When I Married You

"I don't understand," I said in a very small voice that was barely above a whisper. My eyes were tearing up already, and it felt like I was seeing double, my heart gave a mad beat and I felt like I was going to double over and faint. But I wasn't deaf, neither was I dreaming. It was all reality and my stepmom and dad were staring at me like I had grown another mouth at the top of my head. I was shaking like a wet leaf and I tried to pinch myself, but it wasn't a dream. "You both can't expect me to do that," I said again, whimpering like a little cat as tears rolled down to my lips and I tasted it. "We are not expecting you." Dad's voice rose again. "We are asking you to do that. You have no choice in this case." He said in a very strong voice, refusing as if he would send me to hell if I refused. His hands were spread at the top of the couch where he sat, and he was looking directly and calculating at me where I stood trying to process everything that had been happening for the past 30 minutes. "Dad, please reconsider your decision, you can't just do that to me." I continued and sniffed. My heart tightened as if I was going to blow up every moment from now. "Please, I'm your daughter too. You don't have to do this to me. " But he looked away like I was a ghost that had been pestering his life. "Mom." I turned to my stepmother hoping beyond miracle that she would support me and try to calm Dad, but it was like walking on hot coal because you know it might burn your feet, so there was no need to try to run across. "I presume you are not deaf, Nalini." My stepmother said, her eyes blazing with a kind of fury that I hadn't seen before. "Your father and I have made the decision, and you have every right to follow it to the latter. " "But I'm in love with Henry," I continued, trying to defend myself, but it felt like I wasn't doing enough. My face was already filled with scattered tears and I knew that the best I could do was to beg and not refuse. "We are set to marry in 2 weeks. Please don't do this to me, don't send me to a man I barely know. " Immediately, Dad rose to his feet and, with the speed that lightning could envy, he was before me. Before I could utter a single word, I saw his hand flying up in the air, and it raced through my cheeks, tearing a slap on it. I staggered and felt the world revolving around me in a blur. "You ungrateful child !" He spat. "How dare you tell me what to do?" I had tears flowing down my red cheeks as I swallowed painfully. His anger was rising with every second that ticked by. "You are the perfect candidate for that, and you have no right to refuse. " "But he doesn't want me," I found myself saying."it was Felicia he wanted to marry." My voice was gaining ground with every second and I seemed to have a kind of courage which I didn't know it came from. "I am your father and I called the shots here." "You have no right to mention Felicia's name." My stepmom continued. "We have already reached our decision, and you are not or nobody is going to break through it. " I shook my head sadly trying to protest, but the words in my throat felt trapped in a bubble deep down in my throat, refusing to pour out. Never in my whole life would I believe that this would happen to me. I had felt my life shattering before me. "Look, Nalini." Dad continued, "The company is on the verge of breaking down, and we owe lots of debts." He explained, his anger subsiding a bit. I know we should have told you about this a long time ago, but you can see that I have been very busy. Ever since you were 12 years old he has been the one helping this family, and we just can't refuse his request now, not when we are so in need of his help again." I merely watched him, watched his lips, and it seemed like what he had been explaining was an excerpt from a movie. "I don't understand," I said in a shaky voice, wishing I could vanish any moment. "Sebastian O'Reilly has been the pillar that has helped this family and the company. You just don't want me to go back to the pit of poverty, do you?" It was no other person but my stepmother, Sonia. "I don't know how to face my friends if they find out that I'm almost broke," she said and slapped her temples. I wasn't quite surprised at her outburst. Sonia Waters was once my father's secretary and, after my mom's death, she sneaked her way into my father's life. I watched them both with tears strolling down my eyes. Do they realize that I am 25 and not someone in desperate need of a husband? But I guess they don't care about that now, it was all about the company and the debt that was about to be paid. "Sebastian will make a fine husband for you." Dad's voice came up again "And you're getting ready to marry him soon. " "You can't force me !" Another bolt of courage surged through me. "You can't force me into marriage. I'm 25." "Oh really," Dad said with a sneer, “but you wanted to marry that sick boyfriend of yours." He gave me a wicked smile. "It's the same thing, Nalini, stop trying to prove smart, this is not your math class." "Darling." Sonia turned to my father, placing a hand on his shoulder. "I think you forgot something. " They both shared a knowing look and that instant I felt myself melting, praying deep within me that I didn't have another bout of bad news. The fact that I was getting married to Sebastian O'Reilly was enough to send me to my grave. "That's true," Dad said, and then turned to me, his face becoming kind of calm. "There's something we want to tell Nalini, and we expect you to understand. " Before I tried to gather myself, to get ready for the shock, he threw the bomb. "Your sister Felicia is pregnant with Henry's child, and he has already proposed to her."