I Do or I Die: A Killer Arrangement

Wealthy Ian Raeesi led the charge to build a largely insular Romani community in suburban Illinois, where Romanis could operate their own businesses catering to Romanis, raise families next to other Romani families, and continue Romani traditions. In this patriarchal society, most of the men aspire to be like Ian, such as corner store owner, George Jasaraska, he and his wife, Morgan Jasaraska, who have a daughter, Sonya Jasaraska. The current expectation, much later than it was in Ian, George and Morgan's generation, is that parents are to announce the engagements of their sons and daughters at age eighteen, most of those unions arranged, with the boys to carry on the father's tradition of being the breadwinner, while the girls are to stay at home to raise the family. Sonya is already thinking about going against her parents in wanting to go away to college, her grades which could get her into any school that she wants, and wants to go away with her non-Romani "secret" boyfriend, Ray Fine. Things get even worse for her when she discovers that Ian has chosen her to marry his and his wife Glenda Raeesi's son, Alex Raeesi, George in particular feeling this news is like hitting the jackpot. Like Sonya toward him, Alex would not have chosen Sonya as a mate, especially as he is in a sexual relationship with Sonya's best friend, Savani Paramush, but unlike Sonya, Alex is not willing to go against his father in seeing the family wealth as his future. Sonya may not realize how dangerous it may be for her if she goes against especially Ian.