Marriage by Law

by N. K. Pockett

  He looked at me and I closed my mouth quickly. I wasn’t drooling, was I? Now that would be slightly embarrassing.

  “-omeone to meet…”

  Who to meet what? I only caught the last of what he was saying as a car pulled up and I lifted a hand to shield my eyes against the bright sun. Since when did the weather start to act bi-polar again? Oh wait, it was Melbourne. Tt was always bi-polar. Rain one day, sun the next half of the same day.

  “Come on, get in,” he ushered me into the car. Alright, bossy pan-shorts, I was going. I froze when I came face to face with the driver and awkwardly smiled. Well, hello. “Hi?” I said, sitting in my seat, confused and clearing my throat.

  Was Darius sitting in the back?

  Darius closed the door and I jumped. Right, seat belt. I watched him walk around the car. What on earth was he up to? He pulled the door open and said something to the driver who nodded and got out.

  He was driving, again?

  He got in and started the engine, pulling out of the driveway while putting on his belt with his other hand. I opened my mouth to ask him where we were going but then realised he did tell me. I was just too busy staring at his face.

  I watched as he turned around corners, trying to recognise the roads he was taking. Maybe that would give me a hint.

  If he went left instead of right, I could cross out the local shopping plaza nearby.

  If he went straight rather than turn around, the beach would be out of the option. Plus, it wasn’t beach weather just yet.

  Where were we going?

  I waited as patiently as I could, which wasn’t very easy till we finally came to a stop, half an hour later. I didn’t even recognise the place. He unbuckled and got out and I was confused. Okay. Where were we?

  I unbuckled as well, opening the door and stepping out. I looked at the building. It was made out of bricks with a sign that was old, rusted and had letters missing. I could barely make out what he was saying.

  “Let’s go,” he said, nodding, and I followed him to the side where there was a small door leading upstairs. I paused.

  This looked dodgy.

  “Um, Dairy?” I asked. He was half way up the stairs before he looked over his shoulder. “Where are we?”

  “Come on. You’ll see.”

  Okay then. I hurried after him. After three flights of stairs, running out of breath and my thighs burning, we reached the destination.

  The lights were dim the whole way and the sudden bright lights made me squint and nearly stumble as I stared at the scene.

  We were playing pool?

  There were rows and rows of pool tables set out. There were a few people already there playing. The sound of the billiards balls hitting others was loud, and “boos” and “nice shots” were uttered as I followed him.

  When he reached another flight of more stairs, I huffed.

  “Really?” I asked, crossing my arms. He, of course, had no problem.

  “Come on,” he prodded, smiling. He reached down and grabbed my arm to pull me up. I grunted.

  Why did people even have steps in places? It was health hazard. What if someone tripped over?

  When we finally reached the last stair, me out of breathe, I pulled my arm back and leaned over on my knees. Man, that was four flights of stairs. That was like twenty per flight, and that was eighty stairs. Damn it, Dairy.

  Then I realised the noise that was coming and looked up.

  There were guys, three of them gathered around a pool table, and I stood up trying to look more presentable.

  “Darius!”

  “My man.”

  “Finally made it.”

  They all spoke at once and my eyebrows shot up. Darius? My man? I could be mistaken, but did Darius have friends?

  Man, today was full of surprises. He grabbed my hand, tugging me after them and I tried not to let my jaw drop and hit the floor. He had friends. This man that was 24/7 centered on work, his whole universe was work, had time for friends.

  I was met with three happy faces smiling at me and I shifted on my feet.

  “Well, man,” the one closest to me said, straightening up and pulling on his collar. “Aren’t you going to introduce us?”

  Darius looked up from his phone. “Hmm? Oh right,” he said, putting his phone into the back pocket of his shorts and smiling. There had to be a new record for the times he smiled today, not that I was complaining. It was a good sight to see him this…relaxed?

  Would that be the right word to describe it?

  “This is Kristoff,” Darius began, nodding to the guy who spoke first, the one closest to me. Kristoff smiled as he held out his hand for me to shake. I hesitantly placed mine in his.

  “Firm grip, I like her already,” he nodded. I noticed that his hair was cut in a military style bob, his clothes smart casual and looked like a ‘no nonsense,’ type of guy. A bit scary. The one next to him was the opposite, dressed in a tank top and shorts, with stripes. He was smirking as he half leaned over the table.

  “Hello, pretty lady.”

  “This is Matthew,” said Darius, nodding to him and Matthew held up a hand, palm faced forward like telling Darius to stop talking.

  “I can introduce myself. I am Matthew Williams the Third. Yes, my dad and grandfather have the same name, but thankfully I inherited the good genes.” He flicked his blonde hair out of his eyes and took my hand off the pool table, raising to kiss it. Just then a hand slapped the back of his head and he dropped it.

  My eyes followed the hand, attached to the body of the third and last person who was glaring at Matthew. “Honestly, bro.”

  Darius said, “And that’s Lee, Matthew’s older brother.”

  Lee nodded. The only thing common was their hair. Their dress sense was definitely different. Lee was in jeans and a white shirt and looked nothing like Matthew. They reminded me of Adrian and Darius.

  “I was only joking,” Matthew grumbled, grabbing the pool stick, which I remembered was called the cue, and stood up. Darius shook his head with a smile and took his phone out again.

  “Adrian’s not picking up.”

  “Adrian’s coming?” I asked, suddenly happy with the prospect of knowing more than one person.

  “If he wakes up,” scoffed Lee, grabbing the white ball off the table and walking around.

  “I knew we should have picked him up,” Matthew said, grabbing the chalk and rubbing it on the end of his cue and looking at me. “Do you know how to play?”

  I nodded. Oh yes, I do. “A bit,” I lied. I was okay at it.

  “Catch.”

  I looked up as Kristoff threw something at Lee. Beer bottle? He looked at me frowning and then back at the bar fridge that was in the corner, scratching his head. “Someone,” he began, looking at Matthew, “seemed to only buy one kind of drink. Would you like a beer?” He asked me, taking one and holding it out.

  Before I declined, Darius reached out, taking it from him. “Never offer her alcohol. She’ll drink it all.”

  I gasped, hitting his rib with my elbow. “I most definitely will not.”

  Darius nodded. “Sure.” He placed the bottle on the table and grabbed a cue stick.

  “Teams of,” Matthew was counting people around the room. I frowned when I realised there were only five of us. Why was he counting again and again?

  “We can wait for Adrian, then we have even teams,” Lee spoke up.

  Matthew rolled his eyes. “We can play three games before he gets here. We can just alternate.”

  “Or I can sit out. I don’t mind watching,” I said, shrugging. I wasn’t too fussed. It was more fun watching anyway.

  “Nonsense. She can play with me,” Darius said before taking a swig of his beer. Then I realised I didn’t bring my phone. Damn it, this would have been a perfect picture.

  Darius, drinking beer, in shorts, he looked like the typical male who is laid back and care free, which I had never seen, and which looked really, really good. “We’ll take turns when it’
s our turn. Kristoff, you okay with it?”

  “Of course! The more, the merrier,” Kristoff said with a shrugged. He grabbed a stick and handed it to me.

  “Settled,” Darius announced. “Matthew and Lee verses us. Just like old times.”

  I watched as Lee set up the table. It had been a long time since I played, a really long time, and I was sure I was going to mess it all up.

  “Kristoff, you break?” Matthew asked and Kristoff nodded, taking his position. The break was one of the most fun things and the hardest, in my opinion, to do. You have to break it so all the balls went in different ways, but also try to get one of them in.

  We called them stripes and coloured, also called big and smalls, to differentiate between the two types of balls. Whoever hits the first ball takes claim of the stripe or colour they hit. From there, their team must only hit that type of ball at all times, or penalties apply. When all of that type of ball is hit, they can go for the blackball.

  If someone else throughout the game hit the black ball into the pocket successfully, game over, they lost. It must be the last ball to hit. And, of course, when Kristoff went for it, two striped balls went in.

  “Fu- Screw you,” said Matthew and I smiled. If they only knew how much I swore. It was Lee’s turn as he walked around the table trying to find a position. Man, they should hear Rose. She put sailors back in the day to shame.

  Matthew missed and it was our turn. Darius looked at me and I shook my head. Hell to the no.

  “You go first,” I said.

  “It’s fine, you go,” he said, waving a hand. Now was not the time to act like a gentleman. Ladies first my arse.

  “No, seriously. I’ll go next.”

  He gave me a look before nodding and I smiled evilly. It was because the white ball was in a horrible place. There was no way I was going to hit something and get it in.

  Lee went next and it was Kristoff’s turn, after I declined his offer of letting me have a shot. They were good. Some of their shots had perfect aim. One ball hit the other and that went right into the pocket, while the other stayed exactly where it touched the other ball. The amount of force used was amazing.

  I watched until the dreaded moment arrived. Matthew finished his and everyone looked at me and I sighed. Here goes nothing. I mean, what’s the worst that could happen? Poke someone’s eyes out? Not too bad.

  “Darius, help your damn wife,” someone said as I stood up from where I was, looking embarrassed and all.

  “No, I’m all good,” I waved a hand as Darius got up to move.

  “I got this,” I nodded when he said he was sure. I did have this. And when I got the ball in, the looks on their faces were priceless.

  Kristoff had a smile, like he knew all along while Matthew was slightly choking. I smiled, patting his shoulder. “I know,” I said as I nodded at him and Darius cracked a grin, shaking his head.

  “Well, okay then,” said Lee, breaking the silence. “Continuing on from that.” He walked around the pool table. I walked back over to Darius, leaning against the table as well.

  “Your dad said you played, but I didn’t realise you could play.”

  “Does my dad tell you everything?” I asked. They talked an awful lot about me. Dad probably told him the time I sneezed so loudly that the neighbors came over to see what was happening.

  “He adores you.” Darius looked down at me.

  I gripped my stick harder. “I know.” I shrugged. I adored him as well, he was my dad.

  “And yes, he does,” he confirmed and I groaned. Goodbye secrets.

  There was a loud clattering noise and we looked to see Adrian holding a bag which knocked over the row of cue sticks standing there. “At least no one died,” he said and I smiled. Adrian.

  CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE

  “Miss me?” Adrian stepped over the sticks and walked toward us. I shook my head. Typical Adrian, leaving the sticks there.

  His face went from happy to confused as everyone started yelling at him for being late. “Alright, okay, I got it,” he huffed, chucking a box onto the pool table. “I brought doughnuts?” he said. It was his truce offer. They all just stared at him before Matthew lunged at the box.

  “Okay, I’ll accept them.”

  Kristoff shot Matthew a look as he shook his head while Lee handed Adrian a stick. “You’re on our team.”

  “Wow, you guys nearly finished,” Adrian said, looking at the table.

  “That’s because she can play,” Matthew nodded toward me, his mouth half full of a doughnut.

  “Oh yea?” Adrian looked up at me. “Never knew you were good with balls.”

  Darius choked on his drink while Kristoff missed, the white cue falling off the table, and an awkward silence came on us while it sunk in, what Adrian said, and my face was on fire.

  “Shit,” Adrian wore as he looked around. “I didn’t mean it like that, you dirty fuckheads.” He grabbed the doughnut out of Matthew’s hands. “Should’ve stayed in bed.”

  And that was how you could hear a pin drop for the rest of the game.

  I crashed onto the sofa beside the fridge and relaxed after our eighth game of pool, feeling somewhat tired. It was when I stabbed Matthew in the eye that I realised I needed a break.

  I knew I was going to poke him in the eye. I had been taking a shot and he was leaning low on the other end, trying to see if I would get it.

  “Go, Aluminium. Go, go, go, go!”

  “Shut up,” I had gritted my teeth at him. “How do you know- Never mind.” No doubt Darius told them my name.

  “Go Aluminium, go.”

  I glared at Matthew and he smiled back at me. He reminded me of Adrian too much, who was beside me muttering, “Miss it, miss it,” and I did. I missed the white ball, my cue stick going right at Matthew who ended up crying like a baby. I mean please, it hit your nose, not broke it.

  But of course I panicked, rushing up to him to help him. It didn’t look too bad, just a bit…red?

  So here I was on couch duty, voluntary, even after they said it was okay, he will live. I decided this would be a time for the break.

  Matthew was beside me holding a cold beer bottle to his nose and I winced. “I’m sorry,” I said for the hundredth time staring at him. His head was back on the couch, mouth slightly open while his eyes were closed.

  “It’s okay, chicca. I shouldn’t have been on the pool table in your line of shot.” He shrugged it off, opening his eyes and staring at the roof before he closed them again. I would have thought he was trying to sleep if he didn’t start talking again.

  “So you and Darius eh?”

  I could feel my stomach flip, and I had no idea why. I shrugged There was nothing there. I changed the topic, or tried to. I mean, it was obvious it was Darius and I, we were damn married. The word still makes me flinch. Married.Wwho would’ve thought I would be married off so young, for a deal. For some stupid agreement by our great great go back five greats, grandfathers. And who would’ve thought our parents would follow that contract?

  “Did you go to uni with Darius, all of you?” I asked, looking around where the others were still playing and laughing.

  Matthew nodded. “Oh yea, business school.” He laughed. “Man, those were good times, only a year ago, but feeit felt like forever.” He turned the beer bottle over again. “Glad he found someone like you.”

  I frowned. “What do you mean?”

  Matthew shrugged. “I don’t know. He’s different, for the better. You’ve changed him.”

  I scoffed, unable to believe what he said. I hadn’t changed anyone.

  For good measure, Matthew added, “I think marriage is doing him good.” He moved the beer bottle and I caught sight of the lump that was quickly forming into a bruise.

  “Maybe you should see a doctor,” I said, moving up for a closer look.

  He shook his head. “Doctors suck,” he mumbled like a kid who didn’t want to get their vaccination. Somehow Matthew seemed like that kid who would cau
se a ruckus just to avoid getting his shots. Him and Adrian.

  I shook my head, taking the beer bottle away from him and looking at the bruise. The cue hit the corner of the nose, between the eye and nose and I realised how lucky that was. Any closer to the eye and it could have damaged it.

  “What are you doing?”

  “Shush, I studied med for a bit,” I said, turning his head here to there. He grimaced at my cold hands. “It’s not too bad. Luckily I didn’t break anything.” I placed the beer bottle back on the lump and let go, letting him hold onto it.