Chapter 53 Tamed by Father in Law

My husband's parents have always hated me, and they aren't shy about saying so. Josh and Reeve Smith  have never thought I am good enough for their only son. They've called me white trash simply because I grew up poor (though, not in a trailer, I might add), and a gold digger because the Smith are billionaires going back generations. They think I'm using Joshua for his money, and site the fact that he put me through college, is an investor in my clothing store, and the 11 year age difference as evidence. Of course, it couldn't be further from the truth. Joshua and I are very much in love, and have been since we married six years ago.

I met Joshua when I was 18. I was just out of high school, and working as a waitress in a diner downtown so I could save up for college. I hadn't worked there a month when this incredibly handsome guy in a dark suit came in and sat in my section.

We didn't really exchange much more than waitress/customer conversation during that first encounter, but then he started coming in everyday just after the lunch rush, and we began talking. It got so that he requested to be seated in my section, and, because we were usually dead by then, I really got to know and like him. Joshua was 29, and said he worked in finance, which he hated, but it allowed him time to go sailing, which he loved. In addition to being Beatles fans, we also shared a love of Toulouse-Lautrec paintings, Steven Spielberg movies, and for some inexplicable reason, blue Jell-O.

It wasn't until six months later that we started going out. He accidentally left his wallet at the table, and when I called to tell him I had it, he offered to take me out to dinner to thank me.

We went to a very upscale place, much nicer than the diner—not to mention more expensive, and all night I kept saying how weird it was to be sitting at the table with Joshua and not serving him. After dinner we went to the beach, and lay on the sand just looking up at the stars, wrapped in each others arms. Just as our faces tilted towards each other and we were about to kiss, Joshua confessed that he had left his wallet there on purpose, hoping I would call him, and he could use that as an excuse to go on a date with me. He was surprised when I told him I knew, and asked me why I agreed to go out with him. I said that if he hadn't asked me, I would have asked him, and then he leaned in and pressed our lips together.

That night we made love for the first time, and from there our relationship became a whirlwind. Six months after our first date we were engaged. My parents were a bit surprised, since I was only 19 at the time and Joshua was 30, but they loved Joshua, and gave us their blessing. Then it was time to tell Joshua's parents, and it was then that I found out who he was, who his parents were, and just what kind of family I was marrying into. When Joshua said he worked in finance, he meant that he was the vice president of several large banks, second only to his father the president and CEO. I knew that he was well off, but I didn't know until that point just how well off he actually was, which was good for both of us, because we both knew I was in love with Joshua and not his money.

The Smith's had been out of the country during most of the six months we dated. Joshua had told them about me, but I had yet to meet them. Admittedly I was nervous about the whole ordeal, and when we finally broke the news of our engagement to Josh and Reeve, of course, they were upset. With me in the next room, Joshua's parents told him what a mistake he was making by marrying a poor girl half his age who was probably only after his money anyway. Joshua was so upset that he stormed out of the house and three months later we drove to Las Vegas and tied the knot, sans parents.

I actually worked at the diner for a while after the wedding, and Joshua still came in to eat, but then one day he surprised me with a college application and a blank check. I told him I didn't want to take advantage of him, but he insisted that I was his wife, and he knew going to college would make me happy, which is all he wanted. Naturally, this sent the Smith over the edge, assuming this is what I had hoped to achieve by marrying their son. The fact that I graduated Summa Cum Laude and managed to start up my own clothing store did nothing to dissuade them. I thought perhaps over time things would get better, but unfortunately they just got worse. I was never invited over to their home for holidays, Sunday dinners, or, well, any reason, really. Whenever they called and I answered the phone, they would immediately hang up, and to this day they still try to set Joshua up with other women. Josh and Reeve have each come to me on separate occasions and offered me obscene amounts of money to divorce Joshua, an offer that is of course immediately rejected. Joshua and I have told them a hundred times that we love each other and if they don't like it, then that's too bad, but as anyone in the business world will tell you, Josh Smith is a hard man to tell no.

Joshua's parents aside, we actually do have a wonderful marriage. Joshua is the kindest, sweetest, most generous man I could have ever asked for, not to mention an animal in the sack. Aside from the occasional squabble over which movie to see or where to go on vacation, we rarely ever argue. I guess that's because we have no secrets from each other...or at least we didn't, until that fateful day...

It all began on the Friday of a three day weekend. Joshua was going to go out on his boat for the weekend, and as usual when he was gone, I was going to use the time to veg out on John Hughes movies, make an avocado face mask, and eat an entire pepperoni pizza by myself. This weekend I was adding "work on the spring line" to the agenda, something I had been meaning to do all season, but couldn't because of a problem with suppliers. Whatever, I work better under pressure anyway.