INHERITANCE AND DIVORCE

Denise moved away from the closet, turned on the device, and began to punch the keypad. Soon, she had placed a call and the phone was glued to her left ear.

Ten seconds later, her call was responded to with a hello.

“Osas!” I cried out and shut my eyes as tears began to well up.

“Denise?”

She tried to speak but the words wouldn’t come.

“Where the hell are you? I went to your house last night and you and Bethany weren’t home…

“Who the fuck are you talking to?” A voice thundered.

She flinched and immediately opened her eyes. She cut the call and shoved the phone back into the closet. Dominic was standing by the door. She didn’t even notice the moment he walked in. Didn’t she shut the door when Mara walked out?

Damn, she didn’t use the lock.

Before she could hold her ground and come up with a reasonable excuse for using his cell phone without permission, Dominic was standing before me, tall and intimidating as always.

He glared at her and just like lightning, he walked past me. Relief would have coursed through her veins but in Charly town, they say never trust a Pante.

Dominic walked to his side of the closet and pulled out a bathing towel. She swallowed the lump that had developed in her chest and remained transfixed to her spot.

Dominic hadn’t said anything but she could feel his anger in every look he threw at her. When she looked in his direction, she saw him taking off his shirt and for reasons she couldn’t comprehend, she couldn’t take my eyes off his bare chest when he took off his shirt.

He had a broad chest and she imagined tracing her fingers around his rib cage. She had expected his chest to be hairy but it looked smooth and she wondered whether it felt smooth.

Snap out of it Denise, she told herself and quickly turned away. He kidnapped her and turned her life upside down in a day and she was here studying his chest? She clenched my jaw and resolved to pull out a dress while Dominic strode to the bathroom.

After several minutes of agonizing thoughts, she managed to pull out a green floral gown. She had taken off the nightie and was now wrapped in a bath towel. All the dresses in the closet were either long, flashy, or formal and I couldn’t see even a pair of jeans.

The shower tap stopped running and my heart skipped a beat. Dominic was done and was going to step out. The thought of breathing the same air with him placed her on edge.

Before she could blink, Dominic was out of the bathroom and was heading toward me. The towel was tied around his waist while his bare chest now wet with water continued to torment her eyes. His wet hair was tousled atop and I had to look down when he got closer.

I was about to take a step toward the bathroom when Dominic spoke.

“You dismissed Mara.”

She sighed. “Why did you take me away from my mother last night? I was about to confront her.”

He moved closer to her. “You're even weaker than you appear. You were out of breath by the time I got to you. I had to carry you back here and for the record, My dad and your mom had left. They didn't even notice you.”

She turned around, feeling determined. “Well, it's time they notice me now and explain what all this whole thing is all about.”

“Look at me, you ungrateful brat.” Dominic fired back.

I turned around to face him and met his index finger raised toward my face.

“How dare you insult my family’s kindness? We gave you a personal maid and you sent her out? Don’t you know that it’s a crime to turn down the services of a Pante maid?”

I clenched my fist.

“I’m not surprised,” Dominic smirked. “Peasants have no honor.”

Her bowels were already heating up with rage. Were they doing me a favor or what? It was the umpteenth time in the last twenty-four hours that he was berating me.

“I don’t have time to babysit you and I don't care what you think of your mother now. You better let that maid do what she’s paid for and enjoy this charade while it lasts. You’ll be a good daughter-in-law and you better watch yourself else I’ll be left with no choice but to handle you.” Dominic added. The last sentence came as a threat and she felt it.

She was now biting my lower lip so hard that she was tasting her blood.

“I’m talking to you. Didn’t you hear me?” He raised an eyebrow. “Look at me!”

“Enough!” she slapped her thighs.

Dominic was taken aback by my reaction.

“Listen, I know you’re doing all you can to tolerate me but trust me, the feeling is mutual.” I continued.

Dominic couldn’t believe his ears. A peasant was trading words with him.

She lifted her head and was now staring at him straight in the face. “Since we both don’t want this, why don’t we respect each other’s boundaries and get this whole charade over with? I can’t stand a minute in this graveyard you call home. My mom and I never had much but we were happy so stop acting like you’re doing us a favor. Besides, you kidnapped me so we know who the victim is here.” She maintained.

“Fine,” Dominic said, masking his shock with a coy smile after her little speech. “I get my inheritance, you get divorced.”

Denise folded her arms across her chest. “Maybe we can begin by you explaining the connection between this forced marriage and your inheritance.”

“I owe no damn bitch an explanation,” Dominic replied and turned away.

That was the end of the conversation.

Feeling more confused than she had been in the last twenty-four hours, Denise dashed to the bathroom.