The Marriage Deal

We don't talk about Isabelle

Raina was exhausted and still shaken by all that had transpired at Chris' home, she got the front porch and entered the small cabin in which she, her cousin and her grandma lived together,

"Raina, Mi Amor," her grandma who was relaxing and knitting a sweater called in the fond manner she always called her grandkids, "how did it go?"

Raina sighed, she was not sure what to say, before she had left home today for Mr Rowland's house, her grandma, whom she fondly referred to as "Abuela" had made her promise to be of good behaviour as Mr Rowland was the only wealthy person who was willing to give an old woman like her a job and still treat her with kindness and respect.

"It was fine Abuela," Raina faked a smile and lied as she dropped her purse on the couch, "I made dinner, and that was all,"

"Oh I hope he enjoyed it?" Mrs Phina asked, "you know, Mr Rowland is quite picky with food, and..."

"Can we just stop talking about him, Abuela!" She cut in as she walked up to her grandma and kissed her on the cheek,

'How's your health now?' she asked,

'Oh Mi amour, I'm sure it's just a cold, don't worry yourself too much, by tomorrow, it'll clear up and I can resume taking my knitted sweaters to the market for customers to buy,'

The old woman said delightfully and proudly for her hand crafts.

Raina smiled back, in a dim manner though, she knew her grandmother was to old to be working such tedious jobs, it hurt her to think she couldn't do anything about it at the moment, the thought of it all mad her sad, so she quickly changed the topic,

'Abuela, where is Diego?' she asked looking around for her little cousin.

"He's out climbing the hills with some friends, the poor boy barely mingles because of the unfortunate condition he was born with, I thought it was good to let him experience what being a child was all about today, so I allowed him go out to play,"

Raina heaved a sigh of worry, "But Abuela, you shouldn't have let him, what if something goes wrong?! Oh, I hope he remembers to be careful,"

"Calm down Raina, it's just for this one time, he'll be back soon, don't bother your young head too much, also, I told him to get back home in an hour" Mrs Phina assured,

"But Abuela, you know how terrifying heights can be," Raina persisted, "besides, if he suffers a crisis anytime soon we might have to go into debt as you'd have no job to earn money from," she accidentally blurted out,

Her grandmother paused what she was doing and stared at her in confusion "What do you mean by that Raina? I have a job and it also pays well, so we won't be needing to go into debt for his treatment, so what are you talking about mi Amor?"

Raina knew it wasn't true, even though the Job grandmother had secured with Mr Rowland paid well, it was never enough for them, especially if Diego ever suffers one of those rare crises as he did occasionally,

Also, she suspected that after today, her grandmother might as well lose her job all because of her, there was no way Chris Rowland would ever allow the grandmother of the 'stupid girl' as he referred to her, to work with him anymore.

"erh..." Raina stammered and hurriedly changed the topic, "Abuela, I'm famished, what are we making for dinner?"

Mrs Phina smiled at her grandchild, Raina had a striking resemblance with her mother, Isabelle, who was Mrs Phina's only daughter.

Not only in looks did Raina resemble her mother, but also in character, she was as strong-willed and determined as her mother was.

Isabelle was a goal-getter, when she wanted something, she always found a way to get it, Raina was just that way too.

Isabelle had gone missing with her older child, Lola, many years ago when Raina was just a child.

Roberto, Isabelle's husband had searched for them everywhere but couldn't find them, it was as if they had vanished into thin air.

Raina had grown up believing that her mother had abandoned her and taken her beloved elder sister, and no matter how much her father and grandmother had tried to convince her that Isabelle was a good woman who loved her family and would never want to tear them apart from one another, none of it ever made sense to her.

"Raina, you know, you're just as beautiful as your mother was," Mrs Phina said in reminiscence, "your hair, your eyes, your heart, she always cared for me just like you do now,"

Raina sighed, she didn't like to hear about her mother, "Abuela, shouldn't we be talking about dinner and not some woman who abandoned her family for a better life somewhere?!"

"Mi Amor!" Mrs Phina scolded, "don't speak ill of your mother, she loved..."

"She loved no one but herself Abuela!" Raina cut in angrily, "can't you see, father had spent his whole life, even on his death bed believing she would someday return, but look, none of that happened! isn't it best we forget about her and move on with our lives?!" she spat,

"Oh, Raina!" Mrs Phina started to sob gently, she always hated to see her grandchild burn with fury at the mention of her mother's name.

Raina sighed, she was shifting aggression now, she was still mad about how that Mr Rowland had kicked her out of his home without giving her a chance to even defend or explain herself, she might have messed up but she also did the right thing by alerting him when the intruders arrived, even at her risk.

Now not only was she kicked out, but her grandmother would certainly get fired, she didn't know what to do or feel, she was still new to the city and didn't know how fast she could get a job to sustain herself, her Grandma and Diego.

"I'm sorry, Abuela," She apologized, squatting in front of her grandmother, "I'm sorry I upset you, I just have a lot on my mind at the moment,"

Her grandma nodded, wiping her eyes with the hem of her garment,

"Oh come on Abuela, don't cry now," Raina urged, hugging her grandma, "I promise never to speak ill of her ever again."

They both knew it wasn't true, but it was the least she could say after upsetting her grandma, Raina had a strong dislike for her mother, and it was because she couldn't help it, she believed her mother had abandoned her and she didn't know why. She was only four years old when it happened.

Isabelle had done the unforgivable.