“Can I come in for just a minute? I have some very important information for you involving your farm.”
“The farm?” What now? The last few days had been a nightmare, filled with over helpful biddies who thought they knew everything and I nothing. I couldn’t wait to get my pa-pa buried so I can get back to the solitude of my farm. And now here stood the Mayor with information. I exhaled feeling exhausted.
“What kind of information?”
“Information I’d like not to discuss standing here on the porch.” He flashed his politician smile at me. Don’t do it, Yasmin. Remember what pa-pa said about being alone with men.
“Umm, now is not a good time. Maybe I can come to your office next week and we can discuss it then.” He chuckled.
“Well that’s what I’m trying to tell you darling, you may not have a home next week.”
“What!” He didn’t say another word. He just stood there looking at me with his eyebrows raised, with the better you than me look on his face. I stared at him for a moment more, trying to think about what to do.
My grandfather did not like the Mayor. He called him a vain peacock that enjoyed the sound of his voice more than anyone else’s. He said that crooked politics put him in office in the first place.
Still, I wouldn’t be able to rest unless I knew just what he was talking about. The farm was all I had left. I closed the door and took the chain off, and for a minute I just held my hand on the knob. The alarm bells were blaring in my head. This was stupid!
I exhaled and opened the door. Casually, he walked in. The mayor was a handsome man, but the problem was he knew it.
“Please have a seat.” I whispered gesturing toward the couch. I sat in my pa-pa’s chair needing to be close to him, although he was dead and not here. I was so nervous right now I was finding it hard to breath, I had never been alone with a man without my granddaddy around. I folded my hands in my lap looking down at them. I could feel his eyes raking over my body.
“I am so sorry for your loss…Yasmin. Your grandfather was a pillar in the community.” He spoke like a politician, kind of snaky. I nodded my head without looking up from my hands. I was getting more nervous by the minute.
I had only seen the Mayor one time in person, speaking at a rally. The rest of the times had been when he was on television. I know my pa-pa had always said you can’t trust a politician because they were liars. But surely that alone couldn’t cause the hairs to rise on my arms like this. There was something off about this man.
“How old are you now sweetheart?” He asked as he scooted closer to me on the couch. I was so glad I sat in my pa-pa’s chair. I was beginning to feel like he was stalking me.
“I just turned nineteen, sir.” Pa-pa why wasn’t you here? I didn’t know how to be alone with a man. Was it like this with all men, or just this one?
“Yes, you are so perfectly submissive.” He spoke those words quietly. I lifted my head and looked over at him.
“What did you say?” His words confused me. He gave me a million-dollar smile.
“I said that your grandfather did a fine job raising you.” I really wanted him to go. I had a very bad feeling in my stomach.
“You said you had news about the farm.” My voice shook as I spoke. I couldn’t hide my fear anymore. He was making me real uncomfortable with the way he was looking at me. He nodded his head.
“Your grandfather was losing the farm.” My eyes flew to him.
“Wh—why?” I couldn’t believe this.
“I’m sorry to have to be the one to bring you this news, but he hasn’t paid taxes on this place in years. And he took out a loan on it to pay for your grandmother’s funeral, and well, the loan is in default and the bank is about to foreclose on the property.” My hand went to my mouth. No! No! No! This cannot be happening to me right now. I can’t take this!
But that would explain my pa-pa’s strange behavior for the last few months. I tried to ask him what was wrong, but he would only say that everything was fine. What was I supposed to do now? I was still trying to come to terms with the fact that I was going to have to continue with my family’s business all by myself. But I couldn’t even begin to imagine what I would do without the farm. I have to go talk to the bank in the morning and see if I could work out some kind of payment plan.
“I don’t want you to start worrying your pretty head about things like this. I came with a solution for all your problems.” I blinked back tears. The knot in my throat felt like a stone. There was no way he had the solution to my problems. I wiped at the tears that welled up in my eyes.
“What’s that?” I asked. My voice was hoarse from the dam of tears that was begging for release. He stood up from the couch and came to his knees in front of me. I sat back in the chair as my grief was quickly replaced by fear. He picked up my hand. I cringed. His hands were cold and clammy. I wanted to pull my hand away.
“I want to take care of you. Buy you pretty clothes and fine jewelry.” What the world was he rambling on about… pretty clothes?
“Marry me, Yasmin!” My mouth fell open.
“Eww!” I snatched my hand
