Page 3 of Caged in Desire
“Mr. Taranov, it’s an honor to finally meet you in person after all this time. Although I will concede, I was caught off guard by the urgency of your meeting request,” I say firmly, still shaking his hand.
Finally, we release each other, and instead of answering my question, he turns to introduce his companions. “Thank you both for accepting our meeting on such short notice. This is my brother and VP of operations, Ivan. And our solicitor, Mr. Tanev.” He gestures to his brother, who, despite sharing the same height, has a much slimmer build and more delicate facial structure, and his solicitor, who is even rounder than Mr. Taranov.
Mother arranges everyone around the table and I can tell she’s nervous by how quiet she is. Something has really bewildered her about this meeting.
“Pavel, I am simply dying to know what brings you here today,” Mother says, and Pavel beams.
He doesn’t beat around the bush, and each word out of his mouth sounds like an alien language.
“Well, dear Blanche, we’ve come to collect on our contract! My darling daughter, Katarina, will be eighteen in a few days, and she’s very excited to marry your Henry!”
Silence fills the room as I try to make sense of what he’s saying. As shocked as I am, Mother doesn’t seem to feel the same way. She looks confused and surprised, but not dumbfounded.She knows something. This isn’t a foreign concept to her.
“What do you mean, an eighteen-year-old daughter, Pavel? That is absolutely not possible. I’ve—” Mother is interrupted by therealPavel, with fiery rage in his eyes.
“You’vewhat, exactly? You’ve watched my family’s every move, had snipers and assassins trailing every one of us for years, waiting for any sign of a baby so that you could break your family’s word and deprive us of our reward? You’ve dealt blow after blow to our side of the business, trying to ensure that we never gained a toehold, let alone a foothold in the States? Well, you certainly tried. But our business has grown despite your best efforts, and Idohave a daughter. She’s survived you, and we’re ready to fulfill this contract once and for all!”
He’s spitting by the end of his monologue and red in the face, his brother placing a soft hand on his forearm that’s immediately shrugged off. Before I can tell him that no one speaks to my mother like that, she proves that she’s capable of defending herself. Her defense is decidedlynota denial.
“I simply do not believe you, Pavel. I wouldknowif you had any offspring. There is no way that you kept a girl confined to a house for eighteen years without so much as a birth record or a social security card crossing my desk. There isno waythat not a single person from your payroll took my money to inform on you,all these years!” Mother says, indignantly.
A thick manila envelope is slid across the table while Mother stares at it as if it holds a death warrant, the scratch of the metal clasp sounding across the table like a death knell. Rather dramatic of her, considering it’smylifebeing debated in a conference room right now.
“I think you’ll find, Mrs. Sinclair,” says Mr. Tanev derisively, “everything you could possibly want to know about Ms. Taranova is in this file. Her medical records, school transcripts, photos, and even some of her special interests are reported on in detail.”
“Ah!” Mother exclaims, a smug look crossing her face for the first time since this meeting began. “The contract states that if no female was born to your family before Henry's eighteenth birthday, the deal would be void. It looks like you lost by a day, Mr. Taranov, as they share a birthday.” Turning to me, she looks relieved and addresses me for the first time during the meeting, a contrite look on her face. “I’m sorry you had to experience this stress, Henry. This contract was astupidthing drafted by your grandfather, and it was supposed to beyour fatherwho fulfilled it, but…”
“But he reneged on it, eloped with you, and punted responsibility forhisshortcomings to his poor heir! And now it seems that you wish to do the same, Henry. I feel foolish for expecting anything else out of the slippery Sinclairs. Well, if that’s the way you wish to do business, Blanche. I’ll have you know that Katarina does indeed share a birthday with you, Mr. Sinclair. In fact, it seems my daughter was born to be your birthday present.”
Mr. Taranov’s expression darkens. “The contractspecificallystates that if a suitable daughter isn’t born by theminuteHenry Sinclair Jr.’s first son turns eighteen, the deal would be void.”
Mother’s posture deflates at her defeat as he slides the corresponding documents to her. “As you’ll see, Katarina was born at 2:06 a.m. on the twenty-eighth of September, and Henry was born at 9:31 p.m. eighteen years earlier.”
Before I can gather my thoughts, Mr. Taranov collects his things, then stands and moves briskly toward the door before addressing my mother again. “Katarina will be disappointed to wait another eighteen years before your new grandson comes of age, but I’m sure he’ll be excited at the benefits of an older woman when the time comes. Let me know when your younger son is available to go over the details of his son’s contract.”
A low gasp escapes my mother as my eyes snap to hers. My always calm, always in control mother has tears in her eyes, and I realize the Taranov family has us well and truly on our back foot.
“How. Can you possibly? Insinuate that?” Mother asks, as Taranov smirks from his spot leaning in the doorway. “You have no proof, and I won’t take the slander…”
“Sloane Olivia Sinclair, neé Johnson, date of birth June 24, 2002, blood type AB, license plate number RMFT12. Approximately eight weeks pregnant as of yesterday, if my records are correct, which they are. Based on our surveillance, we think we’ve narrowed down the night of conception, but your son is relentless, Blanche. That apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, hmm? We’re betting on this one being a boy, but based on your son’s…proclivities,I’m sure this won’t be the last.”
Taranov continues as my mother’s breathing quickens and her face flushes. I feel anger, yes, but also a rush of love for a fetus I didn’t know existed ten seconds ago.God.Ledger’s going to be a dad. I’m going to be an uncle.I’m going to be an uncle.And I’mnotpushing this ridiculous contract off a single generation more.
As Pavel continues to taunt my mother and Ivan sits silently, looking like he dislikes everything about this shakedown, I glance at Danny, who has been speed-reading the contract. Meeting his gaze, he gives me a minute shake of his head, and I feel myself galvanize. I’ve been cleaning things up and smoothing the way for my family members as head of the house for the past five years, and I’m certainly not going to stop now.
I clear my throat, and everyone finally stops bickering. “I will not marry an eighteen-year-old.”
Mother puts a hand on her forehead as the Taranovs’ solicitor clicks his briefcase closed and Pavel rolls his eyes. “Well, then, once again, we will see you all in eighteen years…”
“Isaid.I will not be marrying an eighteen-year-old. However, we will not be carrying forth this contract any further. I will fulfill it. Come see me in a year. Send any necessary paperwork to our counsel in the meantime. And leave the dossier on the girl for our review.”
With a victorious gleam in his eye, Pavel Taranov gives a mock salute and finally leaves. His lawyer follows, and Ivan gives my mother and me an apologetic look before following his brother back to whatever evil lair they came from.
Danny has worked for our family long enough to read a room, so he scurries out with a “call me later” whispered barely loud enough to hear. Taking a deep breath, I meet my mother’s assessing gaze and see her looking at me with admiration and a touch of melancholy. There’s no time for her emotions now, though. All I’m interested in are facts.
“Mother,” I growl out. “Explain.”
Chapter three
