Chapter 8

Kathy walked into the dining room. She found Meghan with her face buried in her hands. In front of her paperwork lie scattered across the dining table.

“Meg, what’s wrong?”

“I can’t do it.”

“Can’t do what?”

“After I pay my bills, I’m wiped out. I’m having to sell my house.”

Kathy’s voice was gentle as she spoke, “What are you talking about?”

“I haven’t worked for a month. These bills will take all I’ve got.”

“Tell me what’s wrong.” Kathy nudged.

Meghan looked to Kathy with tears in her eyes. “Barbara told me that Carly and I have to bring a dowry to our wedding. Since Kevin’s father is a clan leader, it has to be respectable. I don’t have a job, so I can’t get a loan. I can’t sell my house in time. I don’t know what I’m going to do.”

Kathy caressed Meghan’s face. “Do you think we would hurt you like that?”

Meghan shook her head. “No. I don’t want to come empty-handed.”

“Take a deep breath and think. Meg, who am I?

“M ... my mother.”

Kathy held out her hand. “Let’s go find your father.” She led Meghan into the office. “Dad, we have a problem.”

Ben looked up from his paperwork. “What’s going on?”

“Our daughter and granddaughter are getting married, and they don’t have a dowry.”

Ben leaned back in his chair with a gleam in his eye and a smile on his face. He caught his wife’s glare and Meghan’s sadness. He sobered up and leaned forward. “Have a seat. Tell me, what’s going on?”

Meghan’s voice cracked as she wiped tears away.”Mrs. Addison said Carly, and I have to bring a dowry to the wedding. Because you’re a clan leader, it has to be respectable. I don’t have any money and all we own is my car and our house. I don’t have time to sell them. Meghan rocked in her seat and stared at the desktop and whispered. “I’m ashamed for us to be beggars in front of our people.”

Ben’s face reddened. “I’m going to strangle that bitch,” He snarled.

Kathy said. “Dad, you know it’s the custom.”

“I know. I’m new to having a daughter and hadn’t thought about it before. We normally do church weddings and such. So we need to put together a dowry for you and Carly.”

Meghan looked up in shock. “What? I’m supposed to pay you.”

Ben shrugged. “Let’s get something straight. If we were honest, there aren’t eight families in the tri-state region that can afford a true dowry to our family. You have nothing to be ashamed of. Those old biddies couldn’t do it either. Second, It is the family’s position to provide the dowry. You’re my daughter and Carly is my granddaughter. So it’s my responsibility to provide the dowry for you.”

“You’d be paying yourself.”

Ben nodded. “Yep, that’s what happens when your daughter marries your son. I ought to blister both of your asses.” Kathy laughed.

Ben and Meghan chuckled a bit then Ben continued. “The purpose of a dowry is to help the new family to get started and make sure both sides are committed. In this case, It’s more a matter of establishing social status. I AM NOT going to allow my daughter and granddaughter to be embarrassed before the clan. Do you trust me?”

Meghan nodded. “Yes, Sir.”

Ben grabbed a notepad and pen. “What is your house worth?”

“Dad...” Kathy said.

Ben cut his eyes toward her. She stopped speaking.

“With Kevin’s repairs, about sixty-five,” Meghan said.

He looked at Kathy. “Momma, you know more than me. Is there any rule that says we can’t pay part of the bride price early?”

“No, Dad.”

Meghan glanced at both of them. “Bride price? She said something about it, but I was panicking at the time so I wasn’t listening.”

Ben smiled and said “The bride price is what the groom pays the bride’s family. In this case, you. It would be me as I’m your father. I’m transferring that right to you. So you said the house is worth sixty-five?”

“Yes, Sir.”

“Where’s Carly?” he asked.

“She and Kevin went to the mission to help Father Scarpino for the day,” Meghan said.

“Good. That doesn’t help me, though. I’ll have to make do. Meghan, would you stand over there, please?”

Meghan went and stood by the wall.

“Thank you. Now, turn slowly please.”

Meghan turned in place as Ben watched.

Kathy growled at him. “I’m going to slap the fire out of you. You dirty old goat.”

“Hush. I’m busy. Thank you, Meg. You can sit down, now.”

Meghan sat with a confused look “What was that?”

“If I’m going to offer you a bride price on behalf of my son. I have to know what he’s getting.” Ben said.

Kathy glared at him, her voice stern as she spoke “You liar. You already knew what you were going to offer. You wanted a chance to look without getting in trouble. Step into my kitchen at all before tomorrow morning and see what happens.”

“I’ll be sure to stay out. Now, hush I’m busy. Your car is worth how much, Meg?”

“We paid $5,200 for it.” She said.

“If I remember right Kevin worked a deal to get that price. Do you remember the original one?”

Meghan answered.”It was thirteen something. Why?”

Ben said, “So, fifteen.”

Dad, I said thirteen.”

“Hush, I’m busy.” A few minutes later he looked up. “All right, I need you ladies to go sit in the living room for a few minutes while I do something then I’ll call you back in.

Ten minutes later, Ben called them back in. Once they grabbed their seats. Ben spoke. “Ok, I’m ready to talk terms. For this, I’m speaking and acting only as Kevin’s father and representative. I still love you, and you’re still my daughter. For right now, I am Kevin’s representative is that understood Mrs. Patel?”

Meghan nodded. “Yes, Mr. Rogers.”

Ben reached under his desk. The door clicked as the magnetic lock activated and a gentle hum filled the room. “As this is a conspiracy to commit a crime, I am using precautions. Is that ok?”

“Yes, Sir.”

Ben opened the discussion with “Mrs. Patel. As you are aware, my son Kevin Ray Rogers loves you and your daughter. Your daughter is, in fact, pregnant with their child.”

“Yes, I am aware of that, Mr. Rogers.”

“My son wishes to marry both of you. If you are open to the idea, I would like to discuss the bride price with you.”

Meghan smiled and said, “We can do that.”

Ben looked at his desk and in a bashful voice said, “Unfortunately, I am only able to offer one price. I would have to give part of it today and the rest at the wedding. Would that be acceptable?”

Meghan chuckled at her father’s antics and said: “Yes, Sir.”

Ben reached beside him and brought up a Mahogany box which he set on the desktop. “The price that I can offer for the hands of you and your daughter in marriage to my son is $160,000.”

“Wha ... Wha ... What?” Meghan stammered.

Ben turned the box so it faced her. As he spoke, he opened it. “If you say yes, I can pay you 42 Gold Krugerrands. They are worth a bit more than $60,000 today and the other $100,000 on your wedding day.”

Meghan stuttered and stammered and she shook a little.

Ben grinned and said, “Is that a yes or a no, Mrs. Patel?”

Kathy rubbed Meghan’s back. “Dad quit teasing her.”

Meghan’s voice cracked as she spoke. “Why?”

Ben caught her gaze and held it. “For several reasons, You are my daughter and Carly is my granddaughter. Two, Barb Addison is a bitch. She knew better than to put that burden on you. She wants to play social games then we’ll show her how to play social games. Three, this way you look quote-unquote respectable and you don’t have to hurt yourself to do it. Four, the hundred thousand you get on your wedding day belongs to you and Carly. The bride price is to secure the future of you two and any children. You can place it in a trust or college fund. It’s our wedding gift to you.”

Kathy looked at her husband with pure love. “Dad, you can come into my kitchen anytime.”

Meghan got up and went around his desk. Ben stood meeting her. She wrapped him in a big hug. “Thank you for being my father. I never realized how much it hurt not having my daddy alive until you took his place. Thank you.”

Ben hugged her tighter and kissed her on the top of her head and said. “You’re welcome, little one. I’ll keep this in the safe until the wedding if you like.”

“Yes, Please.”

“Why don’t you and your mother go cook up some hamburgers for lunch. I’m hungry.”

“Yes, Sir.”

When they were almost to the kitchen Kathy smiled and said. “Hamburgers my ass. It’s a quarter after ten. He needed to be alone awhile. You made your father very happy.”

River sand embedded itself under Kevin’s fingernails as he grabbed the sword from the shallows of the Gladlow River. As he surfaced, strong rough hands pushed him under and held his face down in the river bottom.

“Make sure he’s out cold.” Ben Rogers ordered.

“He had the sword in his hand. I saw it.” Tom Langston said. “Damn, he’s strong. Paul, help me.”

About two minutes later, John Turner said. “He hasn’t released any air or struggled for twenty seconds.”

Ben glanced at his watch. “Give him thirty more seconds and pull him out.”

The men pulled Kevin out and gave him first aid.

“Ohhh...” Kevin moaned.

“Are you ok?” Ben asked his son.

Kevin shook his head and sat up. “I think so,” Kevin’s face went purple, “YOU HELD ME UNDER!”

Ben kneeled next to his son. “Easy now. It was part of the ceremony. You had to be reborn and bring back the sword. In the old days, you would have had to break into a grave and get it. That would be too noticeable and could get you put in prison. This has about the same symbolism and a lot less risk.”

“You almost drowned me.” Kevin snarled.

Tom Langston laughed and said: “Nowhere close. As a lifeguard you let people struggle until they stop and then rescue them. We went a little further. I was a lifeguard and an EMT when I was a young man. Then I found out fixing cars and owning garages makes a lot more money.”