Runaway Bride

I arrive at my parents’ house in ten minutes. I didn’t think for a second where to go when the family driver asked me for directions. The man was kind enough not to look at my appearance when I got into the black sedan.

“Daughter, what are you wearing!” my mother exclaims as she opens the front door. “You’re a woman married to a respectable man!”

“Forget what I’m wearing. Why don’t you ask me what he did to make me come to the house like this?” I tell her as I walk in and go straight to my room.

“Don’t yell at me!”

“Yes, I do yell at you!” I quickly look for something to wear. It’s getting late already. I look at the cuckoo clock I have hanging above the bookcase where I keep my novels and little ceramic dolls. “I don’t know how you can care so much about appearances, Mother. It doesn’t matter.”

“Of course it matters. You got married and left here as a young lady. You are with a man of a higher social class. Therefore, your dress and appearance say a lot about you. Besides, I’m sorry to tell you that it influences your husband.”

“I don’t give a damn about my husband!” I squeal.

I finish pulling up my black tube-style skirt. Likewise, I slip on a baggy white blouse of butterflies and red roses.

“Don’t say that you look like a child.”

“Where is Teresa?”

I don’t plan to stand around listening to my mother lectured me on how my actions influence society. That’s water under the bridge. I know, it’s true, she’s right, but right now, that’s a trifle. I don’t care that people see me and Mrs. Merlina at the flea market saw me get out of the sedan covered in a sheet. I’m tired of trying to be perfect! It’s exhausting to be someone you’re not. Pretending to please everyone, to help and please...no matter if you lose your essence along the way.

“Your sister went out to buy some things for her trip.”

“Are you okay with her going with that young man?”

“I remind you that he is your brother-in-law.” My mother stands in the doorframe and analyzes my every move. She looks tired. Her dress is wrinkled, which worries me, as Mom always tries to look impeccable.

“So, you know?”

“Tere is no fool. That girl is wide awake. She got herself a good match. She’ll have a good home and economic stability forever. They say those Magghio men only marry once.”

“I can’t believe you just accept it.” It was a big shock for me to know that my younger sister has decided to tie the knot with Dawson Magghio. Of course, he can tell me that he is sorry for getting involved with Arianna, but after learning that he can betray his own brother, I don’t even want to consider what awaits Tere by marrying him.

I tell my mother the same thing. In the meantime, I tie my hair up in a high bun and put a pair of golden rose hairpins in it.

“Men are like that by nature. Don’t think you’ll have a completely faithful man, for it’s in his blood to want to try new meats.”

What an excuse my mother makes.

She doesn’t let me speak and continues. Finally, she walks over and sits on the edge of the bed.

“You don’t know because you were very little when it happened, but more than fifteen years ago, your father had an affair.”

walk over, sit next to her

know you didn’t. I raised you in a bubble and hurt you by making you think the world is perfect. When I married your father, I was just a child, a few years younger than Teresa. He was my first

you married young, but I never got around to calculating the years.” Now I realize how airborne and lost I was. I understand why my mother thought the best thing that could happen to me was to marry someone financially

man here. My family had just arrived by boat, and we had no one. We didn’t know anybody. I was an only child. Adjusting was difficult.” I

were married by force, by convenience,

father courted me for a week, the first week we arrived. Dad

my parents without realizing it. It was a vicious cycle for the Mattew family, and I was just another dot going around the circle. “When did Dad cheat on you? With

having sex even with

pressure of knowing that I would be married the next day to a man whose nickname was the Shady One. That could upset the holiest of women. I don’t know if that influenced me to let myself

away. She had cancer a few years into

it a one-day thing? Did they keep

hasn’t lost her cool or sanity at any point. No tears, no crying,

so sorry, Mom.”

sad and sleeping with any man

me to the highest bidder. To the only bidder. He didn’t

eyes are the same color as mine. She

don’t know if my heart

if you’re going to tell me otherwise because that’s what you look like, and that’s what people will think.

needed

you. Sometimes you need your space to think,

two daughters.” As much as my mother spoke to me loudly and out of turn, she has always been there for us. I don’t remember

an enormous burden and more so if we are only dedicated to being mothers and housewives.” She stands up, and I do the same. “Darío was not the one who

therapy. I feel short

to believe that it was all that poor widower’s fault. If anyone bears

that everything could go well, perfectly, and organized as I wished, I did not know that one thing is what the donkey wants and another who makes it.

I ran over to meet Teresa and

her for days since I moved into the castle. The last

she squeals and hops in my arms. “Oh,

to see you too, tadpole!” I hold her against my chest briskly. I’d love to keep

babies, let’s have some coffee.” My mother goes to the kitchen, and we follow in

doing here? How is Darío and his recovery

idea about the surgery Darío had.

a thing done. I guess my sister’s communication with Dawson is

At least he’s alive and at home,” I try to reassure

here then?! You’re crazy! Your husband needs

over my face and throat clear, uncomfortable. I don’t know if I should tell my mother about the situation I’m going through in my marriage. But, I also don’t want to look so inexperienced and have her feel that I can’t keep the signed contract because that’s what it was, a contract for them and Darío,

who awakened dormant

shirt and short hair with highlights, my sister looks beautiful, a real princess. No dark circles under her eyes, no freckles, and no wrinkles from bad times. She is happy.

Her happiness is mine.