Love & War

The wedding came two weeks after Oliver’s mother had convinced me to basically give up my life just so her “baby” could attend college. What was I going to do while he was at school all day? Work? I had no idea. No one told me anything.

I walked slowly down the isle with my father. He was grinning like mad, I probably had on a face the was close to one of someone getting a root canal. I felt very out of place in the church full of both mine and Oliver’s family. They all knew that this marriage was fake, just a plan to save Oliver from going to war.

Through the entire ceremony I looked back at my sister, Grace. She looked overjoyed to see me throwing my life away for the arrogant boy who I had never had a conversation with. At fifteen, Grace at un realistic expectations for love. She imagined her perfect man falling hopelessly in love with her and wanting other than to be with her.

That isn’t how the world works. Men are dogs. They cheat. They lie. They only want one thing, sex. They’ll do anything to get it. If Oliver thinks because we’re going to be officially married in a few minutes that he’s entitled to sex he sure is in for a big surprise! I was totally opposed to marriage before this whole thing came about. I don’t want to depend on anyone other than myself.

There was no party after the wedding. My family and Oliver’s family went out to eat at a nice restaurant. I wasn’t expecting much, because there was a war raging on and money was tight.

Oliver lived in a nice sized house. It was a wedding present from his rich uncle who predicted Oliver would take a wife to protect himself from bloodshed. After we went out to eat, she gave me a tour of the house that was surprisingly decorated and furnished nicely. It smelled like a boy had been living there...which kind of smelled like sweaty sock filled with rotting cheese.

“There’s-um-only one bed. So I’ll-uh-sleep on the couch...if you want.” Oliver mumbled quietly, he didn’t give me time to answer before he grabbed pillows and a blanket and headed out of the bedroom and closed the door behind him. He really didn’t want to be around me, that much was obvious. I shouldn’t complain though, I was getting what I liked...privacy.

I laid in the bed. In his bed. Who even knows how long he’s been sleeping in it. God knows when the last time he washed his sheets was. I jumped up from the bed when the thought of Oliver being sexual with someone on those sheets. I muttered “Ew.” while jumping about and waving my hands around like a lunatic. There wasn’t much I could then, so I laid down and mumbled songs to myself until I feel asleep.

When I woke up, I didn’t go looking for Oliver with the knowledge that he had classes. I really didn’t want to see him, and he obviously didn’t want to see me so it all worked out. I went straight to the bathroom and changed into a tank top and a pair of sweat pants. I brushed my teeth and pulled my hair up into a bun before washing my face. That’s it. I was ready for the day. I had my mind set on cleaning every inch of the house.

I started off in the bedroom. I stripped the bed and threw all the bedding into the washing. I dusted, I organized, I cleaned mirrors, I vacuumed the tan carpet. Unfortunately, I had to shift through piles of Oliver’s clothes and use my nose to decipher between clean and dirty clothes.

Once I had the bedding in the dryer I threw a huge load of Oliver’s dark clothes into the washing machine. I then went to the bathroom which was disgusting. The shower had never been cleaned, that much was apparent. The toilet...let’s not even discuss that. Toothpaste was splattered on the mirror and floor had all sorts of putrid things on it.

I finished mopping in the bathroom and I moved onto the rest of the house. I had it clean faster than I thought. It was only the bathroom and the bedroom that were disgusting. Every other room looked almost unused. The living room and the library where messy. I was able to get a stain off the living room’s recliner and I dusted away cobwebs that hung on the edges of book selves.

The odor the house had previously was gone, replaced with the fresh scent of cleaning products that had never been used before I came along.

I took a shower after cleaning and then put all the bedding back onto the bed. I threw Oliver’s darks into the dryer and his lights into the wash. This was how my life was going to be it seemed. I was legally Oliver’s wife which I guess was another word for maid.

It was about lunch time when I heard the door open and voices. I wasn’t sure if Oliver was home or if we were being robbed so I hesitantly to the top of the stairs and looked down for any sign of intruders. There were none, Oliver took of his jacket and hung on the coat rack.

“Where’d the smell go?” A female voice asked. Oh no! If he thinks he can bring girls home while he’s married he’s in for a rude awakening!

“Ella, Ollie got himself married over the weekend! That’s probably where the smell went.” I listened to the deep voice and watched as a tall guy and tiny female walked into the living room. I felt myself flushing from anger. He was so ashamed of me he didn’t even tell his friends he was marrying me!

“You got married!” another female voice gasped.

“Why didn’t you tell us!” yet another female voice chimed in.

“Leave him alone.” a guy spoke walking behind the two brunette females.

“Yeah, leave him alone. He’d tell you eventually!” I was completely shocked when another guy walked right by the stairs and didn’t even take notice of me. None of them did. Though, they’re have to look up the stairs to see me. Oliver knew I was home and he didn’t even offer to introduce them to me. How could he have friend even? I stormed off to the bedroom and opened the book I was reading.

Good. I didn’t care. That’s what I wanted. I wanted to be nothing more than ghost in Oliver’s life. I didn’t want to meet his friends, I didn’t want to share a room with him, I didn’t want anything but to do my job and keep Oliver away from war. It would have just been nice to know that he was at least grateful for the way I’ve thrown my life away for him.