Dreadful Contract

Audrey's Pov My throat was dust dry. It felt so thick and closed that even swallowing was difficult. This, I was learning, was one of the symptoms of anguish. I slowly reached out for my mom’s hand, and gave it a brief squeeze. My Father's casket, hurriedly chosen, was closed and rested on the ground. Father Micheal intoned the prayer and I tried to concentrate on the words. By my side was my mom. She pulled her hands from mine and gazed forward. I looked down at the top of his silvery hair and then out over to the large group of mourners, until my gaze suddenly met with a figure that looked like the masculine figure that killed my dad. He stared directly at me even though he was wearing a dark black shade. I could feel his gaze all over me. “How could this even happen to us?” I bit my lips hard until I tasted my own blood. I stared across the cemetery beyond the casket, beyond the forty-eight years of candy blue roses that adorned it, one for each year my father had lived. Tinged with pain and grief, I stared sternly into the thin air, flashing back at the scene that resulted on this day. My thirst for justice and revenge grew intensely. “Audrey, be strong, my child,” I heard mom whispering to me, trying to calm me, while I didn't even know how to act accordingly, as I remembered the day when our living room's door creaked open, revealing two heavily built men with different heights. They immediately walked in and all the lights in the house went off, leaving only the dim light in the center of the dining table. They were both wearing black Nike Air Force sneakers and an anonymous mask. My Dad asked them who they were and what they wanted, but they gave no response to his urgent questions, instead they beat him up and made us scared to death! I watched as my dad grabbed a knife from the cutlery that was usually arranged on the dining table. The shorter man seized him by the neck, whispering words into his ears that made him drop the knife immediately, and quietly while gasping for breath. All I could hear was my dad's pleas for my life as I was held right between the legs of the taller man. He held me so strongly that I felt so weightless, he then caressed my body, ripped off my nightgown, and my skin and feminine features were bare before his lustful and hungry eyes. He adjusted my lingerie, and the thrusting began. I could no longer remember that nightmare as my body trembled. Mom began to squeeze me and cry. She's just as desperate as I am. And this is the only thing we can do. Mourning and feeling terribly sorry for our own fate. I leaned towards my mom and whispered slowly into her right ear. “I will get us justice, mom.” My eyes welled up in tears. "I promise.” Mom nodded as her tears flowed even more. We only have each other now. The funeral went smoothly, and the sky started to rain. Under the pouring rain, crowds began to leave one by one, and Father Michael gave farewell to us. I walked slowly from the hallway towards the cemetery garage where our car was packed. My father will surely have peace now, unlike me. I will seek justice! No matter what price it might have! I got into the car and sat on the driver's seat. My mind filled with different thoughts as I brought out the proposal from Mr. Suarez Fernandez to glance through it again. “Who writes a formal proposal in such a libidinous way?” I hissed angrily, and placed the proposal letter inside my bag. Mom and Aunt walked towards the car side by side, quickly they hopped into the passenger's seat behind me, and we started to get home together. The ride back home was quiet and sad. It's been so hard to live without dad, he's been laid to rest, and we have to start our lives without him. “Audrey, have you made up your mind?” My mom asked, bringing me back from thoughts. I swallowed hard. I wanted to say something, but my tongue was stuck in my mouth, and it felt too heavy to move. My mom and Aunt kept pressing me, they would constantly lecture me on how the contract marriage would change our situation. I stole a glance at them through the rear-view mirror, the grief was all over their faces. They are two middle-aged women who didn't deserve to lose their spouse and brother. “Audrey?” My Aunt called me this time. “We will talk about it when we get home,” I managed to say, suspending their curiosity. A contract marriage with Suarez Fernandez? Tears rolled down my cheeks. Is this truly the only way to revise my father's dying business? More tears streamed down my eyes. I thought about running away, but then again, how will my Mom and Aunt carry this burden alone? Shearing the thoughts off my mind, I wiped my tears to brighten my vision as I drove carefully. I drove into my father's villa, and parked in the garage, my Mom and Aunt alighted and headed inside. I stayed behind in the car to rethink, and make my final decision. We had only ten hours left to accept or reject the proposal. I picked up the proposal to read again. “BE MY PRIVATE AND LEGAL s*x TOY FOR EIGHTEEN MONTHS, AND I WILL SAVE YOUR FATHER'S COMPANY FROM BANKRUPTCY.” I read aloud for the umpteenth time. If this gives my Mom and Aunt some sense of security and happiness. I will marry that notorious beast for a year and half. My mom deserves security, she deserves to see her husband's murderer rot in jail. With my mind made up, I picked up my phone to send my boyfriend a break-up message. I thought it was that easy to end a certain relationship and start a new one, but, when I heard a high-pitched noise from the house. Everything was clear that it was indeed hard.