Page 38 of Marriage (Red, White &) Blues

“Fine,Gloria…” Mr. Parker said. “Answer the question.”

“Well…” I cleared my throat. “In the past, I’d considered myself… well, let’s just say I’ve probably never voted how you vote.”

A vein bulged in Robert Parker’s neck. “How far in the past?” he asked, drawing each word out for full effect.

“Um… like a second ago.”

“You brought theenemyinto the house,” Brockton shouted, throwing his hand out toward Blake. “How could you do this to us?”

“I didn’tdoanything to you.” Blake defended himself. “I met a woman and I fell in love. We got married. It has nothing to do with you.”

“I have a press conference scheduled in the morning. The party has offered me the candidacy. I’m to give my acceptance speech. It has everything to do with me.”

“I’m not politically active,” I said, trying to ease the situation. “No one knows how I vote.”

“And they won’t. This is what’s going to happen,” Mr. Parker announced. “Despite your heritage and economic background, you are now a Parker. Therefore, you and Blake will join us tomorrow morning for the press conference. We’re making a united front.”

“I have no plans on going to his press conference. That’s Brock’s deal, not mine,” Blake said.

“Oh, no… Had you kept your little fuck buddy on the down low back in Africa, we might have been able to leave you out. But you had to marry the girl. So, youwillshow up to support your brother. Both of you. Go against us on this and we will make your lives hell. She wouldn’t want anything to happen to her mother, now, would she? And I know you’re awfully close to your staff. You have no idea the pain we can cause.”

Are you kidding me?The man honestly just threatened my mother and our employees? My mother and I might’ve had ourissues, but that didn’t mean I wanted her ruined. I felt sick to my stomach. Swallowing hard, I squeezed Blake’s knee and said, “We’ll be there. Give us the time and place.”

“Well, at least your wife knows how to play the game, son,” Mr. Parker said. Blake shot me a look that said like me, he wanted to leave, but the Parkers were playing hardball. We had no choice but to stay and choke down what should’ve been a delicious lemon kale salad course and then the lobster Thermador served with sautéed green beans and a creamy seafood risotto.

Once we were at home in bed, Blake held me close. Sighing heavily, he asked, “Are you going to leave me now?”

“No.”

“I wouldn’t blame you.”

“Blake. It’s going to take more than a stupid campaign to get me to leave you.”

“We can’t go back to Michigan now.”

“True. I’ll have to legally change my address to Vermont and then file the paperwork here to change my last name.”

“You still want to be a Parker?”

“I already am.”

I wished I felt as confident as I sounded.

The next morning, I walked out of the shower to see more clothing lying on the bed, sent over from Jupiter. That made exactly two Parkers who liked me. I’d take it. What she’d bought me… well, let’s just say it wasn’t my taste. A fitted, gray business suit jacket and matching skirt with a fitted, white, button-down blouse to go underneath and sensible, gray pumps to match.

I loved color. I wore color. Pinks and yellows and greens, not this drab, sad excuse for clothing that I was sure sucked the happiness out of a room just from people seeing it. And under the clothes I found a hair straightener. His campaign forbadecurly hair? Not very forward thinking. I might’ve gotten him the curly haired vote.

Nonetheless, I spent an exorbitant amount of time straightening my hair for the sake of getting along. I pulled it back in a low, conservative ponytail at the nape of my neck, wore sensible pearl studs in my ears again thanks to Jupiter, and did a very light makeup job.

When I finished, I didn’t recognize the woman staring back at me in the mirror. I hated everything about this outfit, about my hair, and about the fact that I couldn’t be me any longer for fear of retribution against my family.

This is for Blake, I reminded myself.You love Blake.You wantto be married to Blake.

Sighing, I gave myself one last look in the mirror before I walked downstairs to join my husband. He wore a black suit, white shirt, and black tie. Very business, and handsome, as always. But when his eyes hit me, they did the strangest thing, they widened in, well, I’d have to say shock.

“Who are you and where is my wife?” he asked.

“I feel ridiculous, Blake. Please tell me I look okay.”

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