David Hale wanted this. Wanted Charming Heights more than anything. It would make a great addition to his career. He was already elected mayor. Even though he had been pushed out a couple of times it seemed like everything was finally on point. Picking up his phone he dialed a number.
Answering his phone as he continued to make his kids breakfast he said. "Hello."
"Hey it's Jacob. Listen I'm on board with sending all of my fleet to your shop for the maintenance as long as you help me get Charming Heights."
"Well that's all in good Jacky, but...," the man was interrupted.
"Daddy when's mommy coming home?"
"Soon hopefully. Anyway Jacob I am all for doing the blackmaile for you. Though there is only one other thing."
Twenty one year old Lydia Hale was getting ready to head down to work. Her father had bought out a huge chunk of mainstreet and she had decided that she wanted to reopen what was once an ice cream shop. All she had was good memories and she wanted to share them with other kids on the small town of Charming.
Laying down her keys for her Lexus SUV Lydia went into the kitchen and poured herself a glass of orange juice and proceeded to make herself and her father breakfast. He had been going through a rough time. Ever since the cancer took her mom and then with her uncle getting ran down while on duty all that Jacob had in the world was his only child and his real estate business as well as running for mayor and being in and out of office.
"Good morning honey." said Jacob as he came downstairs.
"Morning daddy. Breakfast is nearly ready and then I'm heading to the shop." said Lydia.
"So you want to reopen the ice cream shop and be a business owner." said Jacob.
"I did get my degree in business at UCLA, and I have so many happy memories there that I just wanted to continue the trend. Though I have also thought about getting my degree in cosmotalogy and opening an Salon for women here in Charming so they don't always have to go to Floyd's. He's a good guy, but doesn't know shit about women's hair." said Lydia.
That's one thing that Jacob loved about his daughter. Always a go getter striving to be independent, and he loved that she wanted to own several businesses. This was going to make it just all that much harder for him. Though he needed this to really get ahead in his real estate career. He needed Charming Heights.
"Lydia sit down we need to talk." said Jacob.
"What's going on dad?" she asked.
"Well the good news is I got Charming Heights. The bad news is that, well, shit I just don't know how to even say it." Jacob began.
"Just spit it out." Lydia said.
"The one man who can help me get ahead wants something in return. It seems like his right hand man is taken a liking to you after seeing you around town and well he had asked for you to marry him." Jacob spit out.
"No way!" said Lydia. "I'm not marrying anyone!"
"Listen you need to do this to help me get Charming Heights." said Jacob.
"So marrying me off is just a pawn just so you can fucking get ahead in your career. I'm not the marrying time and this might end up holding me back with all of my dreams and ambitions. Oh and what if I decide that I wanted to leave huh. That's out the window now. Dammit dad ever since mom and Uncle David died you haven't been the same person and I'm sure that your brother would have thrown the book at you, and mom would probably file for divorce." said Lydia.
"Well neither of them are on this earth anymore and so that means that you have to help me get Charming Heights. All your dreams that you are referring to. Well Charming Height's would bring in more business for you and all of your business plans that you have." said Jacob.
"They won't be just mine anymore once I sign those papers. Once I'm married aka ball in chain that means that all my hard work. All my dreams will belong to them also." said Lydia.
"It's a small price to pay." Jacob didn't get anymore out as his only child grabbed her keys and stormed out with the slamming of the door. "I'm sorry Lydia."
Lydia unlocked the door of her shop on mainstreet and breezed in throwing her purse down on the counter. She began the task of sweeping and cleaning up before she got started on the windows and then she was going to talk to vendors about getting supplies. She was so into her work that she didn't hear the door open. She as just angry, pissed off, hell ready to knock the shit out of someone.
"Hey!" the older woman said. She was just taken aback by the look on her face. Normally Lydia would be friendly and smiling and that morning she was just on a tear. "Ummm PMS'ing?" she asked.
"No Candy. My dad's an asshole! A complete fucking asshole!" Lydia ranted at the girl that went to school with her Uncle and also worked with him and still worked there.
"Oh damn. What did he do?" Candy asked. Even though she was younger than her they always got along and formed a friendship.
"He is fucking using me to get ahead with his real estate venture. I mean shit! Arranged marriage. What are we in the fucking olden days! UGH!" Lydia let out.
"Wow harsh. And I'm sorry." said Candy.
"And do you know what the kicker is? Once I sign the fucking papers any dream or venture I enter into it's not only mine it's their's. I mean! UGH FUUUUCCCKKKK!" Lydia was just beside herself and Candy was one of the few people she felt comfortable letting loose around.
Tristen Oswald was another since she was ninteen. She was glad that they brought justice to the fucker that raped her when she was thirteen, but come on did they have to dabble in everything in Charming? Legal or not?
"I wish mom was here. Uncle David too." said Lydia as she put her head in her hands and cried. Candy walked over and hugged the younger woman. She was just trying just like the rest of the people in Charming, and things were getting to her. Hell popping an arranged marriage on her certainly didn't help either. No matter what Candy would look out for her friend. She made a promise to both herself and David.
"So what are you going to name your shop?" Candy asked.
"Well I was thinking about Hale-Charming Ice Cream and Treats." said Lydia.
"Nah that doesn't work." said Candy.
"Well Charming Scoops and Sweets." said Lydia.
"Throw your last name in there." said Candy.
"Hale Charming Scoops and Sweets." said Lydia.
"That just doesn't sound right. Ummm what will your married name be. Throw that one out." said Candy.
"Fuck! Okay please tell me that this sounds just as dumb as all the others. I wouldn't mind Lydia's Scoops and Sweets." she started.
"Quit stalling. What is it?"
"What is what?" a raspy voice asked as the shop keeper and the Deputy Sherriff looked up to see the Sergent at Arms of SAMCRO inter the building.
"Don't worry about it. Okay how about Charming Scoops and Sweets." said Lydia.
"Like it. Though we'll talk later." said Candy as she walked out.
"So do you need something?" asked Lydia.
"Cup of chocolate ice cream." Happy Lowman said.
"Coming right up." said Lydia. She gave it to him on the house. She had plenty of money in a trust fund that she didnt' need to be engaged or anything and the one who she was supposed to marry had no access to it.
She was glad when Happy left the building. He was a thug like all of SAMCRO in her eyes.
A/N This has been bothing me for some time so I wrote it down. Enjoy. I'll see how this takes.