FORBIDDEN LOVE: My Sister's Husband

Chapter one

CHAPTER ONE

AMARI’S POV:

I felt a wave of nausea as the boy kissed the girl on her neck, what’s with teenagers kissing everywhere they find themselves? we were on a bus for goodness sake! My house was still twenty minutes away, I didn’t know which was better, going home to a drunk father and my mum still drooling over him in that state or watching strangers make out on a bus. I would never understand the concept of love.

Working nine to five was my escape from home, the pay wasn’t good but I wasn’t in need of cash. Being away from home gives me sanity.

As the bus drove along, I sank into my seat with my eyes closed. I could see myself ten years ago running to hide in my closet as dad hit mum. Mia had tried to hold dad back but she only ends up on the floor with a wound on her leg, dad couldn’t care less, he couldn’t even see, alcohol always takes over his vision. Mum just waits for him to get tired of hitting her and falling asleep on the couch almost immediately he stops. It’s been this way for years. I’d imagined running away from home a few times but I just couldn’t do it, I couldn’t leave mum and Mia behind. Why won’t she just leave this man?! I’ve seen the way men look at her each time we go to the mall, I knew mum was beautiful, why was she wasting her life with that man?

Mum never forgets to tell Mia and I how dad had saved her from drowning years ago, “He was her knight in shining armor, her prince charming”, she would say. She always talks about how love is a beautiful thing and how it had kept her going, she always said she couldn’t live without dad. Dad wasn’t the most handsome man, he was a fine man but that was it. He knew how much Mary loved him, honestly, he had loved her when they first met but she was too perfect for him, she always wanted to please him and never complained. She loved him too much he would say. Johnny felt trapped, he wanted to opt out of the marriage but Mary wasn’t willing to let him go, she endured whatever maltreatment he brought her way. That’s how they had lived their lives for the past 26yrs.

I remember telling mum I never wanted to get married because I didn’t want to get beat up by my husband everyday and have my kids watch helplessly. Mum had looked at me with sad but gentle eyes, she had told me dad was a good man and only acted that way because of the alcohol, she always blamed it on alcohol. I had gotten used to the smell of alcohol but had never tasted it, I didn’t want to be like dad. I didn’t know how being in love felt but I certainly didn’t want to feel what my mum felt for my dad for any man. I would never get married or have kids.

My family would have thought I was a lesbian since I hated men but I wasn’t talking to any females either, I didn’t have any friends, I didn’t attend parties. I attended a party once but I didn’t stay past ten minutes, alcohol was like water at the party and people made out on the couch and every corner like they had no care in the world. Those were the exact things I hated for as long as I can remember. I didn’t attend anymore parties after that.

Mia on the other hand was the “ life of the party girl”, she got invited to every other party. Mia dated a different guy each week and claimed to be in love with them, she was just like mum. The only thing that distinguished them was Mia claiming to love those guys because of their parents affluence, dad had nothing to his name. All my life I’d watched mum work multiple jobs to cater for us and her drunk husband. Mia had always wanted to live like a queen and I’d never understand why, I just wanted to live a comfortable, drama-free life, I’d probably get a dog or a cat to keep me company.

Another chapter of my life starts in a few weeks and I couldn’t wait to be away from Vegas. Going to live with my sister and her husband in Ne Yyork was never my plan, in fact I had protested at first but I wasn’t given an option and on the bright side,Ii’d be away from home. I’d definitely miss mum but I know she’ll take care of herself, i’d stopped advising her to leave dad, “ you do not advise someone who is in love”.

I was gradually drifting into sleep when the loud honking made me jolt back to reality, I had reached my bus stop. I quickly grabbed my stuff and started making my way out of the bus, I walked past the boy and girl who were making out earlier, I gave them a look of disgust as I got down from the bus.

After sitting in the park for thirty minutes, I was mentally prepared to go home. The park was five minutes walk away from my parents house, I always went there to clear my head. It was the only thing our town mayor for 20yrs had done that pleased me, my town had always looked like a dejected village and youths couldn’t always wait to get out of town.

As I opened the door the strong smell of alcohol greeted me, I would never get used to this smell. I looked around and saw dad slumped on the couch, I was glad he was already asleep. In the last few years, he had stopped hitting mum because I pushed him off her one time and was ready to go all out with him, I had had enough of him. I could see the fear in his eyes that day, it was like he was sober at that moment. Mum made me apologize to him the next day, she didn’t joke with the matters of her husband.

“I pray that love never finds me.”

Dad never hit her after that day, he only nags until he falls asleep on the couch. Thank God I didn’t even have friends to bring home.

Mum wasn’t home, maybe she had gone to the local market. I entered into my room and fell on my bed immediately after taking off my shoes, I had quit my job today. I thought of how I was going to spend my last week in Vegas, I thought of the next 2yrs I’d be spending with my sister.

Mia and I didn’t have the best relationship, our personalities were too different. She’s been married to her husband “ Chris “ for a year now, I saw him for the second time on the day of their wedding. Chris and I have never exchanged a pleasantry,Ii’m sure my sister would have filled him in on my hatred for guys. I always wondered how they met but I guess it’s a storyIi’ll never find out because I would never ask Mia about a man.

“Amari!!!” Mum’s voice stopped my train of thoughts. I guess thoughts about coping with Mia and Chris will have to wait.