Six- Moving out

SARAH PIERCE

The wedding ceremony felt like a chilly breeze.

As the priest conducted the ceremony, occasional loud hisses, fake coughs, and glares from the little congregation did not hesitate to stab me. I tried to ignore them, but they were too annoying, I eventually became distracted.

Thankfully, the priest was quick enough. The ceremony ended and I finally breathed fine.

Little did I know that my woes had just begun.

Contrary to my plan to head to my room with my daughter, I was pulled to the after-wedding lunch, which I had no idea about.

Barely minutes into the lunch, the table became a purgatory. How could it not when my family and Nathaniel’s kept stabbing me with their vicious gaze?

If only I could just slip away.

Unfortunately, I could not. The eyes were too focused on me.

The only thing that helped my tense nerves was Raya’s presence. She was eating at the kids’ table, not too far from ours. As I struggled with getting used to the ring on my finger, I watched as she focused on her meal and didn’t bother to converse with Nathaniel’s aunt's children.

“Dara? Or is it Sarah?” Nathaniel’s mother broke the heavy silence among the adults.

“Sarah, Mrs. Storm,” Rosaline chirped like the bitch she was. “Her name is Sarah.”

“Thank you, Rosa.” I watched the older woman’s smile for my sister turn into contempt when she faced me again. I must say, despite her lovely elegance, her bitterness makes her a bit ugly. “I need you to work on your rudeness. I fear I might faint if you keep doing it.”

I glanced at Nathaniel, whose cutlery kept clashing with his plate. It seemed he had no intention to help me avoid the poisonous words headed for me.

Fine.

“I never intended to be rude, Mrs. Storm,” I replied.

While the woman scoffed, Rosaline jumped into the talk again. “Do not mind her, Mrs. Storm, she never owns up to her fault. And she never listens. I find it annoying.”

“You are now married to my son,” the woman’s voice became very authoritative, her squinted eyes carrying a dangerous warning, “you need to watch yourself and the things you say. If you become a threat, I will remove you without batting an eye.”

“I can only become a threat if you push me to the wall,” I briefly said after glancing at my untouched plate. “Threats beget threats.”

“This fool. This…” Mrs. Storm gritted her teeth while her son’s eating kept annoying me, just as his continued silence did. “You know what.” She smiled with ease. “I do not have to stress myself. I can bet that this union will scatter soon, but while you are together, I will bend you to my will. Under my roof, you will have no choice but to do as I wish. Day and night, I will-”

“We won’t stay in the Storm’s residence,” Nathaniel’s voice resounded and put a stop to his mother’s one-woman declaration.

The stupid, shaky feeling within me became firm, and I observed the shock on everyone’s face.

“What?” Mrs. Storm questioned.

With enviable poise, he dropped his cutlery, wiped the sides of his mouth, and set down the napkin. His eyes blinked with calmness, even though others were almost tearing out their hair as they waited for him to explain himself.

Then, he firmly continued, “I bought a house last year. I hate that it has been empty for too long. My wife and her daughter will live there with me.”

“Boy,” His father frowned. “Just what do you mean by that? Have you lost your damn mind?”

Before Nathaniel replied, he did something insane.

The hand I placed on the table… He covered it with his.

This familiar move made my stomach flip, and I kept staring at his hand. And the more seconds passed, I could only react by recalling the memories where we held hands as if it was enough to survive incoming storms.

I think I am the insane one. Why am I not flinging his hand to the side? And why am I still acting like this is normal?!

“Why should newlyweds live with their parents? I don’t want to expose my wife and her daughter to that life.”

“He has lost his mind!” His mother lamented. Her hands flew into the air, and the woman next to her consoled her. “My son has lost his mind.”

“Nathaniel, why are you going this far for someone you do not know?” my father asked. “Do you not care about how you are hurting Rosaline?”

My father’s concerns were easily ignored. I won’t lie, it felt good to see that.

Nathaniel faced his mother, “Mother, please refrain from speaking harshly to Sarah. You have no right to bend her or whatever it was you said. If anyone should be bending her-”

What the heck is he saying?!

“Nathaniel!” As his mother cried harder like a tortured soul, I feared she might be having severe heartache at that point.

“Please.” He got up, and I felt compelled to do the same. Once we were standing side by side, he said, “Respect our choice.” He did not wait to hear the response. He led us out of that garden, our hands still joined.

~~~~

NATHANIEL STORM

In my soul, I was fuming hard. But I hid it well, even my mother could not tell how much I disliked her disgusting words towards Sarah.

But, there was one thing I could not hide… The fact that I liked the contact between my hand and Sarah’s. There is no particular reason for that.

It’s just…

While I was eating, the view of her hand was so… It was captivating.

When my mother started talking, I watched as that slender hand clenched and pinched the table in reaction, and I just wanted to hold it, to assure it that I was next to it, that I could see it.

Huh.

I think I am losing my mind.

Why would a stranger’s hand make me feel that way? I would understand if I had a kink for hands, but that is not the case. I have never stared at a woman’s hand to the point of feeling the strongest urge to protect.

‘Nathaniel,’ I think to myself, ‘I think it is time to resume your therapy sessions.’

“I said, let go of my hand!” The woman before me jerked her hand, and I abandoned my thoughts to focus on her. The detest in her eyes was more intensified than ever, and I knew it would be foolish of me to continue ignoring her threatening glare. “Let go,” she warned through clamped teeth, and I listened.

While she wiped her hands as if it was the devil that just held her, I said, “You heard me back there, right? We are going to live far away from my parents.”

“Sure.”

I tell you, this woman is very amusing. “Sarah-”

“Are you expecting me to thank you?” Her eyes whipped me. “Cap that thought. Also, our marriage is not a reason for you to touch me anyhow. I will not take that shit from you.”

“Good.” My arms folded, and my gaze became cold and unmoved. “You already have one of the rules penned down.”

“You-”

“I am going to demand that you show me some respect. I don’t expect ass-kissing respect, but the least you can do is treat me as normal humans would. I am sure you don’t want to teach your daughter bad manners.”

“Do not speak about my daughter, Nathaniel,” she warned, and I finally noticed the freckles beneath her brownish eyes.

They are cute.

She is cute. That was what I thought when we were sharing the wedding vows. Her simple white dress drew me to her overall aura, and on that altar, I found myself wondering how much more radiant she would look if the emotions in her eyes weren’t depressing her presence.

Oh God. I need to focus. This woman is just a means for me to pave my way to freedom.

After a deep breath, I replied, “Mentioning your daughter once in a while is inevitable. Anyway,” I rushed my words to avoid her interference, “I believe you understand me.”

“Of course.” If words could become physical slaps, I would be bleeding right now. “I wouldn’t even bother with ass-kissing a-”

“Are you about to swear at me?”

“Today is not the day.” She turned her back to me. “I won’t be returning to lunch. Raya and I need to rest.”

“I will send the contract later. Sign it before we leave tomorrow.”

“Whatever.” She walked away, and I had no choice but to return to my thoughts.

“I guess I will find out soon,” I  said to myself after wondering if her hatred was a means of playing games with my precious time. “Sarah Pierce, I will figure you out. You and your hatred.”