FIFTY-TWO.

Wicked sits down beside me as my father takes his place at the head of the table and my mother sits on his right – across from me.

Kara places our plates down in front of us, “Wicked, it’s so good to see you. I hope you have been keeping well?” She says in hushed tone, touching his shoulder as she slips a piece of paper inside his denim pocket.

My father clears his throat, “that will be all, thank you, Kara.” He growls with a scowl on his face, disliking the way she is interacting with my supposedly future husband.

Wicked casts me a side-long glance with a shit-eating grin on his face. “The house staff have always been so… accommodating to my every need when I visit here.”

I pick up my utensils and begin to cut into my large piece of steak that is covered with mushroom sauce, “that’s refreshing to know. I could tell from the first time I met, Kara that she was very cooperative when it came to one's needs.” I shove the piece of meat in my mouth and turn to look at him, chewing with my