Arranged Marriage, Wanted Wife

by Mary Goldberger

  Craig glanced over at the right time catching the light that darkened his friends’ eyes and wondered who Waren was thinking about in that instant. Sliding Pricilla a hooded look, Craig suspected that it wasn’t the woman who had invited herself to lunch. Glancing back at Waren, Craig took a sip of his water thinking it had been a long time since he saw that light of male appreciation in Waren’s eyes. Craig was curious to know who the woman was, and nodded his head once, deciding that whoever she was, he would give her his full support especially if she made Waren start living again.

  Putting down his glass just as the server arrived with their plates, Craig started making idle conversation thinking about why he originally called this meeting other than getting Waren’s insight of a project they were working on together.

  Craig monopolized the conversation edging Pricilla out whenever she tried to intervene, and Craig saw the light of humor that danced in Waren’s eyes knowing what he was doing.

  The server had removed their plates and Craig sat back since he ordered dessert to say easily. “So, Waren, what were your plans?”

  Waren put down his glass and shifted it out of the way while he picked up his briefcase opening it and taking a folder out which he handed over to Craig.

  “This is what I had in mind,” Waren began closing his briefcase and briefly going over the details while Craig read the information in the file.

  Craig noted Waren’s all business attitude although a light still lingered in his eyes, and Craig mentally smiled going over the information Waren gave him.

  Waren and Craig continued discussing business while Pricilla sat at the table getting irritated at being neglected.

  Almost an hour later, they were leaving the restaurant Pricilla clinging to Waren’s arm when Craig told him with wicked smile. “Delilah is throwing a party within the next few weeks. She wanted me to invite you…” He saw Pricilla smile and open her mouth before he continued. “She wants to meet your wife.”

  Waren felt Pricilla stiffen next to him, but he didn’t worry about her staring at Craig.

  “Delilah was upset when someone mentioned that you got married,” Craig slanted Waren a look seeing something flash across his face, and he wondered what that meant. “I’ll call you with details and Waren, I want to meet your wife too.”

  Before Waren could comment, Craig waved ‘goodbye’ and got into his car driving away, and Waren watched his taillights mentally laughing with excitement.

  “Unsophisticated man,” Pricilla stated waspishly glaring after Craig’s car before turning to Waren with a sly smile. “Waren…”

  “Do you need a ride home, Pricilla,” Waren cut her off starting for his car sensing that Pricilla was startled at his crass attitude.

  “Yes, Waren,” Pricilla finally answered when she caught up with him sliding into the passenger seat when Waren held open the door. “Would you like to come up…?”

  Waren closed the door on her words and walked around to the driver’s side climbing in to start the car and pulling out of the parking lot, he glanced briefly at Pricilla.

  She was spitting mad, he could tell with indifference, returning his attention to his driving.

  Once at her condo, Waren walked Pricilla to her door and once again, she tried to issue an invitation.

  “Waren, I bought a new wine. Would you like to share it with me?” she asked lightly with a light caress of her hand.

  Waren stepped away glancing down at his wristwatch. “I can’t, Pricilla, I have my conference in about fifteen minutes.”

  Giving her a hurried ‘goodbye’, Waren headed back to his car calling his office to inform Ms. Chester that he was running a little late and to make his apologies, and in the next breath, he asked her to call the hospital again. He wanted to know when Jassi Parks ended her shift for the day.

  Snapping his phone closed, Waren’s eyes narrowed but there was a smile that hovered around his firm mouth.

  Arriving back at the office, Waren settled back down to business gracefully apologizing for his lateness while getting Ms. Chester to get some desserts while they discussed the upcoming projects one being what he and Craig had talked about over lunch.

  The meeting broke up late and it was going on almost five thirty when Ms. Chester poked her head in the doorway to tell him that she was leaving.

  “Oh, by the way, Jassi Parks gets off at seven fifteen tonight.”

  She winked when Waren’s head shot up at her remark, and he growled ‘goodnight’ hearing her laughter as she exited the office.

  Shaking his head, he went back to the paperwork in front of him forgetting the time until his phone buzzed sometime later.

  Blinking his eyes, Waren glanced at his watch noting the time was six thirty and absently picked up the phone.

  Uttering a simple ‘hello’, he winced when he heard Pricilla’s sultry voice over the wire and he noticed for the first time the whining note that was threaded through her tone.

  Waren listened to her subtle hint to take her out that evening and without hesitation, Waren decided that he wasn’t interested.

  “I’m sorry, Pricilla, but I have other plans for this evening,” he stated without hesitation, or even, reluctance. “In fact, I’m going to be late so if you will excuse me. You have a nice evening.”

  He hung up hearing her stutter for once since his known her, and he found himself smiling while he gathered his work, and left the office.

  Fifteen minutes later, he was leaning against his car outside the exit of the hospital waiting for his wife to get off.

  Just as the door slid open to admit Jassi and a few other nurses, Waren’s cell phone rung and he ignored it striding toward his wife eyes narrowed, but studying intently the woman he married.

  Reaching them not even a second later, his hand reached out and grabbed Jassi by the arm feeling it stiffen at his touch and her head swung around in caution blue-violet eyes widening in recognition.

  “What…” her voice uttered its soft tones causing something to stir within him.

  “We need to talk.” His voice came out harshly and seeing the look of wariness that drifted across Jassi’s face, he stifled the urge to take her in his arms. “Now.”

  Chapter 2

  Jassi didn’t say a word while Waren drove although she wondered where he was taking her when suddenly he pulled over.

  When he turned off the car, Jassi looked at him with wide eyes before she looked out the windshield. He had pulled up to a park not too far from the hospital, Jassi noted when he opened his door and climbed out.

  Jassi reached for the passenger door handle opening it before Waren got around the car and she missed the disappointed look Waren gave her as she closed the door behind her after getting out.

  Jassi closed her eyes and drew in a deep breath as the wind blew softly causing the flowers in the park to sway gently.

  Her eyes stayed closed waiting for Waren to say something and finally, when the silence lasted too long, she asked quietly. “What did you want to talk to me about?”

  Waren leaned against the car watching her before he said in a hard tone. “How long have you been a nurse?”

  At his question, she spun around her eyes flashing open to look at him in confusion before she answered hesitatingly. “About three years.”

  Waren staring into his wife’s blue-violet eyes lost his train of thought for a few seconds before he mentally shook his head. “A friend, and colleague, of mine has invited us to a party they are having although they are not sure about the date yet.”

  Jassi tilted her head at him confusion all over her face. “I don’t understand. Why are you telling me?”

  “You are my wife,” Waren stated with no emotion in his voice.

  “In name only,” Jassi retorted giving him a look before she turned and settled back against the car. “Why don’t you take that woman, Pricilla I believe her name was, instead? You can just say that she is your wife.”

  Waren shook his head with a brief smile.
“Unfortunately, they know Pricilla and she was with us at lunch when he issued the invitation.”

  Jassi sighed before she asked, “Don’t you have some other woman that can play the part?”

  Waren snapped at her. “They are little upset that I haven’t introduced my wife to them yet and I’m not going to present a woman who isn’t my wife whether or not we are married in name only.”

  After his statement, the only sound that they could hear was the wind and few insects before Jassi said in a tired voice, “I am surprised you told them that you were married in the first place.”

  “I didn’t,” he admitted in a rough voice. “Craig and his wife Delilah heard about it from another friend, and Delilah was a little upset to learn I got married without inviting them.”

  A short laugh came from her before she turned heading back to the passenger door. “For your friends, I will go with you to the party although I must be losing my mind for going. It would be easier to tell your friends that we were married because of your father and my grandmother, and plan to divorce in a few months.”

  She shook her head opening the door and sliding inside while Waren watched before joining her.

  “Thank you,” his tone was cool.

  “Thank me after we attend,” Jassi spoke without hesitation as he started the car and drove back to the hospital so Jassi could pick up her own car.

  “I will see you at the house,” Waren told her glancing at his watch when she got out of the car. He didn’t miss the startled look that Jassi sent him. “I will be eating at home tonight.”

  Before Jassi could tell him she didn’t eat with the family, he had pulled the door closed and driven off with Jassi staring after him.

  “What’s gotten into him?” She muttered to herself before climbing into her own car and heading back to the Glenson house.

  Anita met her at the door as she seemed to do every day and Jassi laughed when she was informed. “Siria asked to see you when you came home.”

  Jassi nodded her head before she ran up the stairs saying over her shoulder. “Tell her I will be down in ten minutes, please Anita.”

  Jassi liked her sister-in-law from the first moment they met the day after her wedding. Jassi had taken some time off from her work because her grandmother had told her it was normal for married couples to go on a honeymoon afterwards and it would look odd if she didn’t request time off. Jassi’s honeymoon consented of getting acquainted with her new home and the people in it. Her father-in-law and brother-in-law were rarely home and when they had been, Jassi was ignored. The few servants in the household treated her with disrespect while Siria was friendly but cautious. Within those two weeks she took off, Siria and she became friends while the servants thawed a little towards her.

  Jassi shook her head changing her clothes and brushing her hair out before pulling it back up into a lose ponytail telling herself that thinking about those days will only make her depressed as she laced up her sneakers before leaving her room.

  She found Siria in the garden where she spent most of her time when she wasn’t working in the library. Siria was a ghost writer for a well-known author and when Jassi learned who, she had been disappointed but then proud that she knew the true author of such amazing stories.

  “Hi Siria,” she called out exiting the house and Siria looked up from a rose bush she was pruning.

  “Hi Jassi.” Siria greeted back with a smile.

  Jassi walked over and watched her not even attempting to help. They both knew that when it came to plants, Jassi was hopeless because the one plant that Siria had Jassi take care of died a few days afterwards.

  “Waren called earlier today wanting to know what your maiden name was,” Siria told her abruptly.

  Jassi flinched at her words. “Well, that explains why he showed up at the hospital this evening.”

  Siria stopped and turned to look at Jassi seeing what others if they looked closely would see. Jassi was a pretty woman with long dark hair that went past her shoulder blades when she left it down and a slender frame although one could tell she was a woman, but her redeeming feature was her stunning blue-violet eyes that tended to reflect her feelings when she wasn’t careful.

  Siria knew that she, herself, was considered a beautiful woman and although Jassi wouldn’t be labeled as beautiful, Siria thought she was very pretty.

  “Jassi, do you ever use your account?” Siria asked starting to pack up her garden tools.

  At her question, Jassi recalled the day Bowen called her into his office about a week after she moved in.

  Tossing down a checkbook and card, Bowen gave her a hooded glance. “Waren set up an account for you so you won’t bother him about money. He will place in the account a monthly allowance of a thousand dollars.

  Jassi shook her head pushing the memory away telling Siria. “I cut up the card the same day I received it and the checkbook went through a shredder.”

  Siria started laughing when they turned and headed back to the house. “I do believe that Waren would be madder than you know if he finds out.”

  “Now why would he find out?” Jassi asked with a smile although her tone was serious.

  Siria bit her lip causing Jassi’s smile to slip. “Siria…”

  “I may have informed Waren that you are going by your maiden name still,” Siria admitted with a wince. “I’m sorry, but I saw the mail laying on your bed one day and noticed the name.”

  Jassi sighed, but she gave Siria a small smile. “It’s okay. I figured he would discover it sooner or later so don’t worry about it, Siria.”

  Siria laughed lightly giving Jassi a smile although it was twinge with sadness. “Thank you. I’m going upstairs to get ready for dinner.”

  Jassi nodded her head when they separated in the hallway with Jassi heading for the kitchen while Siria headed upstairs to her and Brody’s room.

  Almost ten minutes later, Waren walked into the house catching Brody and Siria starting for the living room.

  “Hi, big brother,” Brody said surprise on his face while Siria smiled giving him a hug.

  Waren nodded his head at him shifting his eyes to Siria when she added, “I must admit even I’m stunned at seeing you and I thought I had you figured out.”

  Waren winked at her playfully causing Brody to respond in kind with a light humorous frown. “Watch it, Waren,” he warned.

  Both Siria and Waren laughed walking into the living room together when Bowen looked up from the newspaper that he was reading.

  He frowned when he saw Waren folding up the newspaper and placing it on the coffee table. “What are you doing here tonight?”

  At the raised eyebrows at his question, Bowen chuckled before continuing. “Although I must admit it is nice for you to eat dinner with us every once in a while.”

  The phone rung by his chair and he reached over to answer it as Anita came into the room to let everyone know that dinner was ready.

  Sitting down to dinner, Waren glanced around the table a slight frown coming to his face as Anita came out with another place setting for him.

  “Where’s my wife,” Waren asked suddenly getting a surprised look from everyone in the room.

  Bowen began to eat after he told his oldest son. “I tolerate her because I’m the one who forced the marriage, but it doesn’t mean that I have to eat with her.”

  Waren put his utensils down slowly as what his father said ran through his mind and he glanced over at Siria who explained quietly. “Jassi came down the first night to dinner and your father told her in no certain terms that she wasn’t allowed in the dining room…”

  Waren watched when Siria threw her father-in-law a smug look continuing her thought. “Until you actually came to share dinner with the family.”

  Bowen scowled his fork hitting the table saying sharply, “I don’t want that woman in here while I’m eating. Once I leave the table, then I don’t care.”

  Anita listened with earnest eyes before she interrupted. “Excuse me for
intruding, but you don’t have to worry, sir, since Jassi has already eaten and now is probably in her room.”

  Anita nodded her head before she left the room and Waren frowned heavily starting to eat wondering if Jassi was challenging him. He had specifically told her that he would be here for dinner and he may not have said it, but expected her to be there also.

  After dinner, he left the dining room heading up the stairs as Siria followed and caught him at the top of the stairs.

  “What is going through your mind, Waren,” she asked catching his attention and he glanced back at her.

  “I need to talk to Jassi,” he told her in a cool voice.

  Siria gave him her determined look and he sighed running a hand through his dark brown hair. “Craig heard about my marriage and they want to meet my wife.”

  Siria shook her head at him. “You should be honest with them, Waren, instead of getting Jassi involved.”

  “Too late,” Waren told her in a controlled voice. “Craig and Delilah know, and you know how Delilah is when she thinks about marriage.”

  Siria flinched remembering the look in Delilah’s eyes when she first met her and how she seemed to believe that everyone got married because of undying love for each other.

  “She is older than I am, and yet her look on marriage is more naïve,” Siria stated watching Waren nod his head.

  “She wants to meet my wife,” Waren stressed to her leaning against the post at the top of the stairs. “I’ve already talked about it with Jassi and she agreed to go with me after she told me to take Pricilla, but Pricilla isn’t my wife.”

  “Not that you could pull it off anyway since both Craig and Delilah know exactly who she is,” Siria commented getting a sharp nod from Waren.

  Waren straightened up speaking lowly. “I need to talk to Jassi and see if she can get the time off.”

  Siria gave him a surprised look which he took with a humorless chuckle. “She works and I can’t just assume that they will allow her to take days off when she needs to at such a late notice.”