Monday 2 October 2017

Hate button needed



'Thank you for the meal, Tate. I'm very impressed.'

'It's my pleasure.'

'And your wife and children are immaculate, as usual. Well, apart from your son's beard...'



'Oh, that. Well, you know what teenagers are like! They all go through a period of rebellion.'

'Not the girl, I hope.'

'No, no. Carmella's always been the picture of good behaviour, haven't you, darling?'



'Oh, yeah.'

'Good. You have to get them started early. I know there are those who think they should spent their youth "getting it out of their system", but I'm a firm believer in enforcing it from an early age. Some people have no respect for values any more.'



'I couldn't agree with you more.'

'So... it was nice meeting her. She'll be good, I think.'



'Huh?'

'I assure you, she will be. You'll find no complaints.'

'I did have a few things I wanted to discuss with her.'

'Such as?'

'My expectations.'



'Ah, I see... Well, you do know I haven't told her yet...'

'Why not now, then? So she'll know what's what.'

'Okay, that's a fair point.'



'What are you talking about, Father?'

'Carmella's upcoming marriage to Quinn.'

'....What?'



'What...marriage...?'

'It's been arranged for quite a while. I intended to tell her closer to the time, but now will be just as good. Carmella, you're going to marry Quinn.'

'Uh...'



'Tate? Are you serious?'

'W-when is this meant to be happening...?'

'In a couple of years, once you're eighteen.'

'I don't understand...'



'Look, I'm going to be upfront about this. Quinn is nearing forty and I still haven't found a suitable wife for him. A good few years ago, Tate and I agreed that if this happened, he'd let him have one of his daughters.'

'Excuse me?!'

'And as such, here we are.'



'Mr Fortescue has helped our family greatly over the years. It's only fair that I give back to him in return.'

'So you thought you'd sell our daughter?!'

'...Roxxi, a word outside please.'



'I must say, I hope she's a lot more agreeable than her mother.'

'You shut the fuck up! Your son's not going anywhere near Carmella!'

'I do apologise. I'm not quite sure what's gotten into her. Come on Roxxi, let's go.'







'But yes, my expectations. As a wife, there's a certain code of conduct you'll need to follow.'



'No...'

'It's your duty to fulfil his every need. No request is too much. Speak when spoken to, and significantly: don't look or behave like a tart.'



'Okay, that's enough. Don't fucking talk to my sister like that! She's not marrying your stupid son!'

'Hold your tongue, boy!'

'Boy? I'm a CEO! You don't get to shut me up. Speaking of which, has he got a tongue? Because he hasn't said a word all evening.'



'Father arranges business for me.'

'Why? Are you too stupid to do it yourself?'



'Tate speaks highly of you, Tristan. I wouldn't get too hasty here. You don't want him to be disappointed in you, do you? Because if you don't keep quiet, I'll go back on the deal-'

'Good! That's what I want!'

'Perhaps, but do you want me to rescind all of my political funding? I have the power to make things difficult. I don't think he'd be best pleased if I told him it was all your fault.'



'...We'll discuss this another time.'

'Wise move.'





'What the fuck do you think you're playing at? Damn it Roxxi, you could ruin this for me!'

'No, what are you playing at?! That's our daughter!'

'And? She needed to find a way to be useful to this family anyway.'

'How dare you! She doesn't exist to please you, you fucking asshole! There's nothing wrong with her-'



'Shut up. I made this deal with Richard a long time ago, and you will not get in the way of it. Who do you think bought this house? Because it wasn't me. You know we were still recovering back then.'

'We? Sorry, don't you mean you? I know all about how you went bankrupt, and that's nothing to do with me and everything to do with you being a sociopath!'

'That's a big word for you, isn't it?'



'Oh, go to hell. This arrangement isn't going ahead. Our daughter isn't a deal. She's never so much as kissed a boy, for fuck's sake. I'm not going to let you marry her off. That's disgusting. You're disgusting.'

'I don't see why you're objecting so much to an arranged marriage, considering ours.'



'It's hardly a marriage any more. Never was one.'

'True. But I've got what I want out of it, at least. Now when we go back in there, just fucking co-operate.'

'Fine. But this still isn't happening. He'll marry her over my dead body.'



'...You know exactly just how easily that can be sorted.'

'...I hate you.'

'Likewise. Now let's get a move on before he changes his mind.'

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