Tenderly Passionate

"No way!"

I dropped the spoon I was holding when I heard what my father said.

"Elijah, watch your language! We eat and-"

"Is that so? After you tell me that my future husband, whom I have never seen before, will arrive tomorrow, you will find me with good manners!" I exclaimed as I rose from my seat.

"You—" My father also stood up.

"No, Dad! You can't do this to me! I have my own life to live, and that includes choosing a man to be my husband; you're not the one who chose!" I ran away from the dinner table after saying that.

"Elijah, please return!"

But I continued up the stairs and entered my room.

"Talk to that woman, Mathilde."

My father even said to my nanny,

"But, Leandro, you know Elijah; she's a nice woman, but when she knows she's right, she's not so nice-"

"Shut up, Mathilde. This is a different conversation. I've granted her wishes many times, but this time, I'll be the one to follow!"

My daddy was still talking, so I put a pillow over my ears.

The entire house fell silent at once. I knew my nanny would lose an argument with my father. He was familiar with my father's personality. What can be said has already been said; it can no longer be broken. I quickly heard a knock on my bedroom door. I know Nanny Mathilde was there. I could tell she was sitting next to me because the bed sagged.

"Your father's wishes are for your good, daughter."

"But, Nanny Mathilde, my father wants something to go wrong. He's going to force me to marry a man I've never seen before. What am I, a robot with no feelings? And what if he's ugly, or that person is sadistic or crazy?"

"Hija, it goes without saying that your father will not accept a bad match for you; the man is said to be attractive, intelligent, and responsible; and your father knows the father of the man you intend to marry."

"Even if his father was kind, how could he be certain his son was? And how can I get along with a man I've never met?"

Nanny Mathilde just sighed.

My nanny had no idea that I had already planned my strategy in my head. I'm going to leave. If that man comes here tomorrow, I'll make sure we don't cross paths. I quickly stuffed my clothes and other belongings into my large bag. I slowly left my room, carrying my ATM card, with which I had paid my father's remaining allowance. I'll start with my good friend Kara. I was confident she wouldn't let me live alone. Since high school, Kara has been my best friend. Even though we were not classmates in college, we maintained contact. We get together now and then for a walk or a stroll on the beaches.

"Oh, it's you, Ma'am Elijah; Ma'am Hanna isn't here," the maid said as she opened the door for me.

"What happened to her?"

"She left, accompanied by her foreign cousin."

Oh my gosh! I was secretly fuming.

"When will she be back?"

"Oh, I'm not sure, ma'am; they just left yesterday; she said if you come, just text her."

"Is that correct?"

I felt a little better when I remembered my friend had a cell phone.

I called her instead of texting her.

"What? Did you run and hide? Why?" Kara asked from the other end of the line.

"It's a long story, we can't talk on the phone, and I need to get out of here before my father finds out."

"Okay."

"That's right, I'm going. Meet me at the Paris airport, okay?"

"How long?"

"Right now, I'll get a ticket and text you my flight information, okay?"

"All right, be careful; I'll notify my cousin."

"All right, bye!"

I looked for a taxi to take me to the airport ticket counter.

"Please accept my apologies, ma'am; all flights to Paris have been canceled."

"What? Why?" I was irritated.

A typhoon is on its way, and the plane cannot take off. The planes will not be able to fly for three days.

"Is that correct?"

"That's correct; if you want, you can get a ticket first."

"Perhaps later."

That's all I said before turning away from the person I was speaking with. I went to the pier to check on the ship's departure.

"At midnight, one ship will depart."

"How long does it take to get to the sea?"

"Ma'am, twenty-four hours."

I mentally calculated. I'll arrive in Paris the next day if I board the ship this morning. On the third day before leaving, I would still be waiting for the flight. And I've got to get out of here. My father's orders to look for me may even overtake me. I'm not going to take any chances. After purchasing a ticket, I stayed at a five-star hotel near the pier. I took a taxi to the pier at three o'clock in the morning. The crate was ideal because the passengers had already boarded the departing ship. It will set sail at four o'clock in the morning.

I received my cabin. I want to be alone on this journey. This is the first time I've ever stepped aboard a ship. Because my father is afraid of the sea, we always fly when we travel abroad. I stay on the deck as long as the ship does not leave the pier. I make certain that I can leave this place.

My father was probably perplexed at finding me at this point. I've been gone for twenty-four hours now. I have a strong feeling of concern for my father. I couldn't wait to sink into the soft mattress. My father had a heart condition, I suddenly remembered. What if he got even worse at what I did?