Ch 52: I thought we’d celebrate

He was shorter than Owen but it was obvious that Owen's air of self-assurance was inherited by the way the man stood and walked toward her. He seemed to be in reasonably good shape but not as muscular as his son. His wife Kylie was at least twenty years younger than he was and had the same auburn hair and green eyes as Alice.

She was still a beautiful woman with a nice shape. Unlike Alice, the woman's eyes did not hold an ounce of warmth in them. "You must be Abigail." Said Jayden as he easily embraced her. Abigail waited for the man to let go and he didn't. The silence stretched for a moment and she began to get increasingly uncomfortable. I feel like a big bugs crawling all over me, it is so disgusting. But I just keep quite.

"Let her go Jayden." Said Kylie, "Let me see what Owen has chosen for a wife." What? It made her sound like an object.

When Jayden released her she saw a smile on the woman's face that never reached her eyes. It was then she realized why Owen was so attached to her and Joseph. These were the two coldest people she'd ever met.

A barely compressed shiver ran up her spine. Jayden still kept his hands on her shoulders while his eyes roved up and down her body. Good Lord, she wanted to run and hide or at least go change into some clothes that covered all of her skin. "I'm sorry to hear about your brother." He offered, "I've met him a few times.

He was a good friend to my son." "It was a pity." Added Kylie, "He was very handsome." Abigail watched Jayden shoot, Kylie, a look of contempt and he finally released her. "So tell us, Abigail," Said Kylie, "How did you manage to get Owen to ask you to marry him."

My Lord, the woman sounded completely condescending. Badly, she wanted to say something to set her back on her heels, but these were Owen's parents, and she had to get along with them, "I didn't expect it to be honest."

"But you certainly didn't hesitate." She persisted. "Actually…" "Quit verbally attacking the woman," Jayden intervened and began rubbing a hand up and down her spine. "She's been through a lot these past few days."

Abigail wanted to step away from that caress like she'd been burned, but she remained where she was, completely speechless. She wished she wasn't wearing the dress that she'd put on to get Owen's attention because his father kept peering down the low neckline.

"Of course Jayden." She let her gaze move over her much like her husband's but disdain. Just then Miss Bennett entered with a bottle of wine and some glasses. "I thought we'd celebrate." Said Jayden, "My only son is getting married."

"We should wait for Owen." Abigail heard herself say. "Nonsense." He began to pour the wine and handed Abigail a glass before his wife. Miss Bennett shot her a sympathetic glance as she walked by her out of the room. For the next two hours, she ground her teeth and put up with their company. Owen's father's inappropriate touching and Kylie's constant cynicism.

Finally to her relief Alice came home from school. Abigail was surprised when the girl's normally bubbly attitude cut cold when she saw her parents and she dropped her packsack on the floor in surprise at seeing them.