~Two~
2001 Words
Peyton Jenkins had just arrived from Europe, and she couldn’t wait to tell her family her exciting news and introduce Maxence Lanaro, her soon-to-be fiancé, to her family. Maxence and Peyton had planned to meet at her Gamma’s house for dinner. The family would all be gathered for Peyton’s big surprise. Maxence arrived in Virginia two weeks earlier, and she made him promise not to tell anyone their happy news.
Later that evening, the delicious food was about to be served. Peyton kept her eyes on the clock.
“Honey, are you waiting for someone else?” Gamma asked.
"Gamma, please serve dinner. I have a significant announcement tonight.”
“Oh, Peyton, so does your sister. Nadia has very exciting news to share. But you go first. Tell us what has happened.”
“No, you go first, mother. Nadia, mind can wait.”
“Okay, Peyton, your baby sister is engaged and will get married next month!”
“Oh wow, Nadia! Why didn’t you tell me when we talked? Congratulations! I’m so happy for you! Who is this guy who stole your heart?” Peyton asks, hugging her sister. “So, who is he? Is it someone we grew up with? Or did you two meet in college? Why didn’t you tell me, silly girl?”
Nadia smiled, her mother interjected, getting Peyton’s attention. “He comes from one of the wealthiest families here in West Virginia. Both families hit off the minute we met one evening while your father discussed business. And they told us all about their son.”
“Who is he, Mom?” Peyton excitedly asked, taking hold of Nadia’s hand.
“His name is Maxence Lanaro! He’s tall and so good-looking! He came home about two weeks ago from Britain…”
Peyton's smile fell away. She couldn’t believe her ears. Had she misunderstood her mother's words?
“Wait, mother, slow down! What did you say his name was again?”
“Maxence Lanaro, he’s your sister’s fiance!”
“That… that can’t be right. Nadia! What is she saying?” Peyton exclaimed, staring at her sister. The shock caused Peyton to tear up.
Nadia didn’t answer, she turned away. Peyton looked at them in disbelief. Months ago, she called her mother and told her that she was dating a guy named Max Lanaro in Britain and that they were in love.
Tears poured from her eyes as her heart tightened. She never knew pain like this.
Stumbling over her words, Peyton utters. “How could that be! No! It's impossible. Max is my boyfriend. He's on his way here. When he arrives in a few minutes he'll tell you.”
“Peyton, calm down, dear. Max isn’t coming here this evening, darling.”
“What? What are you saying!” Peyton yells. “Wait a minute! I’m going to call him. He’s on his way. Max is running late. That’s all he’ll clear up all this confusion.”
But when Peyton called him, the phone went straight to voicemail.
She glared at everyone in disbelief and confusion when she couldn’t reach Max on the phone.
Suddenly, she stood up from the table!
Peyton yelled at the top of her lungs. “Enough is enough! Call it off! Nadia, you know how much I love him! Tell Mom and Dad you know he’s mine!!”
They all sat there in silence, staring at her as if Peyton were insane and talking out of her head.
“I’m going to Max. This isn’t true. He would never agree to marry you.”
“Peyton! Stop it! What’s done is done! Both families have agreed this is how it should be, and there is nothing you can do about it.” Her father said.
“Mother! No! No!” Peyton cried out, falling to the floor on her knees in great despair.
~~~~~
Peyton walked around lifeless for weeks before Nadia’s wedding. Max wouldn’t return her calls or answer her messages. Her parents refused to listen, so full of merriment with all the wedding preparations. Peyton felt helpless, paralyzed, and heartbroken. Nadia entered the house, happily calling for their mom, telling her she had met with Max to take wedding pictures.
“Oh, Mom, the more I spend time with him, the more I love him.” Nadia said right in front of Peyton.
“I can see it, sweetie, how he makes you glow. Which gown are you choosing for the wedding? I can’t wait to see it.”
Nadia brought the wedding dress and the beautiful flower arrangements to the living room. “Max's mom picked the flower arrangements. Peyton, don't you think they’re beautiful?”
Peyton burst into tears, exiting the living room. She climbed into bed under the covers, devastated! Tears threatened to wet Peyton’s eyes daily hearing Nadia speak about Max, whom she loved so much. Peyton once again pleaded with her, telling her this was tearing her apart.
"Mother, this is a big mistake. It isn't right."
Mother stirred her pot of food in silence.
“Mother! Are you listening to me? My heart and soul yearn for Max. I love him. Please don’t do this to me.”
She shook her head at Peyton.
How can a mother ignore her child's pain, seeing how it has broken Peyton's spirit? Her Mother, of all people, tried to blow it over. She gripped Peyton by the shoulders.
“Listen to me! Stop being pathetic! I’ll find you, man. Someone who fits your status. He’ll have money and be handsome, too. But Peyton, you must be patient. Mr. Lanaro isn’t the one for you, and you can’t have him. He’s out of your league, and his family will never accept you as their daughter-in-law. I don’t know what he told you in Europe. But he knew you and him would never work out. It’s time to stop fantasizing and look in the mirror, Peyton!”
Peyton was crushed even further, and she couldn’t take it anymore. That night, she officially disowned her family! There was no way she would be there to support a wedding of betrayal!
Two weeks before the wedding, the family was sitting down for dinner, everyone happy and chattering around the dinner table. No one acknowledges Peyton’s pain. Despite her being lethargic and sad all month. Tonight, everyone was surprised when she interrupted their celebration and spoke up, saying,
“I’m leaving tonight.”
Forks and spoons clanked against plates as the question roamed through everyone's mind. Had she cracked up or something? Oh, Peyton’s face and eyes showed evidence something was wrong!
After getting their attention, she spoke in a calm but measured voice, but the words didn't match her stern, almost angry exterior. Peyton held a steady tone, but something broke inside her. There was no fragility coming from her words. She didn't care anymore!
“Nadia, my sister, I have something for you.” Peyton gave her a flowered-covered envelope.
“What is it? A wedding gift already. Peyton, you shouldn’t have…” Nadia happily tore open the envelope and pulled the note from it. Peyton could see Nadia’s lips tremble， then those big blue eyes glared at her.
The note read:
Nadia, you were once my dear sister whom I loved and cherished.
Oh, how I remember when we were kids.
We shared all the hurt and tears.
No matter what the weather, we were always together.
Then we grew up, and time went on, and we became separated.
When I came home from college and tried to call you, you didn't answer, so I knew something was wrong.
But I never, in a million years, expected you to want to marry the man I love. You have brought tears to my eyes; I can't brush them away.
Nadia quickly shoved the note back into the envelope. She didn't want to read anymore. She refused to be affected by Peyton’s words or pain.
“Darling, what was on that note?” Mother asked Nadia.
She responded with a fake smile. “It’s nothing, momma, nothing at all!” Nadia said emphatically, rolling her eyes at her sister.
What the Jenkins family called a happy occasion turned sour really quickly! Because this was the last night they would lay eyes on Peyton again!
“Tonight, I’m leaving this family of hypocrites." She uttered as their mouths fell and flew open.
"Wait! Wait! What do you mean? By calling your family such names!" their mother exclaimed, glaring coldly at Peyton.
“Mother, I have watched you for years divide your children and pit one against the other by showing favoritism! Do you think I’m blind? What kind of mother does such a thing? Answer me! Ever since I came to live here as a little girl six years old, you’ve shown me you loved Nadia more!”
“That’s not true!” Her mother shouted, trying to disguise her guilt.
“Don’t you talk to your mother and my wife that way!” Peyton’s stepfather, Marshall, shouted across the table. Peyton ignored him, giving attention to Nadia.
“My sister, you are the worst! You sit here looking all innocent.”
“Yes! Peyton, momma loves us both, and you know that!”
“Nadia, shut up! You! Of all people know my feelings for Max! You have listened to me go on and on about my feelings for Max through emails and phone calls, and are you willing to take him as your husband? Really Nadia!”
“Sit down, Peyton, right now!” My stepfather shouted as Peyton responded.
"Do real people with beating hearts in their chests hurt and stab their own family in the back and think it’s okay? Do they?! Am I that different from everyone here? I can't continue to live under this same roof with a family that is so loveless and cruel." She stood there crying profusely.
"Peyton, you're not making any sense, sweetie. What do you mean you are leaving? I told you I would get you another man!"
"You people are all hypocrites, backstabbers, and thieves! But most of all, dead wrong!!” Peyton's water-filled eyes peered at her mother. Peyton felt her mother held deep, dark secrets.
"Mother, do you even know why you treat me like this?" Peyton asked one last time, staring at her.
“Peyton! Stop this right now! We have been nothing but good to you! You have more now as a Jenkins than you’ve ever had in your entire life! Be grateful!”
“Yeah, you are right. Except for love and happiness. And the one time I was about to experience both, the people who were supposed to love me the most snatched it away and gave it to Nadia!”
“Nadia! Do you love Max the way I do? Do you even know anything about Max?”
adia sat there arrogantly, saying, “I will love him more than you do once we get married.” She lifted her head in defiance.
“Shut up! Shut up! You greedy little selfish, jealous wench! ” Peyton screamed at her sister.
“Alright, we have tolerated enough from you with all this name-calling! Marshall stood yelling.
"Honey, listen to me. You don't sound well. I can get you help! I’ll call the doctor right now!" Her mother said, picking up her cell phone. Tears ran down Peyton’s cheeks. She never thought her mother would stoop so low to suggest locking her away in some institute.
"Mom, you are heartless, you know that…”
Peyton, dismayed, heart severed to the core, snatched up her cell phone and purse and hurriedly left. Her dad and sister rose from the table in an attempt to stop her! But by the time they made it to the front door, Peyton was peeling out of the driveway and down the street.
Peyton could hear their mother yelling, “Marshall! Stop her! She's hysterical!”
- Writer
