Chapter 6- The offer

Deila's pov

"Come on sis." Sia stuck out her bottom lips. "Try on the lengthy one."

I tilted my head to the side. "When it comes to dresses, I don't like anything that passes my thighs and you know that, Sia."

"Yeah I do, I still don't know why?" she rolled her eyes. "Let this be an exception, on this dress you'll take away breaths. It's gonna place all your curves perfectly."

"Ah-ah. You just said it. I won't fancy taking people's breaths away, especially if those people are my family." I snickered at what my next words were going to be. "That'd mean death."

"Always so damn sarcastic huh?" she muttered.

"Quit wisecracking," Mari whined then turned to me. "Choose a dress already. We still have to go to the designer's to pick up the D-day dresses. And you —as the chief bridesmaid— are the focus next to me. You haven't even seen the dress. Knowing how selective you're, we'd have to pray you like it." Mari's demeanor was impatient as she muttered the last words to herself.

"I guess you could at least help me with your opinion here."

"You know what I'd say, De-"

"Yeah!" Sia imputed, cutting her off in a rush. " 'Go for what you want'." She air quoted and we laughed in unison at the accuracy.

"Oh, c'mon. I'm not that boring," Mari defended. "Besides, it's just a pre-wedding dinner, not the wedding."

"Yeah, and you got your dress for the so-called pre-wedding dinner a month ago."

"Of course, I've got to be perfect. I'm the to be bride, remember?" Mari swirled around bubbly, and I secretly smiled at their bickering.

"Yeah, I know that. Although, Dei's looking forward to entrapping a Mister at this whole wedding-ish, right D?" she nudged me.

"For fucks sake." I sighed banally. "I'm not in that phase right now. All I can think about's my career. Darn the Misters. You've got to know the world doesn't revolve around men, at least mine doesn't if yours does." I hated how irritated I was starting to get. Covering my almost outburst with a smile, I turned to the dresses.

My search for a dress continued. I stood abruptly when I found it. It was made for me, and I knew as soon as my eyes landed on it. I half-ran to the mannequin it was placed on.

Up closer, I fell deeper in love with it.

The dress I fell in love with was heavenly made in black and by God do I love black. Judging from the length of it on the mannequin, it would stop halfway up my thighs... I was perfectly okay with that. If anything, it was a bonus as I wasn't into lengthy dresses.

I wasn't the dress type, but if I was going to wear one, then it had to be worth it and this dress was more than worth it.

Still awed by the dress, I noticed the upper part was made with lace, while the rest of it was suede. It was an off-shoulder long-sleeved dress with a deep v-neck and a rope at the cleavage area. That was all. Elegant, and at the same time simple.

I got one of the salesgirls to bring it down, and immediately went into the changing room to try it on.

It had no zipper, so I wore it through my head and it fitted perfectly. I ran my hands through it in awe. Perfect, that was the dress.

Walking out of the changing room, I was going to ask how I looked when Sia exclaimed, holding her hands out for me to stop. "My gosh! Holy geez!"

"Is that Dei?" Mari asked, feigning disbelief, and I gave them the widest grin.

"Of course it's me. Do I look that bad?" I winked, giving them a swirl.

"My gosh! You are sure going to steal all the attention from the to-be bride and groom," Sia's voice dripped of admiration.

"I wish," Mari said giggling, then turned to me. "You look, perfect sis."

"Thanks. And now I need a sh-"

"A shoe!" Sia's squeak cut me off.

She half-ran to us with a pair of silver heel sandals that had metallic Rhinestones as ankle straps. They were perfect for the dress. Sia could easily be my savior for the day. I didn't even realize when she left for the shoe section until she held the shoes in front of me, grinning like a two-year-old.

Fascinated, I grabbed them from her to try them on, and thankfully, they were my perfect size.

I was kind of surprised she thought I'd still be using the same size after two years, though she was correct. My shoe size hadn't changed since I was 18, size 39 it had been and still was.

Somewhere at the corner of my mind, I was soothed I didn't inherit my mum's big feet because last time I went shopping with her, we had searched more than three stores for a shoe size of 43. It was at the fourth store she finally got a cobbler who offered to make her one a week from that day.

Standing three inches taller with the three heel sandals strapped around my ankles wasn't bad, I thought doing a happy dance mentally that the shoes weren't too high. Phew! I can walk with them.

"Okay, I agree." Mari put up her hands in defeat. "You sure are going to steal the show from me and Cob."

I turned and was going to go into the changing room when I felt arms wrap around me from behind. I knew it was Mari without having to look. While Sia had a lemonade scent, she had a cherry scent.

"Thanks again for coming for my wedding at such a short note, Dei. We weren't in the best of terms when you left."

I smiled, leaning back into her as she was still hugging me from behind, and thought, Again with this.

She'd been apologizing upon my arrival even though I had told her a thousand times I had forgiven her. After all, it was just a minor issue where she'd told my mum about my trip before I could.

Even though I'd called her a 'big mouth' I was later grateful when I got to LA knowing fully well I couldn't have had the heart to tell my mum.

Plus, I understood that Mari just didn't want me to go. And somewhere in her head, she thought breaking the news before I had would give my parents leverage to stop me.

Both of her sisters, I and Sia, had always been there with her since the beginning of time. We attended the same high school and college, we went on vacations together, in fact, we did practically everything together. I understood how taken aback Mari might've been when of a sudden the one with wings, me, decided to fly.

A small smile made it's way to my lips as I turned to face her. I took her her hands, holding them in mine. "It's okay sis. I forgave you a long time ago. I won't be in Atlanta if I hadn't. Besides, you apologized thousands of times already. Come to think of it, is there anything to apologize for?" I gave her a look that told her not to argue.

Immediately, her face turned into a bright one.

I turned, thinking I was finally going to get the dress off me so I could pay for it but stopped when she stepped in front of me, wrapping her hands around me and hugging me like she never had.

I felt another pair of arms wrap around us then a purr. I giggled knowing it was Sia.

Alone in my room, hours after we'd gone to the designer's for the dresses and found that mine was to my taste, I was in the mood for being with my pen. As a natural poet and a freelancer, the crave to write was beyond me as I'd done without it for days.

While others listened to music to heal their souls, I wrote to heal my soul. And so to ease off, I was writing a whole illusion of being stardust to the earth when Sia yelled from outside my room.

"Dei, dad wants to have a word with you. He said to please come to the study!"

My body jerked from the startle she gave. That girl yells too much for her own good, I thought.

"I'll be right there." I was still recovering from the shock she gave me by yelling so damn loud, so I didn't care if she heard or not.

I kept my writing materials carefully on the bed and made my way to the study with an unsettled mind.

In the Barbson's mansion, the study was for serious matters, which made me wonder what my dad wanted to talk to me about.

"Good day, Dad," I greeted sitting across him.

"Good day, baby," he answered smiling.

"Sia said you wanted to see me?" I asked him, unsure.

"Yes Deila, I want to talk about you."

I noted he used my name and I became more unsure. "What about me?"

"Your career."

"Oh that," I mumbled, staring into space. I'd been expecting the topic to pop up, but I didn't think it will be this soon.

Blast!

"What about it?" It came out a little harder than I intended. I loved that my dad cared about me, but his conversations about my choice of career got me on the edge every time.

"You can't remain in the dream lane forever. You've got to do something that will show that you aren't just sitting around."

I chose to ignore that he used 'dream lane' to talk down my choice of career. "If I was just sitting around, I wouldn't be able to afford an apartment on my own as I've for the past two years, dad." I reasoned with him.

"I know that, Dei. I know the point you are trying to prove."

"You do?"

"Yes. You stopped collecting your monthly allowances from me the moment you left for LA just so you could prove that you can afford to fend for yourself. That's your policy right?" he asked then answered himself. "Yes it is, being independent. That's why you left for LA in the first place." The last part was more to himself than me.

It was only part of the truth, but his tone was definite. "That's not why dad. You shouldn't jump into conclusions." I avoided his eyes.

"Then why Deila?" he asked in a more serious tone.

The sadness in his voice couldn't be missed.

I knew how much he was attached to me, he didn't want me to leave in the first place, well no one did, but he was almost at the point of tears when I left. I and my dad were very close, and I knew the connection wasn't as strong as it used to be. And I wanted to fix that more than anything.

He could ask me 'why' a thousand times, I still wouldn't tell him I fled off because I was running from my feelings. Only Dawn knew and I planned on keeping it that way.

Besides, if I told him, I'd sound stupid. He knew I didn't do love and feelings, but what he didn't know was that someone with the name of James Martin had changed that.

"Forget about it."

"Okay." He placed his lips in a firm line. "Your wish is my command princess. Let's get to the main reason I called you here." He paused for what stretched to minutes and I waited wordlessly.

"Dei, I want you to take over the family business."

I waited for him to chortle or say he was joking, but the serious look on his face told me he wasn't. "What?"

"Yes, take over the family business." He gauged my expression and then continued, "In the meantime. I'm on an unscheduled leave for a little while, I need to rest. Your mother and I will be going on a vacation right after the wedding."

"Alright dad, but-"

"Dawn already has so many works on his hand," he answered like he read my mind because that was just what I was going to say. I was about to mention Uncle Mason when he cut me off, saying he doesn't trust him with the job.

I frowned. "But Dad, I've got a job in LA I need to go back after the wedding." I couldn't help pouting, it always helped me escape from him in the past.

I sighed, knowing it wouldn't be helping in a case as serious as this. I didn't care if I had to beg my way out.

Your work can wait." He shrugged.

"It's not owned by my father. I could be replaced at any time."

"I'll arrange it, just fill in for me, please. Act as CEO."

"Please, baby." I turned to see my mum entering the study and immediately knew she'd been there the whole time.

I looked from my mum to my dad, and from my dad to my mum.

I was placed on a burning sit, and it wasn't fair.

"I'll think about it," I told them with a forced smile knowing fully well I knew nothing about the company.

"Excuse me." I left them with hopeful smiles. I just needed to get away from there. Needed to breathe and assimilate.

Staying in Atlanta was one thing I knew I couldn't do, but at the same time, I couldn't break my parent's heart knowing it was one of the few times they'd asked me for a favor. It wasn't going to be easy for me to make a decision.

God help me.