“Wow, have you had anyone ever fail?”
I was excited to hear how the process worked directly from the horse’s mouth. This lady was no joke.
“Of course. People are scandalous these days. That is why we are so thorough. Deceitful people who try to sneak in are quickly weeded out and sent packing. We have a zero-tolerance policy on dishonesty. That’s why it was impressed upon you to be truthful on everything, even if you felt it was something looked down upon. We will eventually find out and then you would be put out on your ass. The safety of my clients is number one. No amount of money can persuade me to overlook a red flag. My brand must remain unscathed. I have a 100% match rating and my clients not only get married but stay that way.”
“Okay, I’m ready to see who you matched me up with.”
“Remember, you get three choices. If you choose wisely you will have a wonderful life together. I’ve done the hard work for you. Now it is just a matter of chemistry. Good luck.”
Three
Make Good Choices
Lincoln
I can’t believe I signed up for that matchmaker service. Desperate times call for desperate measures. I was tired of living alone and needed a good woman to come home to at night. Love wasn’t a priority so much as I needed companionship. Someone to share my day with and to comfort me when I had a shit day like today. Living out here in Humboldt County, California had taken some getting used to for this city boy. Growing up in San Francisco had not prepared me for living this isolated life I had chosen. After returning home from my stint as a Navy Seal, I needed the peace and quiet only a small town could offer. When the 24 acres of land overlooking the ocean became available, I jumped at the chance to buy it. It had everything a man like me needed. The sights and sounds of the ocean comforted me. the redwood trees allowed for the isolation I craved.
My purchase of that land also led me into the now legal world of cannabis production. The last thing I ever thought I would be doing even three years ago was legally growing weed to sell in my dispensary. Since the state made it legal to use medical marijuana, people were cashing in on something that would have landed them under the jail just a few short years ago. It was a cash cow and Humboldt County had become one of the most popular places to grow it.
When I discovered its medical benefits in treating PTSD symptoms, I decided to get into the game. My fellow veterans were suffering, and I wanted to do my part in helping relieve any pain I could. So I went to school, learned the business and became certified to legally sell. I opened my shop last year and had enough profit to not only invest back into the business but start a nonprofit for vets. I was also able to purchase a sweet piece of land and build my dream home. My cabin in the woods had everything I ever wanted, except a wife.
That’s why I was sitting here at this computer talking to my future wife via a video chat. Her name was Eileen and she was the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. We have yet to meet in person, but the matchmaker service frowned upon physical contact before the nuptials. For now, we were regulated to talking online and the occasional phone calls when she could get away from her overbearing parents. I found that a bit weird because she was twenty-one, but whenever I broached the subject, she became uncomfortable. There was a story there, but I would be patient and wait until she was ready to tell me on her own. It was her life, If I wanted her, I had to accept it.
I had no trouble choosing Eileen. Her smile and her kind eyes told me everything I needed to know. The service had provided a few women for me to choose from, but I wanted Eileen. There was no other choice. Now, we played the waiting game for her to join me out here in California. She lived in Georgia, a true Southern Belle, accent and all. We had been chatting for a little over three weeks and I was getting anxious to meet her, marry her and claim her as my wife. Once that was done, we would spend forever getting to know each other. I didn’t believe in divorce and neither did she. From our conversations, she was likeminded in the way she wanted to live, and I was able to provide a very comfortable life for her.
“Good evening future Mrs. Watts. How was your day?”
“Hi Linc. My day was alright. I spent all day shopping with my mother. She is driving me crazy with all these dress fittings. The woman won’t stop. She just keeps buying me clothes like the stores will suddenly close down and we will have no access to fashion.”
“I thought most women liked shopping.”
“I am not most women, Linc. You will soon find that out. Besides, shopping with my mother is intense. She is a maniac, rude to the salespeople and very insistent on what I should wear. She always gets her way. I feel like a doll instead of her daughter. Enough about my day. How did your day go? You had that big meeting, today right?”
I was thrilled that she took an interest in my life. I had dated women in the past who only cared about what they had going on. The fact that Eileen wanted to know about my work made me like her even more. We had only been chatting a few weeks, but I already felt comfortable sharing my life with her.
“The meeting went better than expected. I was able to secure the license to start helping my fellow veterans at the new facility. I tell you, Eileen, just the thought of being able to provide some relief from the pain and turmoil my brothers and sisters in arms go through, brings my heart joy. I can’t wait to open the facility. As you can imagine, we already have a wait list for patients.”
“That is wonderful, Linc! I am so proud of you.”
I smiled at her enthusiasm for me. Never having the support of someone before was different. It felt good to have someone in your corner who was genuinely happy for you. This is what my life has been missing. It made me that more anxious to get her out to Cali and put my ring on her finger. She was the marrying kind, and I was staking my claim. I would be wrought with worry that she would change her mind until I physically saw her here in my home. I mean our home. I didn’t build it just for me.
“Linc, I have so many ideas of how you can expand your facility, that is if you are open to hearing them.”
The nervous tension in her voice called out to me. Why wouldn’t I want to hear her ideas? Eileen was smart from what I could ascertain from our conversations. She was thoughtful and kind and eager to help others. She was just the kind of person who should have input on this project. My brothers, sisters and I needed someone like her looking out for us.
“Of course I want to hear your thoughts. I need all the help I can get. This is all new to me and any help you can offer is much appreciated.”
A sigh of relief trickled through the phone’s speaker before she started speaking again.
“Well, I was doing some research on new and inventive treatments for former soldiers suffering from PTSD. According to the clients, they feel the current facilities make them feel like they are in treatment. It messes with their self-esteem as well as making them feel trapped and/or handicapped in some way. Instead of your facility being so clinical, maybe it could be more like a vacation spot for the soldiers to come and relax.”
She was spot on in her assessment. Now that I thought of it, I hated going to clinical facilities. Why was I so eager to subject my fellow vets to one in an effort to help them?
“Interesting. Tell me more.”
I heard her giggle a bit which was music to my ears. It had been a very long time since I made a woman giddy. Her excited laugh coated my ears like honey on a sore throat.
“The idea would be to open a place similar to a Bed and Breakfast. Sort of a Spa/Retreat, except it is cannabis friendly. The clients, who would all be veterans who would be there to relax, eat good food and indulge in their choice of herb. They could choose to socialize or stay to themselves. If they want to smoke, you could provide a space for that, like a hookah lounge type room. Oh and you could also have an on-site shop where they can purchase edibles and other products to help with their symptoms.”
“Wow, babe you really thought this through.”
“Of course I did. My role as your
wife is to support you in any and all endeavors. I will be right there by your side helping you in any way I can. We’re in this thing together, right?”
“You’re damn right we are. What else has that beautiful brain of your thought up?”
She really did have some great ideas. I never knew there were women out there willing to share your dream as if it was their own. This matchmaking thing might just work out after all.
“Well, I know soldiers hate being cooped up with no way to let that energy out so I thought you could also include activities for them to do like hiking trails, kayaking, or even have a few animals for them to interact with. You know to keep their minds off their issues and focused on taking care of something else. You could even incorporate trips to the Avenue of the Giants so they can experience seeing the giant trees and even drive through one or two. Listen to me going on. This is your project and here I am with all these ideas.”
“This is our project from this point forward. Those are great ideas. Things I never would have come up with on my own. Eileen you’re amazing! I can’t wait for you to get here so we can get started on your vision for the place.”
I was just about to ask her how she felt about coming sooner than we agreed when she abruptly cut me off.
“Linc, I hate to cut our chat short, but I hear my bear of a mother coming. She has been on the warpath with me all day and I have a feeling she’s looking for a reason to start up with me again. She would flip her lid if she knew I was up talking to a man on the phone. I gotta go, but we’ll chat at our same time tomorrow. Yes?”
“Wait… Never mind. I don’t want to be the reason for your mother to argue with you. Have a good night, and I’ll talk with you tomorrow.”
“Good night, Linc.”
“Good night.”
I wanted to tell her how I was feeling about her. How she made me proud to become her husband, but she had already disconnected the line. That mother of hers seemed like a real piece of work. It’s a good thing we would be living on the other side of the country. I don’t think my PTSD could handle my future mother-in-law living in close proximity.
My wife to be had filled my head with all kinds of thoughts and plans for the future. Even if I couldn’t afford to open the B&B right away, it would be something to work toward with future earnings. She allowed me to see the possibilities were endless. With her by my side, I would no doubt be a success. I guess that’s what my dad always meant when he talked about a woman being a man’s treasure. I went to sleep with thoughts of the amazing woman who would soon be sleeping next to me and making my life better. I may not be looking to fall in love with this partnership, but I truly believed she would be a great asset. She was a great choice. I couldn’t wait to get started.
Four
The Great Escape
Eileen
Last night’s conversation with Linc went better than I thought. I half expected him to shut me down when I started telling him my ideas on how he could expand his business. When he sat quietly and listened, I figured he may be distracted with something else, but when he smiled and told me how he liked the ideas my heart fluttered. Here was this man who was telling me about his dreams and goals and was willing to allow me to contribute. He heard me. That was something I never experienced with a man before. In fact, the only person who ever listened to me was Trina. It confirmed for me how good of an idea this mail order bride situation was.
When I finally closed my eyes and fell into a deep sleep, I dreamed of my life with Lincoln and how happy he would make me. I wanted love, but I was not stupid. I didn’t know this man and he told me he was looking for more of a companion than someone to fall in love with. That was fine with me. We could make our marriage like a business partnership. It was what I had been training for all my life. My mother made sure to impress upon me that men of prominence do not typically give away their hearts. Marriage was about status and furthering their position in society.
There was no reason for me to think it would be any different with Linc. The only difference would be that I was the one choosing my partner instead of my father. Plus, Linc had no idea the woman he would be marrying was an heiress. He was simply looking for a woman to share his life with and to have his back. I could be that and more for a man who valued me and my opinions. As I was thinking about my life choices, I decided to pull up my emails to see if there had been a reply from the lawyer Trina had hired to look into my inheritance situation. As I was reading her reply there was a knock on my bedroom door.
“Eileen are you still asleep this late in the morning? I need you to get up. We have a ton of things to do before your nuptials next week.”
My mother was clueless. She had no idea I overheard her conversation with Mrs. Winchester a few weeks ago. I never confronted her. In fact, when she chastised me for leaving the restaurant, I informed her that I was cramping and had bled through my clothes and needed to leave. She fell for it, never even realizing that I had the same dress on when I came home later that night. She only cared about correcting my behavior, but she never paid close attention to me unless we were going out in public.
“I am up Mother. I will be down in a few minutes. Is Trina around? I need her to help me get dressed.”
“I can help you dear.”
She attempted to open my bedroom door, but since that brunch incident, I had taken to locking the door. I hated her intrusive nature. It was a way to claim a little power in my life until I could get out of here for good. I had less than a week before I took control over my own life. I would not allow anyone to control me again. I was just waiting for the time to come so I could leave. The only regret I had was Trina wasn’t coming with me.
“Eileen why is this door locked? You have been acting strange since that day at brunch. Are you alright dear? Do you need anything?”
“No mother, I am fine. I just wanted some privacy for a change. I am twenty-one years old and have never had any place where I could just be alone without worrying if someone would interrupt me without notice.”
“Who is filling your head with this kind of nonsense? Is Trina in your ear? You know this is not how a good wife conducts herself. What will you do when Anderson and you are married? You can’t very well lock your husband out of your room when you want privacy.”
I rolled my eyes at the woman on the other side of my door. She was so annoying. I wish she would just leave me be. I did not want to talk to her.
“Yes mother! I am aware of that. You have told me a million times. It has been drilled into my head so much I will never forget.”
“Don’t take that tone with me young lady. Every lesson I have taught you from birth is for your own good. I am just looking out for you. I want you to be the best wife and eventually mother, you can be. What’s wrong with that?”
It was a rhetorical question, but I answered her anyway.
“Everything is wrong with it if I am forced to marry a man, I can’t stand to be around more than five minutes.”
“Oh that is just your nerves talking. Once you say ‘I do’ you will be fine. You’ll see. Everything will work out just fine.”
“I’m sure it will, Mother.”
I listened as the familiar sound of her classic heels clip clopped down the hall away from my door. Thankful for the silence, I returned to the email I had been reading from my lawyer. She had managed to look into my inheritance without my father’s people finding out. My grandfather had left me the entire fortune without any stipulation about marriage. He only cared that his money and legacy be passed to his first-born grandchild. The only stipulation in the will stated my father was not to be placed in charge. I guess he thought he would live longer than he did because I was still a child when Papaw passed. I would not have been able to effectively run his companies at the age of eleven, but now that I was twenty-one, the empire was mine to claim. It was time to plan a coup. I texted Trina to get her butt into gear.
Me: Trina, where are you? I got news.”
T
rina: “In the kitchen, where else?
Me: Come to my room and bring me a bagel.
Me: Add some cream cheese.
Me: And some juice.
Trina: Anything else, your majesty?
Me: Pleeeeease Trini!
Trina: You make me sick. On my way.
I loved my sister. She was always looking out for me. You would think she was the oldest with her life experience and nurturing nature. The slight tapping on my door prompted me to get up from my chase and open the door for my sister, who was standing there with an impish look on her face.
“What?”
“Girl, I am so proud of you. Mother is in the kitchen ranting about how you locked her out of your room and refused to let her in. She was going in about you asking for privacy. Look who put on her big girl panties! It’s about time.”
“Thanks sis. Come on in here before she shows up and ruins everything. You know she can smell when we are happy.”
I closed the door and locked it after dragging Trina into the room. I snagged the bagel sans cream cheese and my bottle of water.
“Trina, I asked for cream cheese and juice. What is this?”
“Beggars can’t be choosy. Take what I give you or get it yourself. Besides, your mother said your hips could not afford to have both bagel and cream cheese. Don’t at me. Talk to her.”
“Uggh, I can’t wait to get out of here and eat whatever I want, hips be damned.”
“Girl don’t let that sexy Navy Seal hear you say that. I am sure he doesn’t want those hips spreading too wide. Legs, yes, but hips?”
“Shut up! Speaking of which, how am I gonna handle our sexy time together? I have no idea what I am doing.”
“Let him teach you. He knows what he likes, and you will learn what you like. That’s the thing with new relationships, you get to explore and discover each other. It’s going to be so much fun once you get over the shock of the first time. If he’s good, you won’t have any issues.”
Cabin Fever Page 26