Married to a retired playboy

Three

Anger simmered within Vanessa as she got back to her apartment that night. Despite how Carolyn calmed her down on her way home, she couldn't help but get frustrated about her encounter with Darryl.

As she got home, she flung herself onto her bed, the comfortable bed bouncing angrily beneath her. Her room, though not extravagant, wasn't cramped or shabby. It held the comfortable familiarity of a lived-in space.

Despite the normalcy, the room felt charged with Vanessa's simmering frustration. Darryl must have hid the purse from her when they were together in the room because she didn't even notice it until it was time to use it at the reception.

Obviously, Darryl was a handful, and she was ready to teach him a lesson. He could play his game with other girls, but he shouldn't try her. She would never entertain him or his childish actions. The remnants of Carolyn's calming influence hung in the air, only fueling Vanessa's annoyance.

Pulling her from her deep thoughts, her phone, tossed carelessly on the nightstand, buzzed with an incoming call, the ringtone bringing her back to reality.

Glancing at the screen, she saw it was her mom. Her mom was the last person she expected to call her. With a sigh, Vanessa propped herself up against the pillows, the anger momentarily eclipsed by the familiar feeling of seeing her mother's call.

Vanessa answered the phone with a forced cheer, "Hey mom, how are you?" Her voice lacked its warmth, still rippling with the aftershocks of her earlier frustration.

"Vanessa dear, I'm fine," her mother replied, oblivious to the undercurrent in her daughter's tone.

Vanessa sat up straighter, the anger flickering back to life. "Why did you call me today...?" she began, "since you stopped calling because I refuse to get married”, letting the question hang accusingly.

"Talking about marriage, Vanessa," her mother cut in, completely missing Vanessa's skepticism. "When are you bringing me your boyfriend?"

Marriage was the last thing on her mind, and she had always told her mother that she wasn't interested in getting married, but her mother wouldn't listen to her. Her mother was just too stubborn for her liking and she didn't have it anymore.

Vanessa gripped the phone tighter, knuckles whitening. "Mom, I've told you countless times, I'm not getting married, not now, not ever," she stated firmly, her voice leaving no room for argument.

The worn copy of "Pride and Prejudice" on the shelf above her desk seemed to mock her, a silent testament to her independent spirit.

"We've gone over this, I won't sit back and watch you waste your life over feminism," her mother warned, her voice heavy with disapproval.

Vanessa felt a familiar anger ignite in her. Here it was again, only if her mom knew what had happened to her, what had transpired between her and her ex-boyfriend, Emmy, she wouldn't call it feminism.

"So you didn't call me to know about my well-being, Mom?" she asked, her voice dropping to a wounded whisper. “I wonder why I'm asking when it is obvious,” she added.

"Your well-being is all I care about, my child," her mother insisted, "and getting married and starting a family is also a part of your well-being."

Vanessa let out a humorless scoff. ‘A family?’ Like starting a family was the solution to all her problems. Even if she wanted a family, her own family wasn't encouraging at all. The awkward relationship between her and her family was the reason she had left town to the city to keep her distance.

The room felt suffocating with the weight of her mother's expectations. "If you are desperate about starting a family or marriage," she said firmly, her voice laced with bitter sarcasm, "you might as well get married and stop disturbing me, Mom.”

“Don't use that tone with me, I'm your mother,” her mother's voice boomed over the speaker of the phone.

“I'm sorry about that, but you can ask your favorite daughter to get married instead of forcing the burden on me,” Vanessa retorted without a hint of remorse.

“Vanessa….” Her mother started, but Vanessa cut in, interrupting her.

“It is late Mom, have a nice night." Vanessa interjected, taking the phone away from the side of her face.

With a final tap on the red button, she ended the call, the silence that followed echoing the immense distance that had grown between them. She tossed the phone back onto the nightstand, the anger morphing into a deep sadness that settled across her chest like a heavy weight.

Her plate was full, and she had no one to share her burden with. Carolyn was the only one she could talk to, but Carolyn also had her family to take care of.

Snuggling deeper into her covers, Vanessa was ready to surrender to sleep, the only solution to her problems. Just then, the shrill ring of her phone shattered the peaceful silence.

Annoyance flickered across her face as she reached for the phone, squinting at the screen to identify the caller. Seeing it was Carolyn, her best friend, her anger slowly melted away as she swiped the screen of her phone to answer.

"Don't you have a husband to take care of?" Vanessa teased her, her voice laced with sarcasm.

Carolyn's playful chuckle came through the receiver. "My husband can handle himself, thanks to your concern."

“What do I owe the honor?” Vanessa asked, playfully.

Carolyn's tone turned serious. "About your date," she began, "Have you done any research about him?” She asked.

“Nah, I don't have time, and I'm not even interested.

“It is Darryl Peter," Carolyn replied, trying to make Vanessa feel the weight of the name.

Vanessa's voice held a bored lilt. "Yes, Carolyn, Darryl Peter. What's the big deal about him?"

"Darryl Peter," Carolyn emphasized, "or should I say D'Peters companies?"

Vanessa bolted upright in bed, surprise jolting her awake. "Wait, what? Are you serious?"

"Absolutely positive," Carolyn reassured her.

Vanessa clenched her jaw, the memory of her encounter with Darryl resurfacing. "No wonder he had the nerve to take my purse!" she exclaimed, anger lacing her voice.

"Uh-huh," Carolyn murmured in agreement.

"Well," Vanessa stated, her voice hardening, "if he thinks he's some kind of hotshot, I'll show him exactly what I'm made of."

Carolyn, sensing her friend's rising temper, interjected calmly. "Vanessa, honey, slow down. Just get your purse back and call it a day, alright?"

Vanessa scoffed playfully. "Alright, alright, mom."

“Don't compare me to Clara, I'm not as tough as she is,” Carolyn retorted, jokingly.

“You are getting closer every day,” Vanessa teased.

After exchanging goodnight, they ended the call. Yet, sleep evaded Vanessa. Her mind spun with thoughts of revenge, fueled by the revelation about Darryl. As she drifted off to a restless sleep, the only thought on her mind was how to make Darryl Peter pay for playing his game with her.