The Millionaire's Arranged Marriage by Tina Martin

because Gabrielle is way too long.”
    I laugh. “Seriously? It’s only three syllables.”
    “Yeah, but still...”
    “And nobody else calls me Bri . People call me Gabby for short.”
    “I considered that , but Gabby sounds like a nickname for a person who talks entirely too much and that’s not you. Bri fits better.”
    With that, he heads to his room.
    I stay in the kitchen, dialing my Father’s number into Tyson’s cell phone, listening to it ringing. I glance at the clock on the wall and it’s 11:32 p.m. I’m wondering if he won’t answer because he doesn’t recognize this number.
    “Hello.”
    “Hi Dad.”
    “Gabrielle?”
    “Yeah, it’s me. How are you?”
    “I’m doing good . How are you? I was getting worried...haven’t heard from you in a while.”
    “I’m okay,” I say. I decide not to tell him about my split with Dilvan. That’s for another time. Right now, I’m just glad to hear his voice. “How’s Destiny and Carmen? I know they’re probably sleeping.”
    “ Yeah, they are. They’re both doing well. When do you think you’ll be back for a visit?”
    “I’m going to try to make it there soon, Dad. I’m trying to get on my feet over here.”
    “What do you mean?”
    “Oh, um...” Ugh , I cannot believe I let that slip . It always seem like every time I try to hide something, I inadvertently let something slip. So I say, “It’s nothing...just have a few items with work that’s been keeping me occupied.”
    “Work? You have a job now?”
    Ugh!
    “No... well...yes...the charity work I help Padma with.”
    “How’s Padma doing?”
    “She’s good. She makes sure I have everything I need.”
    “And how’s my son-in-law?”
    I roll my eyes. “Dilvan? Oh, u m...he’s fine.”
    “Make sure you bring Dilvan with you when you come. I want to meet him face-to-face at least once.”
    “Okay,” I respond. N o one in my family has never met Dilvan and I plan on keeping it that way. “Well, Dad, listen, I have to go but give Destiny and Carmen a hug and kiss for me.”
    “Okay. Love you, honey.”
    “Love you too, Dad. Bye.”
    I blow an agitating breath while placing Tyson’s cell phone back on the counter. I cover my face with my hands, trying to determine when I would be able to visit the family again, as well as feeling a bout of anxiety about having to tell Dad about Dilvan.
    I get up to get a bottle of water from the refrigerator before I head upstairs and get ready for bed.
     
    * * *
     
    It’s a little after midnight when I’m finally lying down. The bed is a peaceful oasis. From it, I get the sensation of how it must feel to sleep on a cloud. The room is cozy, warm and inviting. I leave the curtains open, allowing a little bit of light in to illuminate the space. Then I close my eyes and know I can rest because Dilvan Alexander is not here to sneak into my room, snatch covers off of the bed or do anything else to harass me.
    Somehow, though, I don’t feel sleepy. Maybe it’s because I’m in a new environment, a new room with a different layout. I’m not sure what it is. At any rate, I flip on the TV and find the Travel Channel just to pass the time. It works, because fifteen minutes of watching it, I began to doze off, that is until I hear the stairs creaking.
    My body tenses up tight, because I have flashbacks of the floors creaking when Dilvan made late night visits to my bedroom. And now, Tyson was coming up the stairs. What did he want?
    After two taps on my door, he says, “Bri, you still up?”
    After a long pause, I say, “Yes.”
    “May I come in?”
    I pause again. I don’t want him to come in. I feel comfortable with Tyson, but I wouldn’t feel comfortable in the same bedroom with him. And I have on my night gown...
    “Never mind,” he says. “I just wanted to tell you to have a good night...oh, and if you weren’t up, I was going to turn off your TV.”
    “I’ll turn it off.”
    “No...if you’re watching it, it’s fine. I was