Done deal

The proposal

“Mr. Blackwell, I’ve already started the transition to take over my dad’s business, if I’m hired by you my father would need to take back all of my responsibilities and groom one of my brothers to take over. And since they are all idiots that would spell disaster, isn’t there something else we can offer?” Ella pleaded with Mr. Blackwell.

His eyes glinted at that and a tug at his lips emerged. Mr. Gerraldi simply sighed while combing his fingers through his thinning hair.

“Ella, my apologies, I must not have been clear. I have no intention of hiring you. And for your i***t brothers, I have absolutely no interest in acquiring them. If your father wishes to retire I will be more than happy to supply him with the staff to do so. I have plenty of associates that could fit the bill.”

Mr. Blackwell took a deep breath as he glanced over Ella's frame, his smile deepened as he looked straight into her eyes.

“It seems like you can fix all of our challenges Mr. Blackwell, and we are very grateful. I just fail to see what you would need my daughter for?”

Mr. Gerraldi scratched his forehead as he leaned slightly forward, his composure was slowly faltering. He seemed exhausted with baggy eyes and a wrinkly shirt, his complexion once tanned was now a shade of grey.

Mr. Blackwell turned to look at Mr. Gerraldi, “please, call me Liam, I think we soon will be moving past formalities like addressing each other with surnames.”

Mr. Gerraldi gave a quick nod at that, “very well Liam, please feel free to call me by my given name Max, or just Map as my friends call me.”

“Thank you, Max, to clarify, I do not wish to acquire Ella as an employee, I wish to acquire her as my wife.”

Both Ella and Map choked on that, Map exhaled in surprise and confusion.

Ella scoffed and shook her head, “Mr. Blackwell...”

Liam interrupted to correct Ella, “Liam! Please.” Then he smiled at her briefly as he made a continuous motion with his hand.

Ella took a deep breath and continued, “Liam, I fail yet again to see how this is beneficial for you unless the wife is some code word for a snack or steady food supply.”

Liam's lips pursed into a thin line, as he squared his shoulders, he leaned further into the seat and gave a quick exhale through his nose. “Ella, I do not ‘snack’ on people. I do not hunt, and I certainly do not view my friends and family as food.”

Ella gave a curt smile at that, “my apologies Liam, I never wanted to imply that you snacked on your friends. I hope I can make amends if I offended you, I just really do not see what you see as beneficial in such an arrangement. We do not hold any positions or alliances that would benefit you, and I’m sure there are many more influential families you can marry into.”

Liam quickly replied, “that is true Ella, but none of these families hold what I want, and that brings us back to this proposal. As you hold what I want, you!”

Ella's jaw dropped, and her eyes widened as she realized the true meaning of his proposal, “you are saying, that the reason for this marriage would not be anything I bring? But rather me specifically?”

Mapap had bulging eyes, looking like they were to pop out of his skull, and his grey complexion turned to ashy white. “Are you saying you want my daughter as aaa...aaa ehm, ‘traditional’ wife?”

Ella interjected her father, “please dad, just say it, you’re talking about sex.” Ella huffed at her dad, she was growing impatient with all of the gentle approaches.

Liam turned to face Ella and with a flat tone like it was the most natural thing to discuss, “yes Ella, married couples do have sex.”

He then paused before he continued, “you would fulfill the role in the, as your father said, ‘traditional’ way. You would live with me, accompany me on my travels, sleep in my bed, spend time with me and my friends, and things like that.”

Ella just her head as she was internally going over the millions of questions running through her mind, “so I would just marry you, fulfill all my roles, and then after so and so many years just get a divorce?”

Liam gently shook his head, “no Ella, no divorce, no separation or lovers on the side. I do mean a traditional marriage.”

Ella's face grew a shade whiter and her checks got a bit rosy, “so this is a lifetime commitment?”

Map threw his palm to his office table, “enough Ella, you can not seriously be considering this?”

Map was now bright red and his pupils were now large making his eyes look almost black.

“Dad, can you honestly say we have any alternative? We either all die, plucked off this earth one by one. Or I get married and we all live. How is this even a choice? I only see one alternative.”

Map gripped his hands behind his neck as he stared into his desk, his shoulders were slumped and his back hunched.

Ella moved to sit further out on her seat and crossed her legs, she tilted her head and looked at Liam, “no snacking, no biting, no hitting, and you can’t kill me when you grow tired of me. And no lovers go both ways.”

Liam grinned at her, “of course dear, I do plan on treating my bride well.”

Ella snorted while shaking her head, she then stood up and straighten her shirt. She extended her right hand. Liam stood up and buttoned back his open jacket, then he extended his right hand, took hers, and shook it. Liam went to the office door, opened it, and left the office. Ella followed him, left was Map, now resting his head on his desk. From under his slumped frame, you could hear a sniffle and soft sobs.