Chapter 2

The next day Lainey was up bright and early so that she could take her siblings to school and then head to work herself.  She, unlike her parents, didn't have any meetings scheduled for the rest of the week.  She was in her office working on reports when her parents both came in.

"I'll be with you in a moment Kels.", Lainey said without looking up from her reports.

"Honey, it's not Kelsey", her mom said.

"Oh, sorry", Lainey said looking up right away. "What can I do for you?"

"Your father and I wanted to talk to you about tonight.  Isn't that right dear?" Sarah said nudging her husband.

"Yes", he said through gritted teeth.

"Can we do this over lunch?  I really need to get these reports out." Lainey said hoping to put off the conversation a little longer.

"Not a problem, honey, when are you planning on taking lunch?"

"I'm supposed to have lunch with the guys." John grumbled.

"The guys will be fine without you, John." Sarah scolded.

"My plan is to have these done by 11:00, so I can meet you guys at Olive Garden at 11:30 if that works for you."

"Can't wait.  See you there." Sarah said turning and dragging John out with her.

"Sarah, this is ridiculous-" John said on the way out.

"No, John.", Sarah interrupted.  "You want to know what's actually, 'ridiculous'?  You forcing our daughter into an arranged marriage.  I understand that this is the best you and Bill's little pea brains could come up with, but you and I both know there has to have been another way.  This was just the easiest for you, so the least you can do is hear the girl out when you are forcing her to marry a person she hates.  You said that you are done hearing about it from her and you know what so am I, but not just from her, from you too.  So you will be having lunch today with your wife and daughter, and you will not complain about it.  Am I understood?"

"Yes, Dear."

"Good, now if you'll excuse me I am going to my office.  I'll meet you in the lobby at 11:15 so that we can head out."

"Yes Dear."

~~~

Lainey walked into the Olive Garden at straight up 11:30 and found her parents already sitting at a table with salad, breadsticks, and drinks waiting for her.  She walked over to join them and the server came right up to take her order.

"Hi, miss, what can I get you to drink today?"

"Water please", Lainey said taking her seat.

"Have you guys ordered yet?" Lainey asked looking at her menu.

"No, honey, we waited for you." her mom said sickeningly sweet.

"Oh, ok thanks."

The server came back with Lainey's drink.  "Are you guys ready to order, or would you like a few more minutes to look things over?"

"Are you ready Lainey?", her mom asked.

"Yeah, but you guys can go first" Lainey said still looking the menu over.

"I will have the lasagna and my wife will have the chicken parmesan." John, Lainey's dad, answered.

"And you?" the server asked writing down the orders John had given.

"I'll have the chicken alfredo." Lainey said.

"Ok, thank you all.  I will have those out as soon as they are ready."

"So what?  You guys wanted to do this in public hoping I'd be less likely to cause a scene?" Lainey asked after the server had walked off.

"Actually it was more so that your father wouldn't cause a scene rather than you, because usually it's him instigating and you reacting."

Lainey couldn't help but laugh a little under her breath at her mother's claim while getting some salad.

"Lainey" her dad sighed.

She raised her eyebrows at him to continue, but didn't speak.

"I'm not going to apologize to you for trying to do what I see as best for this family, and if that is a problem for you I am sorry but it won't change anything.  Now about the dinner tonight, it will just be us, Peyton, and her parents.  We are not involving any siblings or any other family members in this yet.  I expect you to be on your best behavior tonight at dinner."

"You really don't care if I'm happy in life?  Dad, I hate her."

"Of course I want you to be happy in life Lain, but most of all I care that we all stay alive.  After not only we were targeted us but also the Chapman's as well, Bill and I got together and decided to form an alliance through marriage in order to force whoever was behind the attacks back."

"I understand that dad, but isn't there any other way for us to build an alliance?"

"This is the one that we trust the most because it will be legally binding.  We both have the utmost confidence in our daughters to do the right thing here, even if it means that you have to compromise a little.  I am not telling you to love this girl.  I can not control who you love, but I do hope that you can at least learn to tolerate her because she WILL be your wife."

Lainey sighed in defeat, but didn't say anything.  "This is really what it's come down to, huh?"

"I am so sorry Lain, I really am, but yes, it is."

"I will never forgive you for this." Lainey scolded.  "EITHER of you" she said looking between her parents.  "But if I have no other choice in the matter than I guess there is no point in making it more difficult than it already is." she said now looking at her lap with tears threatening to spill from her eyes.

They sat in silence until the server came with the food.  While eating her mom tried to lighten the mood with some small talk, but neither Lainey nor her father were in the mood so all of the answers were short.  After lunch Lainey decided to take the afternoon off.  She met her bestfriends, Eli and Mackenzie, at the mall.

~~~

"Lainey!", Eli and Mackenzie yelled at the same time.

"Mack, Eli!" She yelled back.

"You ready to shop till we drop?" Mackenzie exclaimed.

"Actually I just need to get a dress for tonight." Lainey said.

"What's tonight?" Eli asked.

"My parents are forcing me to go to dinner with... some family friends." Lainey said hoping her friends wouldn't ask who.

"What kind of dress are we looking for?  Killer queen?  Southern bell? Business mogul? Princess Diana?  Marilyn Monroe? Sexy S-" Eli asked.

"Eli!", Mack interrupted.  "She can't answer if you don't shut up."

"I don't know.  They didn't tell me where we were going for this dinner, so I guess whatever jumps out." Lainey responded.

"Wow, that really narrows it down" Eli rolled his eyes.

"If you don't want to help you can just go home." Lainey said angrily.

"Eww, I hate when you're in, " Eli waived his hands all around, "this kind of mood."

"I'm sorry ok.  I'm just a little stressed right now so it's made me kind of testy."

"Yeah, I can tell" Eli laughed.

"How about we just go and look around?  What time do you have to be ready by?" Mackenzie intervened trying  to keep the peace between her friends.

"Mom said we're leaving the house at 6:00."

"Ok, and I would say you need at least an hour and a half to get ready so we need to have a dress by like 3:30-3:45 at the latest."

"Ok, ladies that means we have three hours to find a dress, some heels, and jewelry.  Lets get crack-a-lackin." Eli said heading off into the mall.

Seven stores and two hours later Lainey finally had everything she needed for her dinner tonight.

"Thanks guys I couldn't have done it without you." Lainey said as they made their way out of the mall.

"No problem girl.  I'm always down to shop you know that." Eli said.

"Plus I get to get my workout in just trying to keep you two from killing each other." Mack joked.

"Ha ha, Mack, very funny." Eli said.

"Lainey laughed!" Mack said gesturing to Lainey who was in fact still laughing.

"She's not wrong, E, I would kill you if she wasn't here."

"You're no sweet Georgia peach yourself there, sweetie."

"Didn't say I was, but you still love me so no need to change."

"Yeah yeah whatever.  Who's your dinner with tonight anyway?" Eli asked rolling his eyes.

Lainey stopped walking causing her friends to also stop and look back at her.  "The Chapman's" Lainey said through gritted teeth.

"I thought you hated them?" Mackenzie asked.

"I do" Lainey said.

"Damn, that sucks for you babes I'm sorry." Mack said apologetically.

"If you kill her call us and we will help you hide the body." Eli joked.

"I think if I killed her, my parents would in turn kill me so you'll be helping them hide my body."

"Yeah, right.  I ain't getting anywhere near that one.  Your dad scares the shit out of me." Eli said.

"Me too E, me too." Lainey said.  "Well I have to go get ready so I'll see you guys later."

"Ok, Lain, text us and let us know how it goes." Mack said.

Lainey got home with an hour to spare before she needed to get ready.  Her siblings were already home from school and playing in the living room with the nanny.

"Lainey!" Megan yelled as Lainey walked through the door.

"Hey, Meg, how was school."

"Good I got 100% on the homework you helped me with last night."

"That's good, do you have more tonight?"

"Yeah, but today they are all multiplications of three."

"Oh?"

"Threes are harder.  Will you please help me tonight after dinner?"

"Yes, but it might be a little later because apparently I have to go out for dinner with mom and dad."

"Thanks Lainey!  You're the best!" Megan said giving Lainey a hug.  "I love you sissy."

"I love you too kiddo."

Lainey went up to her room and started getting her stuff out to get ready for tonight.  Even though she didn't really want to go there couldn't be any harm in being the best looking one there.