Chapter 8.1 – Sugardaddy

Now that Eva was the head of the Shenston household, Emma realises that she needs to make her own way in life as soon as possible and prove to her family that she can make a success of herself without them.  Sugardaddy.com had proved to be a bit of a waste of time, just a load of lonely old man looking for a young girl but offering nothing in return.  So Emma decides to change tactic and heads for the local art gallery as only rich people could afford art!  She waited for hours while tourists and school children on a days out filtered through the gallery. Finally, just before the doors were about to shut, she notices an old man in the corner staring up at a painting – it is Harold Hughs, Laurie’s rich uncle!  Emma makes a bee-line for him and it is not long before the two are chatting like old friends.

Emma already knows the background of Harold from Laurie, that he wife died when they were young and he has never re-married.  Now he is a lonely old man sitting in his big house surrounded by only his fortune.  But she pretends to Harold she knows nothing about him and listens to every story he has to tell, giggling in all the right places.  This is going to be easy, Emma thought to herself.  Soon enough the conversation moved onto love and Emma told Harold that she had always had a crush on him.  Harold was taken aback but very flattered that this young girl could ever fancy an old man like him.

But before Harold had a chance to digest what was going on, Emma leaned in and kissed him.

It took all Emma’s will power that she could muster to kiss this old man, but in her head she kept reminding herself about all the money she would inherit if she married Harold.  After planting the first kiss, there was no stopping Harold.  He was all over Emma and even though him touching her made her skin crawl, she knew she had succeeded.

“I want to marry you,” Harold told Emma.  “I know it soon but i have never met anyone like you and i dont want to let you go.”

“Of course i’ll marry you,” Emma replied.  “But on one condition.  That you marry me here and now.  I have been waiting my whole life for you,” she lied, “and now i am ready to be yours.”  With this Harold pulled out his old marriage bands and placed the antique diamond ring on Emma’s finger. 

Emma had never been so happy.  She leapt into her new husbands arms forgetting just how old he was. Poor Harold was too old to take her weight and soon dropped her.  Emma was very angry that she had just been dropped but she had other things on her mind, she had to go home and tell her family!

When she got home, Ava was at work and Anna was, as usual in her garden.

She found her parents in the master bathroom together and asked them if she could have a word.  Jackson and Ivy were all ears but they were wondering who the old man Emma had bought home with her was.  “Mum, Dad,” Emma begun, “I would like you to meet Harold, my new husband!”

An eerie silence fell over the room, Ivy was the first to break it.  “What do you mean your husband?  Since when?”

“We only got married today but it was love at first sight, we both love each other and want to be together.”

Jackson had been very still and quiet and all of a sudden he exploded.  “How could you Emma, this man is older than i am!?  What are you thinking?”  He turned to Harold and let him feel his wrath.  “What do you think you are doing marrying my daughter?  Did you know she is only 20 years old – old enough to be your granddaughterrrrrrrrr……

All of a sudden Jackson’s voice started to stutter.  His face went pale white and he clung hold of his chest like his heart was breaking.  Before anyone realised what was happening, he passed away – he had had a heart attack!

By the time everyone realised what was going on, Jackson was gone.  Both Ivy and Emma screamed.  Harold just stood still, frozen with shock.

Soon enough Death came for Jackson.  Jackson threw himself at the mercy of Death begging for his life back, he could not leave things the way they were.  Even Emma begged, but Death told Jackson it was his time to go.  He was 87 years old.

The minute Death had left Anna came rushing in from the garden and Eva arrived home from work.  They ran into the bathroom to see what all the screaming was about to find their father’s urn, laying on the floor.  Joining their mum and sister, they too cried and mourned for their father, saddened more so by the fact they had not got to say goodbye.

Ivy’s sorrow suddenly turned to anger.  Why had Jackson been taken away from her so soon.  She knew why, it was because of Emma’s news that had put her husband in an early grave.  She turned to her daughter and spat: “You did this.  You broke your father’s heart and now he is dead because of you!”

“No mummy, i did not mean to.  Im so so sorry.  Please forgive me.”

“I dont know if i could ever forgive you Emma.  For now you must leave this house.  Go and live with your new husband, i hope you are very happy together.”

Emma knew she was not going to stay somewhere she was not wanted.  This was not how she had imagined things to go.  She had thought that her parents would be proud of her for marrying such a wealthy man, but she was wrong. Now all she had was this old man and she was determined that she would fulfill her lifelong with wish to become a gold digger.  Emma went and packed her things that minute and headed off to live in her new lonely mansions with her new dithering husband.

Back at home Ivy was inconsolable.  She had lost the love of her life and now one of her daughters too was dead to her too.  Anna had retreated more into her garden than ever, so it was left to Eva to try to pick up the pieces.   Suddenly she had an idea.  She knew that before her father died he had been planning to take Ivy to China for a holiday.  So Eva picked up the phone and booked her and her mum to go together instead.  They packed their luggage changed their clothes and got ready to embark on a weeks adventure in Shanghai…..