Chapter Three

The rest of the drive to Abigail's Grandmother's mansion was slow. She was a little extra careful now in case any other stupid person decided to head first into the traffic again. She wasn't about to be responsible for someone's death, and she definitely didn't want a lawsuit in her hands right now. Stephanie, her lawyer, would definitely freak out.

As she drove into the driveway of her Grandma's mansion, she spotted Maurice and Elise running towards her. They must have been watching her from the window.

"Mama.” They both called out to her as they ran towards her, their hands wide open for a hug. All the stress of the day faded away as she felt the ardentcy of her girls' embrace.

"You are late again?" Maurice protested.

"I'm sorry my loves. Mama was in a meeting she couldn't get out of. But I got you some chocolates and gummy worms." She brought out the bags from the back seat of her car. They both snatched it from her, leaping around her excitedly.

"Where is your brother?" Abigail looked through the door, puzzled by why he was not here with his sisters.

"He's in the game room playing video games with Mr Ben." Maurice replied, still fondling with the packet of chocolates in her hand.

"He's been losing too.” Elise chimed in. There was a glint of both victory and anger in her eyes.

"Did Denise not let you play video games with him again?"

"No, I beat him once and he got mad."

Abigail chuckled at her daughter pouting. To her, it was so interesting how simple the beef between children could be.

She knew the reason Denise did not want his sister playing with him.was more than the fact she beat him, knowing Elise and how competitive she was. She probably was being mean and boastful about it too.

"Are you sure it wasn't because you were mocking him again?"

"It's not my fault that he lost and that he can't take the heat."

"Hey! That's mean."

Maurice laughed as she watched her sister being scolded.

"Alright let's go in."

"Aren't we going home tonight mommy?" Maurice asked. Abigail’s eyes twitched. Wasn’t Maurice the type to always ask questions?

"Well, yes but Mama has to talk to Grandma first.” Abigail said as she led the girls into the mansion.

"Good evening, Mrs Weston.”

Abigail gave a curt nod to James, the door man, as she walked past him. She found her Grandmother in the kitchen, baking again.

"Ohhhh. Abigail honey, you are here. It’s been a while since your old woman see those chubby cheeks..” Abigail rolled her eyes at her Grandmother's exaggeration.

"I was here last week, Gran.” Abigail said as she dropped her bag on the table.

"Only to pick up the angels as usual."

Abigail rolled her eyes again. She thought she'd at least get 5 minutes of hush and quietness before the side remarks started coming in but she guessed it was too much to ask after all. It was impossible.

"How have you been, Gran?" She asked, trying to lighten the mood.

"I've been good, you know, where you left me. And you, daughter?”

"The same.”

Abigail's grandmother was a classy woman in her early 70's. She was gorgeous and refined and had a slender body that most teenagers would kill to have. And just like Abigail, she had her blonde hair in a low bun.

"How did the meeting go?"

"Same as always.”

Abigail didn't want to worry her grandmother about her skepticism or give her more reasons to call her clumsy and incompetent, so she remained mum about her suspicions about Donald inc.

"Good, good and how's the search for a husband going?"

Abigail lips thinned. Of course, she'd ask about that again and she wondered why she was barely ever over to visit.

"For God’s sake, Gran, we've had this conversation a million and one times. I am not interested in marriage."

"Every woman should have a man by her side if she desires respect." Abigail’s Grandmother slaps her hand on the table in annoyance.

"Oh my goodness, not this again."

"What again, me telling you the truth?" She sniggered.

"Look Gran I really would rather not have this conversation right now. I have had a very long day and right now, my whole body aches. So please grandma, not today." Abigail spoke in full authority. But her grandma wasn’t the type of woman that would cower on such authority. Abigail knew that wasn’t the end of it.

"I'm only concerned for you. At least, if you aren't going to do it for you, do it for your kids." Her grandmother spoke softly this time around.

"My kids are fine. They don't need a father. They have me and I'm enough."

"Are you, really?" She dropped the question and it bounced out a sturdy reaction from Abigail. She changed her sitting posture, focusing her face on her granny.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Abigail snapped.

"I'm just saying if you won't heed to my threats or the contract, you might as well let your kids have a normal childhood. They are Westons, sure, but they still need a father figure. You are just not enough.”

Abigail felt hurt by her grandmother’s word, but refused to show it.

She sighed… “Have the kids said anything to you."

"When haven't they said something?" Mrs Weston scoffed.

"Everytime they come here, they tell me how you won't let them meet their dad and how their friends make fun of them at school."

Abigail sighed in exasperation. She did not realize her kids' incessant questions about the identity of their father would extend to her Grandmother's ears. God knows who else they've told about their lack of father figure.

"You are doing great but at some point, you are going to need a man to take care of not just your kids but you. It is high time you knew that.”

Abigail mused silently about her Grandmother's warnings. She had employed a new tactic. It was no longer the constant threat of never passing down the company to her like her father intended. Her father's condition was she was to be married before she could inherit his shares — now she was using her kids to manipulate her.

"You know I'm right, honey. Give this kids a chance to have a normal life, they deserve it.”

**********

It was 6pm the next day and Abigail found herself in a bar, few blocks away from work. It wasn't the usual bar she visited often. She wanted a change of scenery. The bar was fully packed, but it didn’t stop her from walking with her poise head on into it.

She motioned to the bartender who immediately came right to her. Abigail’s breath was interrupted immediately she saw his face. The man standing before her was simply breathtaking. This has to be work of art. Anything, but definitely not human!

He had brown hair that was the pigment of mahogany, and a jawline identical to the Roman and Greek Gods. There was no way a man like this worked as a bartender. Abigail mused silently.

He wore a black T shirt that stretched across his chest but was loose around the hem. As he got closer, Abigail caught a whiff of his cologne. She taught he smelled of lavender and aftershave and something else. Alcohol maybe, she couldn't tell, aftersll she was in a bar.

"What can I offer you ma'am?" He asked with a smile. His voice was deep, almost too deep but smooth too. There was a hint of accent in his voice that Abigail couldn't quite place. Abigail didn't bother to return his smile, "A double Martini.” She said curtly.

The bartender nodded and started to prepare her drink. She watched as he made her a drink with so much precision. He had a smooth way of doing things, she observed.

Abigail took her time to study his features. She felt that something about him looked familiar, she just couldn’t get her fingers around it yet. Suddenly, flashes of the day before when she almost hit a man resurfaced. Yes! She remembers now. It was definitely him.

"Long day at work?" The bartender spoke as he swiftly went about making her drink.

"Excuse me?" Abigail didn't expect the man to speak to her with words like that.

"Your shoulders look stiff and you've been tapping on the table relentlessly. Plus, you are wearing a suit, you just seemed like you had a stressful day at work."

Abigail thought about ignoring his question. Who did he think he was analyzing her like that? Did he know who he was speaking to so casually?

"Are you getting paid to make useless observations too?" She asked, curtly.

"Ah, I get it.."

"Get what?"

"You are one of the brooding types. The very work-oriented kind of woman that believes she can conquer the world."

"I have conquered the world.” She snapped.

The Bartender smiled with glee. He knew he was right about her. Abigail was flustered by the man's audacity. All her life she had been told she was difficult to read or approach, and that she had to loosen up but she was uninterested in what people had to say about her and her character. This was why most people stayed out of her way. But why did this man think he could speak to her?

The bartender slides her drink to her.

"Enjoy.” He said before walking off to a group of girls that had been trying to get his attention.

Abigail watched him leave. He was a good flirt too as he made the girls giggle and listened to whatever they were saying. She seeped her drink in silence or at least as silent as it could be in a crowded bar.

She was lost in the reverie of the ring when her phone rang. She picked it up, and it was Mark.

"What do you want Mark?"

"Why so serious, my love?"

She could hear the smile in his voice and she clenched her fist.

"Don't call me that, what do you want?"

"Look behind you."

Abigail turned to find Mark sitting in a booth, smiling from ear to ear.

"Join me."

"Not interested." Abigail said and immediately hung up.

She went back to her drink. She wasn't about to do this tonight. She was here to unwind and forget about her problems even if it was just for an hour or two, and she'd be damned if she let one of them stress her out.

Her phone rang again and with a sigh she picked it up.

"What?" She snapped looking behind her again only to find Mark waving at her.

"Come sit with me, we need to talk"

"I told you, I'm not..."

"Trust me you'll want to hear what I have to say.”

Abigail's hands balled as she heard that. She had a nagging feeling that Mark was about to blackmail her and she didn't like it. Something in her gut told her to ignore him but she had always been a curious girl. She needed to know what he knew so she could control things. She tried to pay for her drink but the bartender told her it was already taken care of by Mark.

She walked towards Mark, her face unreadable. She could feel the stares of both men and women on her as she moved past, but she ignored them all. She was used to attention after all.

"This better be good.” She gritted her teeth as she took her seat opposite Mark.

"Hello to you too, and I'm doing great this evening."

Abigail rolled her eyes… "What the hell do you want?"

"Do you want anything to drink?"

"No, tell me why you called me here?" She snapped impatiently.

"Well, I've been thinking about this for the longest time now, and I know it's sudden, but will you…marry me?"

"I beg your pardon?"