walk into the house with her following behind. I walk into the living room to see my parents with three other men and one woman. "Um....uhh....umm?" I say. "Honey, I want you to meet Mr. and Mrs. O'Dell, and their lovely son, Charles O'Dell," Mom says. "I thought it would just be...family?" I say and ask at the same time. "Listen, we had to talk to you and them at the same time," My dad says. "Okay, let's talk then," I say as I sit down on one of the armchairs. "Before we talk about anything, how are you doing?" Mom asks. "I'm doing fine," I say. "Can we please get to the subject at hand? I have a meeting to get to," Mr. O'Dell says. "Oh, yes. Of course. Charlotte?" Mom says to me. "Yes?" I reply. "You're getting married!" She says to me. Married? To who? How could I possibly not know who I'm getting married to? "Who am I getting married to? When did this happen?" I ask my parents. "You're getting married to Charles. And we've decided this today," Dad says. "Do I even get a say in this?" I ask them. Now I'm getting angry. "No, honey. None of us have a choice in this," Mom says. "I should be able to pick who I want to marry!" I say. "Honey this was decided before your father and I were even born!" Mom argues. "What do you mean?!?!" I say. "Honey, there's a huge part of our past that you don't know about, but we'll tell you when you're ready," Mom explains. "How do you know when I'm ready? Last time I checked, IM me and I know when I'M ready!" I argue. "Okay, you wanna know the story? I'll tell you the story," Dad says. "Honey!" Mom tries to argue. "No! It's time she knows!" Dad says. "Before my mother was pregnant with me, my Uncle Kevin tried to rob the O'Dells. He didn't succeed. The O'Dell's were nice enough to make a deal with my family. They said that the first female born into the family would marry their son. But, my Mom had me and as you know I'm a man. And they had a boy. And until your mother and I got married, only boys were born into the family. Until I had you. But ever since then the whole ordeal has been forgotten. Now, the O'Dells were going through the family office and found these," Dad says showing me the papers. "These are the contracts signed saying that the first female born into the family would marry their son. So, no matter what you have to marry him, or else YOU go to jail!" Dad says. "ME?! For something someone else did?" I say. This is hella crazy. "Yes, so, please, just do everyone a favor and marry him," Dad says. I look over at Charles. He's handsome and looks like a charming guy. "Fine, but only because I don't want to go to jail," I say.