“It’s called guilt.” Ryan handed Jeriah a sentence with the ice cream. “Maybe you’re finally starting to feel bad about what you’re doing to her.” She hung her apron uniform inside the kitchen and called to her dad that she was heading out. “I’ll walk you to the station, Krovstoff. I’ve got some bugs to fix with you.”
“It’s like I’m a program,” he joked nervously, following her. “Bugs to fix.”
“Hah. Did Amy tell you that one?”
“No?”
Ryan considered it as she led him along a shortcut. “Maybe she’s rubbing off on you. She told me the same thing before.” Ryan glanced to the side. “Ice cream tastes better when it hasn’t melted.”
“Right.” He took a spoonful nervously. “What did you want to know?”
“You had a few conditions for Amy when you started this whole contract. Do your conditions apply to you as well?”
“I guess? I mean, why would I need her to be my fiancé if I had an actual girlfriend? I’m pretty sure you’re not asking about my educational plans either.”
Ryan considered this carefully, scrutinizing him as they walked. They were nearly to the train station.
“I’ve heard some things about your cousin’s…business endeavors.”
“They’re over,” Jeriah assured her firmly. “And Gareth’s definitely learned from his mistake.” He wasn’t actually sure of that, but he wasn’t going to let anyone know his uncertainty. He’d talk with Gareth later.
“Of course. I’m just questioning if it’s a trend in the family.”
“I work in a lab,” he told her flatly. “Lab manager in for Fair Ridge’s Dreams Lab, department of psychology.”
He wasn’t sure that that was all about, but Ryan seemed to accept it.
They were at the station. “I’m not going to get in the way of your act,” Ryan said in parting. “You don’t seem like a terrible person. But I think Amy would appreciate if you told her a bit more.”
The train pulled in with a roar, and Ryan waved goodbye before he could yell a question back to her. On the train back, he puzzled over Ryan’s advice before storing it in the back of his mind for later musing.
With Grandmother publicly announcing her intention to retire and the heir to the Krovstoff Group tomorrow, the quiet murmuring of the various relatives had turned into full-on squabbling, making the now almost nightly dinners or meetings even more difficult.
Last evening he’d talked to Grandmother, confirmed that he was interested in taking over, and had a patient discussion with her about plans and policies. It didn’t really matter to much to him; his first actions as Head would enable him to relinquish most of that anyways. The press though, had other ideas. He, Gareth and Sherman had been coaxed into interviews. There had been plenty of parties to stand and smile though, and when he got to work the next morning, he still had to deal with finishing treatment sessions for the projects he was on at work.
Jeriah trudged back to his apartment with a furrow in his brow and unlocked the door with a sigh. The living room was empty, but another pair of shoes told him that Gareth was lurking around. He glanced at the clock. Amery was late out.
He hung his bag up and washed his hands in the kitchenette sink.
“Hello, Amy!” Gareth waltzed into the room. “Oh, it’s you.”
“Sorry to disappoint.”
“This has been the 6th time or so. I ought to stop assuming its her,” Gareth mumbled. He grabbed a bottle of beer and seated himself on the island counter, watching Jeriah get dinner ready. “You can cook?”
“Not usually. Kevin cooked when he was around, and Amery said she cooks when she’s stressed.”
“Wow. She deserves so much better than you.”
“She really does.”
Lynna’s verdict on Amery had been pretty clear too:
“She’s cute. I like her. But Jer, why didn’t you tell me you had a girlfriend?”
He had fidgeted like a kid with his hand caught in the cookie jar. “Lynna, our relationship isn’t exactly a typical engagement….“
“Never mind.” She had seemed to understand what he meant before he even mentioned it. Lynna had seemed hurt too. “Did you choose her?”
“Yes.”
“And did she accept you?”
“I think so.”
“Then that’s all I need to know.”
Maybe Lynna had a point. Whatever happened afterwards, as long as they continued to walk side-by-side…that would should be ok, right? Was it impossible that he’d end up actually loving for the woman he intended to marry just for show?
Or maybe he should just let her go. She was too nice to leave on her own. But she deserved so much better than someone like him, and he recognized it.
But there was something that had to be done. And thanks to Grandmother liking Amery, that goal was so much closer to being accomplished. Even that thought didn’t completely squash his guilt anymore though. He really ought to call it all off and assure her he’d figure the rest out somehow. But part of him wished that she would stay around.
“Cousin.”
“What?” He’d forgotten Gareth was in the room with his thoughts.
“Give up.”
“No.” Jeriah sighed. “Not as long as your conditions stand.”
“I’m still cutting off your research funds, if that’s what you’re still on about.” Gareth replied coldly. “And as for Lynna…I’d be doing her a favor. No one in the Group’s talked to her for years. She hardly comes to family functions anymore. As is she’s only a freak smearing the family name.”
“Lynna was never exiled from the family,” Jeriah replied. “You know that. I’ll make them recognize her.”
“By what? Crashing the rest of the Group?”
“And what about you?”
“At least I can manage a hotel.”
“Really. I thought that was a brothel. An illicit, just-off-campus brothel
manipulating underfunded girls.”
“Hey, I gave them a way to make money. There were flexible schedules, and everyone’s identity was tightly secured.” Gareth glared him down. “I just can’t believe you told Grandmother about that and got it shut down. Think of the poor employs who suddenly lost their income! And I was making profit off of it.”
“You need to stop thinking like that. It hurts the group’s name.”
“Do you know what you sound like? Everything’s about the name, and not the individual people do you, isn’t it?”
“Not at all. It’s individual people who are getting hurt when you think you’re doing them a favor, and individual members of the family that are feeling the effects of stains to the name. That’s the only reason why it matters.”
“And only individual people like me who are slighted when people tattle on them to the head.”
For a while, there was only the sound of the stove. Jeriah drew a thin breath. “I didn’t tell her.”
“You…didn’t?”
“I don’t have time to be reporting every little thing to Grandmother, believe it or not.”
“Who’d you tell then?”
“Lynna. But do you really think Lynna would go reporting to Grandmother?”
Gareth glowered at the island countertop.
The door opened to reveal the best resident of the apartment. “I’m home!”
“Welcome back.” Jeriah glanced over, and something seemed off about her. Her mascara was a little smudged. Had she been crying? She hung her bag up next to his.
“Hi Jeriah, Hi Gareth! Are you guys making dinner?”
“Yeah. Nearly done. You can relax.”
“Do I have time for a quick shower? I’m kinda sweaty.”
“Go ahead.” He glanced over again as she disappeared into his room with an extra bag in her hands. Oh, that was it. She’d changed from the clothes she was wearing at work. The shirt-slacks combo was a little more formal than what people in the Dreams Lab usually wore. He wondered where she had gone. A meeting?
Amery was probably dead tired after a long day at work and a meeting afterwards, but when she got out of the shower, she greeted everyone with a smile again before heading straight for the economics textbook.
Jeriah really admired that— the way she always put on a brave face and showed him a smile. He couldn’t imagine she had things easy, work and then studying whenever she wasn’t being dragged out to dinner with some relative or another. He remember how cold his parents had been and how downright rude Sherman and Valerie had been. He was used to it, but Amery didn’t deserve any of that abuse.
What did he expect? That his parents would suddenly be warm because he brought a girl with him? That his relatives wouldn’t be so hostile if it was someone outside the Group? Amery would mumble a few choice things at home, but she always kept a patient face on outside, and she always found time to check up on him.
Amery was so distracted over dinner, she didn’t seem to notice the silence between the two boys that she usually did.
“Thank you for the meal,” she said. Her smile was forced. What had happened?
“Leave it. I’ll wash,” he offered.
“No it’s ok, you cooked.”
“I don’t mind.” He poured hot water over a portion of tea leaves he’d set out before. “Here. Just relax tonight.”
“O-Okay. Thanks.” Amy perched on a chair by the kitchenette island. She sipped nervously, shuffling nervously in her seat.
Jeriah searched for something to fill the silence. “I talked to Ryan today.”
“Really?” Amy perked up.
“Well, I went to get ice cream.”
“Oh.” Amy giggled, seeming more relaxed already. “Thanks. For trying to get
along with my friends.”
Jeriah was a little caught off guard by how quickly she saw through him. “Not that it did anything. She doesn’t talk about herself at all. She seemed well enough though.”
“Yup! She’s been really excited to be working with Lynna on Passion Fruit stuff.”
Gareth interrupted. “Ryan’s your trans friend, right?” He scoffed. “They would get along. Qu—”
“Gareth, kindly remove yourself if you can’t manage to be civil.”
“What do you mean?” Amery asked.
“Let me guess. Miss Norton also happens to be gay.”
“No, she’s bi. What does it matter?”
“It doesn’t,” Jeriah seethed. Gareth laughed.
“Amy, darling, my cousin never told you why his sister isn’t part of the running for Head of the Group, did he? Well, before you decide to marry this uncommunicative jerk—“
“Wait.” Amery help up her hand, stopping him. “It’s late, I’ve had a long day, and I’d much rather not deal with your family drama right now. I’m going to bed, and Jeriah can tell me when he thinks I need to know.”
She got up, leaving both boys stunned where they were.
“Amy, cupcake, you’re making a mistake. Why do you keep siding with him?”
She whirled. “I am not your cupcake, darling, dear, sweet, or whatever other terms of endearment you have. Leave. Us. Alone.”
Gareth stared after her. “Did Amy just…get mad?”
Jeriah stifled his laugh and moved to follow her. He was probably going to get harangued the moment he walked through the door, but right now, he was swelling with pride. “Isn’t she great?”
Amery was crawling into bed when he entered the room.
“Hey?”
“Oh. Hi.” She held up a candle that had been waiting for her on top of the made
blankets. “Did you make the bed and leave this for me?”
“Yeah. Who else would have?”
“Good point. Thanks. I like this scent.”
“No problem. I get discounts at Passion Fruit.”
“Right…” she shifted from foot to foot nervously.
Jeriah was surprised she wasn’t angry. “Just let me brush my teeth and get a shower. Don’t fall asleep.”
She crawled onto the bed and pulled her textbook onto her lap. “Ok.”
Jeriah tried not to take his time showering, but he used the time to figure out how he was going to say tell her the story. He didn’t need a dream-reader to know she’d be livid when she heard it. “Sorry I took so long.”
“No problem.” She set the book aside immediately and he sat on his cot.
“I’m just going to be direct.”
“Please do.”
“Lynna came out about 5 years ago. The older folks in the Group didn’t think too highly of that. Grandmother didn’t exile her from the family, but she did pull her access to most of the Group’s funds. You asked me why I was gunning for the Head position so much despite being in a different field.” He shrugged. “The Head controls most of the assets to the Group, so they get to make some pretty arbitrary decisions about the family: who gets what access, who’s in charge of different divisions, who has to be married or graduated before they can contend to be the next Head….”
She understood. “…Who’s welcomed at family reunions and to be respected.”
“Exactly.”
“And Gareth has something against Lynna, I guess.”
“Something like it. He thinks she should just cut ties with the family altogether. And if she doesn’t do it, he will.”
“What about Sherman? He’s also a popular contender, right?”
Jeriah scowled. “Sherman hates all of us. Anyways, Gareth and I would both
hate him as Head.”
“I…see.” Amery pulled the covers around her, thinking things over quietly.
“That’s why you’ve both been so excited that Grandmother likes me.”
“It contributes to it,” he admitted. “I’m mostly just glad you’ve somehow found
someone to like in all of my family.”
“I like Lynna,” she pointed out quietly. “And I like you.”
They stared at each other for a heartbeat, not sure how to interpret it. She liked him? Actually liked him? He—spoiled rich kid who couldn’t be dragged out of his lab or apartment for anything else— was likable? He wasn’t sure which of the words to emphasize. The entire concept seemed ludicrous. Yet he felt happy about her choice of words, and very confused at his giddiness.
He picked up his book. “Get some rest. We’ll be seeing her tomorrow and then it’ll all be over.” Maybe if he didn’t tell her, she wouldn’t realize that she was off the hook if he wasn’t made Head. After all, there was no way he could pay for everything on his own. Maybe if he didn’t tell her…no, that was terribly dishonest.
“Yeah.” She turned away from him. “Good night, Jeriah.”
“Good night, Amery.”
The book in his hand remained closed as he watched her drift off to sleep. This was why he thought it would be a good idea to just never get in a relationship. This was why he’d thought it was better to make a contract marriage: He never wanted someone he actually loved to have to deal with his family.
NEXT (The Head of Krovstoff Group)
Notes:
I wasn’t sure if I wanted this from Amy’s PoV once she got back from the walk, but I ended up going with this perspective to give Jeriah and Gareth a chance to talk.
I wanted more page-time to develop Lynna and her tensions with her family before this, but I wanted to stick with a short story and every attempt to do more wasn’t working out well.
So…who would you support as Head of the Group? Jeriah? Gareth? Sherman? Should Grandmother just work on an immortality potion because she can’t seem to find worthy progeny?
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