Agotia
Therewasnowheretopark as I pulled into the driveway of my farm. The entire street was lined with construction equipment and pallets of supplies. People were everywhere, working on one part of the farm or another. Someone was painting the house; another pair was painting the barn. More people were ripping off the old roof and replacing it with a new one. My usual group of farm workers was carrying on with their routine tasks.
"What is going on?" I asked the group of men, unsure what to make of the activities in front of me.
"We were told the farm was getting those repairs we have all been talking about doing for ages. A man came by right after you left, asking us to show him around the property, claiming he worked for your husband. I didn't even know you had a husband. Anyways, he drew a list of everything that needed to be done. Shortly after he left, trucks with workers and supplies arrived. They have all driven over from neighboring towns."
"The goats and horses are a little agitated by all the noise," another worker informed me, "otherwise, the construction hasn't interfered with anything. They have just been asking how changing the set-up of some things might make life a bit easier for us."
I nodded, taking in the onslaught of information, twirling the new gold band around my finger without thinking about it. This was only my first day being Alex's wife; I wondered what tomorrow or the next week would look like.
"I'm sorry I didn't tell you what was happening. It has been such a whirlwind," I explained. "The man you met this morning, Alexander, is my husband. We have not been together for very long, but when you know, you know. This is his wedding gift to me."
A round of congratulations passed through the farm workers. They all wanted to hear more details about Alex, but I was ready to get to work and return to a semblance of normalcy. Sending everyone away, I hustled inside to slip out of my white dress and into one of my work clothes, but before I could make it to my room, Lucas burst through the door.
“What is wrong with you?” he seethed.
"Lucas, you need to start knocking. I was about to change. You cannot barge in here like this anymore.
“Is that your wedding dress?” he spat the words like they were foul of poison.
“As a matter of fact, yes, it is.”
I crossed my arms and squared my shoulders. While I didn't understand what had gotten Lucas so worked up, I was very annoyed with him for ignoring my boundaries and walking into my house like it was his all the time. It didn't matter that we were friends; he needed to knock.
"You must have completely lost your mind to have married a stranger. You don't even know Alexander, yet you have signed away your life to him."
"That's not true," I argued, "I do know him. I know about his work, his family, and why he is in Voss. I even know what side of the bed he sleeps on."
I don't know what prompted me to add that last sentence other than that I wanted Lucas to believe that I had made my choice knowing everything I needed to know. The sound of the men working in the yard filtered into the house, and Lucas's eyes went wide before narrowing into tight slits.
"I see. You have sold yourself to him. You couldn't produce money on your own and decided it would be easier to marry someone rich enough to disappear all your problems. How utterly disgusting. Your father would be appalled."
My eyes burned with unshed tears that I refused to let fall.
“How dare you. I didn’t sell anything. Ilovehim and am lucky enough that he loves me too. I didn't ask for him to do any of this. He did it as a gift. My father would have been thrilled to know that I found a man who loves me and works hard for me. I don't even know why I am defending myself to you," I said, throwing my hands up in the air. "It is time for you to go, Lucas. I have heard more than enough from you."
He walked back towards the front door, stopping just before opening the door. He looked over his shoulder at me with a sad, disdainful expression haunting his eyes before he said -
"I would have married you, you know. I would have done anything to help you. And instead of asking a friend you have known and trusted for years, you turn to a stranger. I do not understand you, Agotia.”
The door slammed behind him, making me jump. A few deep breaths later, I was back in my room, doing everything I could to unzip my dress, but to no avail. I was going to need help again. Too embarrassed to ask one of the workers to help, I gave up. With everything that was going on, I could skip my today.
With one last halfhearted attempt to unzip my dress, I gave up and fished an old duffle bag out from the bottom of my closet. Throwing things haphazardly into it, I tried to think through everything I would need for the night, sure I would be back here in the morning for my usual chores. I did my best to ignore Lucas's visit's sting, but his words kept echoing through my head.
The idea of selling myself…I felt sick to my stomach. Didn't I thought the same thing this morning when I half convinced myself to call the whole thing off? But it was so much more than that. I had my worker's families to consider, not to mention the entire legacy of my family history. I would have been left with nothing if I had not found a solution in time. I was convinced this was the right choice.
Not only were all my father's medical bills paid and all my outstanding debt on the farm, but we were finally getting the repairs and replacements we had needed for years. There was no way I could have done this on my own. I was still convinced this was the right choice.
And then there was how he managed the kiss at the wedding this morning. Any other man would not have thought twice about kissing me. But he did. He wanted more for me than a fake relationship. For that, I respect him even more.
Regardless of how things stood with Alex, Lucas, who had barged into my home multiple times, was not the friend I remembered. His time away from Voss had changed him; he was no longer the kind of friend I wanted to have around me.
I had returned to the lodge faster than any of us had expected. Alex stayed locked in his office most of the afternoon, stepping out only long enough to kiss my cheek and tell Asta to clear a space for my things in his room and closet.
I had been in his room once before, earlier that day when he confronted Bridget, but I had been so focused on her and Alex that I did not take the time to look around. Without Alex's all-consuming presence, the room felt enormous. The dark blue walls, the high ceilings, and the floor-to-ceiling windows gave the room a feel of light and airy.
Two chairs sat in front of the windows, a cozy spot to curl up with a good book. A large black marble fireplace was on the wall opposite the bed. The furniture was dark and heavy, with leather accents and a few plants scattered around. It was everything I expected from the room of a bachelor.
