Status: Finished! FoREVer
Picture Perfect
Stranger in my family
That moment, like all the other happy moments in my life, ended just as quickly as it began. Before I left Jimmy’s apartment (which I soon found out was above a Laundromat), we decided that last night was something that should never again be repeated (no matter what are feelings for the other were); however, that we could still be friends. It was for the best in the long run. I mean, I’m in an arranged marriage- there’s not much left that I can do.
I got into my house through the kitchen door in the back of the house, only to find my mother sitting at the breakfast bar. She held a tea cup with both of her hands, the lip of the china resting just below her chin. Her eyes were fixated on me like I was some kind of prey- and she, the huntress.
“Hello, mother,” I said in a cheerful voice, knowing that if I didn’t stay nice and proper, I would get the worst of her tongue lashing.
In response, she set the tea cup down on a saucer. “Hello, darling, have fun at the party last night?” she asked in a sickly sweet tone that made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.
“Of course, mother,” I replied cautiously.
Slowly she stood up. “That’s not how it sounded when Christopher phoned the house earlier.”
I gulped.
“You made me look like a fool. You made me lie. Tell me the truth, Annaliese, why did you run from him?”
I took a few hard gulps. “He hit me, mother. He hit me in front of everyone.”
“Well, then, you must have deserved it. Tell me, what did you do? Answer me!” she finished with a raised voice.
“I didn’t do anything! I swear, he was drunk and he- he tried to rape me, okay?” I yelled back at her.
“You should have let him,” she said in an icy voice.
“What?” I asked in disbelief. This was not the woman who raised me. This was some sort of monster- a demon.”
“You should have let him,” she repeated. “He is basically your husband now- he can do whatever the hell he pleases with you.”
“But-”
“No buts. A proper wife is seen not heard, unless if she is spoken directly to. Do you understand?”
When I didn’t respond, she continued.
“You know, I’d hate for anything bad to happen to your new friend.”
I visibly tensed.
“What’s his name? He’s the Sullivan’s boy, correct?”
“How did-”
“The streets have eyes, Annaliese. Or did you think I was fool enough to let things get too out of my control?”
“I-”
“Better smarten up and learn your place before I am forced to do anything too drastic.” She came up behind me. “Like kill him,” she whispered dangerously in my ear. “And do not think about going to your father,” she smirked. “I have him so tangled that he doesn’t know which way is up anymore.”
“Who are you?”
“Me?” she asked innocently. “Nothing really- just a mother wanting the best for her daughter,” she said before casually exiting.
I got into my house through the kitchen door in the back of the house, only to find my mother sitting at the breakfast bar. She held a tea cup with both of her hands, the lip of the china resting just below her chin. Her eyes were fixated on me like I was some kind of prey- and she, the huntress.
“Hello, mother,” I said in a cheerful voice, knowing that if I didn’t stay nice and proper, I would get the worst of her tongue lashing.
In response, she set the tea cup down on a saucer. “Hello, darling, have fun at the party last night?” she asked in a sickly sweet tone that made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.
“Of course, mother,” I replied cautiously.
Slowly she stood up. “That’s not how it sounded when Christopher phoned the house earlier.”
I gulped.
“You made me look like a fool. You made me lie. Tell me the truth, Annaliese, why did you run from him?”
I took a few hard gulps. “He hit me, mother. He hit me in front of everyone.”
“Well, then, you must have deserved it. Tell me, what did you do? Answer me!” she finished with a raised voice.
“I didn’t do anything! I swear, he was drunk and he- he tried to rape me, okay?” I yelled back at her.
“You should have let him,” she said in an icy voice.
“What?” I asked in disbelief. This was not the woman who raised me. This was some sort of monster- a demon.”
“You should have let him,” she repeated. “He is basically your husband now- he can do whatever the hell he pleases with you.”
“But-”
“No buts. A proper wife is seen not heard, unless if she is spoken directly to. Do you understand?”
When I didn’t respond, she continued.
“You know, I’d hate for anything bad to happen to your new friend.”
I visibly tensed.
“What’s his name? He’s the Sullivan’s boy, correct?”
“How did-”
“The streets have eyes, Annaliese. Or did you think I was fool enough to let things get too out of my control?”
“I-”
“Better smarten up and learn your place before I am forced to do anything too drastic.” She came up behind me. “Like kill him,” she whispered dangerously in my ear. “And do not think about going to your father,” she smirked. “I have him so tangled that he doesn’t know which way is up anymore.”
“Who are you?”
“Me?” she asked innocently. “Nothing really- just a mother wanting the best for her daughter,” she said before casually exiting.
♠ ♠ ♠
sorry it's so hodge-podge and a little out there. I just made the update so I can give you a clue as to what's causing the slow updates. Basically, my inspiration for this story is being flushed down the drain as we speak. It's really sad, too, because I love this story. The same thing is happening to Rum and Coke (for all of you who also read that one). You see, part of that is to blame on my need to constantly be doing something in the theatre...another part is coming from social drama, and the third part is coming from a story that has been increasingly nagging me ever since it popped into my brain.So, I'm at a loss for what I should do. On one hand, I can A) put this one on the "On Hiatus" list (where it will join countless abandoned projects); B) just stop it entirely and GIVE you a brief synopsis; or C) just keep plodding along with it (and have sporadic updates). I'm not going to decide on either of these until after my Thanksgiving break (which is 9 days long).
If you have any suggestions on what I should do, please feel free to tell me! I almost always answer PMs and profile comments
=D bree