chained in silk
968 Words
Morning sunlight filtered through the curtains,soft and golden,but Mary didn’t feel the warmth.
She sat on the edge of her bed,stil in her robe,staring at her untouched breakfast.
Her phone buzzed on the nightstand for the fifth time that morning.
Another text from Camille:They’re here.”
Mary exhaled.she already knew who they were.
She padded downstairs,heartbeat rising with every steps.”The moment she entered the sitting room,she was met with a flurry of movement,”stylist,photographers,two woman holding garments bags, and in the center of it all, a tall ,polished woman in a navy power suit.
“Miss George,”the woman greeted with a nod.,”I’m Eliza.Mr Clinton executive assistant.I’ve come here to make sure everything is on schedule for tomorrow’s event.”
Event,”?not wedding,not marriage, event ?
Mary smiled tightly.” Of course ,everything is fine,”what do I expect.”
Eliza wasted no time,”The guest list has been finalized.press will arrive early tomorrow morning for staged photo.
There’s brief rehearsals at the venue today,followed by a private dinner this evening,”just the families.”
Mary blinked.”he never mention a dinner.”
Eliza titled her hand.Mr Clinton prefer efficiency, “you’ll that soon.”
That smile again.sharp and corporate.
Mary clenched her hands at her sides,”right of course.”
The assistant continued,pulling out her tablet,There will also be a brief press interview tomorrow,just a few soft questions about how you met,your future plans,Standard fluff.”I’ve pre-approved your response.”
“I beg your pardon?”mary asked her
Eliza met her gaze,unfazed.You’ll receive a script.”No need to worry.”
“Mary forced a nod,Even as her inside twisted.” There were scripting her life now..
Controlling her words before she’d even said “I do..
By noon,her home no longer felt like her own.
Cameras were being tested in the garden,makeup artist fluttered through rooms,and Camille was on the phone nonstop,coordinating with florist and caterers.”Mary had become a ghost in her own house ..,looked at dressed,but barely heard.
In the middle of the chaos,her father approached her in the hallway,he placed a hand on her shoulder..
“You’re doing great,” he said.”just one more day.then it’s all be worth it.”
“Mary didn’t reply.She couldn’t.”The knot in her throat made it impossible.
She wandered into the music room,”her sanctuary as a girl and closed the door behind her.The world muffled.
She moved to the piano bench,her fingers brushing the ivory keys.
She hadn’t played in weeks..
With a soft sigh,she pressed down. One note ,then another,a melody took shape,quiet and sorrowful.Each note bled emotion.,longing,anger ,fear .The only languages she still trusted.
She was so lost in the music that she didn’t hear the door open.
Camille entered slowly,setting a teacup beside her..”
“I haven’t heard you play since…..well in a while,”she said softly.
Mary didn’t stop playing.”it’s the only thing that still makes sense.”
Camille sat beside her,”you can still call it off, you know.”
“No,I can’t ,”Mary fingers stilted on the keys.”we’re past that point.”
“Are you sure ?”Camille asked,”you’re not even married yet.”he can’t control you,” Atlest not yet.”
Mary looked at her stepmother,a flicker of fear in her eyes ,”you’ve seen the contract.
If I walk away now dad loose everything..
And Clinton he doesn’t strike me as the type to forgive betrayal..”
Camille said noting ,but the fear in her eyes mirrored Mary’s..
The rehearsal was held at an exclusive rooftop venue in midtown manhattan,with white orchids everywhere and a crystal arch glittering in the light,from the moment Mary stepped out of the car,she felt like she was being watched-measured.
Clinton wasn’t there.
He had sent his lawyer instead.
Mary stood at the alter alone,with a wedding planner directing her every move.
“Stand here…look down gently…perfect posture…now smile like you mean it.”
She followed the commands like a doll being posted.
A thousand thoughts races through her mind,She wondered if Clinton was out with another woman right now.”if he even cared about tomorrow,”if she was just a pawn in some grander game.
That night,the family dinner was held in a luxurious private room at a hotel,only Mary her father ,Camille,and few representatives from Clinton side
attended. “Still, Clinton didn’t show.
His seat at the head of the table sat empty.
“He’s caught in a board meeting overseas,
“Eliza explained with a slight smile,”you know how it is,”
Yes,Mary thought bitterly, I do now.
Halfway through the mean,Camille whispered to her, “This doesn’t feel right, does it?”
Mary looked at the empty seat, “it doesn’t feel real.”
Back home,the air was heavy.her father had retreated to his study,Camille was quiet,and Mary sat at the vanity,staring at her reflection.
Her wedding dress hung on the door behind her,beautiful,imposing..
She didn’t know if she wanted to wear it or set it on fire.
She reached for her phone,almost without thinking,and opened her messages,”No new texts,not from Clinton ,not from anyone..
She typed a message.”Are you sure this is the only way ? Then deleted it
She wasn’t even sure who it was meant for.
Suddenly,She stood.
She couldn’t stay in this house tonight.
Not one more minutes,not locked in with her thoughts and that damned dress watching her.
She threw on a Jean and a hoodie, slipped out the back door, and called a car.”
When the driver asked for a destination,she didn’t think.
Just ….take me anywhere that’s cool…..
- Writer
