Twisted Dreams

Chapter 3

          I hurried up the staircase, a steaming tea pot and two saucers stacked precariously on a tiny platter in my hands.

       Once I reached the top of the staircase, I skidded to a stop outside of my father's study, prepared to open the door when I heard my name. I paused, and considered opening the door instead of eavesdropping when I heard it again, this time from Richard's mouth.       

      "Your daughter, Vivianna, has grown truly lovely," Richard remarked.

      "Hasn't she? Stubborn as a mule though, just like her mother," my father quipped, his voice tightening at the mention of my mother.

      "Yes," Richard laughed in reply, oblivious to my father's emotional moment.

      "I'm glad you've decided to visit Richard, it's been a while," he trailed off, "but why are you here - if you don't mind my asking," my father questioned, quick to avoid pleasantries and get down to business.

      "To be quite frank, sir, I haven't come for you, but for Vivianna," he responded.

      There was a beat of silence, the rustling of some papers, and the sound of a glass being filled - likely with my father's favorite bourbon - before I heard what sounded like the men settling down for a meeting - a meeting about me.

      "I see," he finally responded, "and what is it you wish to say to her?"

      "I intend to ask for her hand in marriage, but only with your blessing of course," Richard replied saccharinely.

      I jolted, almost dropping one of the tea saucers, before I bent back down to tune in once more. 

      "She is the most beautiful lady I've ever met, and I feel as though she is the best match for me," he continued, though I could hardly hear through the sound of the blood rushing through my ears - shock, confusion, anger all coursing through me, but I had no time to stop to consider any of these feelings.

      "Why Richard! This is a surprise - an expected one - but a surprise none-the-less..." my father responded, giving no indicator of a further input.

      "With Vivianna's strong nature, I am the best option to ensure her a profitable marriage. All I ask is her hand, will you give her to me?" he questioned hope bleeding into his insufferably arrogant tone.

      Give me? I thought vehemently, my blood pumping harder, As if I'm some sort of object without feelings.

      "Richard, you're quite right," my father responded as my heart stopped, "I can't think of anyone better for my Vivianna, and whom I can call son."

      My hands trembled, and I risked dropping the tea set. This cannot happen, I thought to myself. With no second-thought, I burst open the door to my father's office, causing a large bang as the door slammed the wall.

      The two men sat exactly as I had imagined, grins still stapled upon their face from their conversation, but quickly sliding away at the sight of my face.

      "Vee," my father said, with disapproval at my abrupt entry and apparent eavesdropping.

     "Vee, darling-," Richard started.

      "Stop. I told you never to call me that," I interrupted with a strong voice that I hardly recognized, "Marriage?! Father, you can't seriously be considering this!"

      My father set down his glass of bourbon and stood up, beginning to look irritated.

      "Vee, you must know that Richard has been interested in you for some time now, and I can see you've just overheard. I intended on sitting down to talk with y-" my father began with his mouth pinched.

      "Talk about what? You've already given me over, without even asking what I thought," I shrieked, losing grip on my already small amount of control. 

      "Have you ever considered that maybe I don't like Richard, or even the idea of marriage? Maybe I don't want to get married to the first man who proposes! Maybe I don't want to end up like mom," I finished, with my voice steadily getting louder so that my last word was still ringing throughout the house.

      I began to see the tears form in his eyes, but before I could consider the impact of my words, I felt a warm hand descend on my shoulder that sent me into a frenzy all over again.

      "Don't touch me!" I shouted in the direction the arm came from to find a disgruntled looking Richard.

      "Ve- Vivianna, you're being ridiculous! Marriage is not the end of the world, if anything, your marriage to me could be the best thing that could ever happen to you," he continued while I scoffed in indignation, "Can't we just sit down and-" 

      "No." I responded quietly but firmly, "there's nothing to discuss. I don't like you, and I will never ever marry you! Nothing in this world could make me change my mind!" I finished, turning to leave before my tears could fall in front of them. I could hear my father and Richard starting to follow, but I slammed the door in their faces before they could do anything.

      "Vivianna! You are behaving terribly!" my father yelled, using my full name instead of my nickname, "Come back here and apologize this instant!"

      I stopped to wipe my tears away, and I could hear Richard's response.

      "It's alright, let her go. If she won't be with me out of choice, perhaps we will have to use other means to break her strong will into something more... manageable," Richard responded with a strange calm.