Page 103 of 7+Us Makes Nine

“Where are you?” he had asked.

“I’m at my apartment. Why?”

“Any plans for the day?”

I’d scratched my head. Although I obviously couldn’t have expected anything serious to develop between Ari and me, I’d had a good time with her and had halfway anticipated at least getting breakfast with her before we went our separate ways. Yet, from the tone of my father’s voice, I could tell that whatever plans I could have possibly had were about to get canceled.

“No. Why?” I had asked.

“I’ve set up dinner with the Marino family so that you can meet the girl. No point in prolonging anything. Let’s get this ball rolling.”

“I—what? Today…Already?”

“Time is money, son.”

“Yeah, I just thought…I don’t know. Feels kind of rushed. The Marino family agreed? Do they know the intentions?”

“Of course, they do. They’re very old-fashioned. They’ve had their daughter saving herself for these purposes precisely. Her marriage was always meant to be arranged. And I’ve let it be known right from the start that I had an attractive, young, eligible son that would be a good match for her. When I last talked to Mr. Marino, he said that it was time for his daughter to be getting married. She’s twenty-six, and they want her married and having her children before thirty.”

I’d pinched the bridge of my nose. “Dad, what are you telling me? These people have already arranged for their daughter to marry me without even knowing me?”

“Thanks to this dinner, they’ll know you well enough by the end of the day.”

“Jesus…”

“Whatever. You just get yourself together, make yourself presentable, and come to the house this afternoon.”

“This afternoon? Is dinner going to be that early?”

“No, but your mother needs help getting the house together.”

“Oh—so I’m the help and the husband being auctioned off? Why do I have to clean the house? Where’s—”

“Enough,” Dad had said, cutting me off. “Your brothers have business to attend to beforehand, and your mother wants to spend some time with you. So just be there, all right? Whatever you have to do, get to it this morning and then head on over. And do something decent for your future wife. Be a gentleman. Go find her some nice jewelry or flowers or something.”

I’d scratched my head again. “Yeah, yeah. All right.”

“You can sound a little more enthused. After all, you agreed to go through with this. For our family’s sake.”

“I know, Dad. I’m sorry. I’m just tired. I…had a long night. I’ll be over to help Mom in a little while. And I’ll be on my best behavior tonight.”

“Good. And do something decent with your hair. Like, get a haircut.” With that, Dad had hung up the phone.

I had desperately wanted to be more considerate of Ari’s feelings that morning, for I hadn’t wanted it to seem like I was rushing her out of my apartment. Although I thought it was understood on both ends that what had happened between us was never meant to be anything more than a one-night stand, I still hated taking the ‘wham, bam, thank-you-ma’am’ approach. Under normal circumstances, I would have treated her to breakfast and given her a ride home. But that, unfortunately, couldn’t be the case when I was scheduled to meet my future wife later in the day and had to help my mother prepare the house.

Ari had been so adorable that morning, even having the nerve to be embarrassed about me seeing her naked in the daylight. The former innocence I had seen in her upon meeting her had returned, and I suddenly wanted to kick myself for having agreed to sell myself off to the Marino girl so quickly. Something told me that Ari was the kind of girl it would have been nice to keep around and call every once-in-a-while. Shamefully, I contemplated exchanging numbers with her, wondering if I could carry on such an arrangement despite my pending nuptials, but I refrained.

What kind of husband was I going to make if I was already entertaining ideas about cheating on my future wife?

So, I stuck to my guns, called Ari a cab, went out to find a big and beautiful flower arrangement to give to the Marino daughter, and reported to my mother’s house as requested.

I stepped through the front door of the home I’d grown up in, almost struggling to get the bouquet of flowers through.

“Hey, Ma!” I called out, but she couldn’t hear me over the vacuum cleaner running. I walked further into the house, passed the foyer and down the hallway adorned with childhood photos of my brothers and me.

When I got to the living room area, I saw my mother, busy pushing the vacuum cleaner across the plush tan carpeting. I walked up behind her and placed my hand on her back.

She glanced at me over her shoulder. “Good, you’re here. Go start on the dishes. Set those flowers on the dining room table.”

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