Marriage and Annulment

To open the gate, I used the remote control. Then I exited the car.

“Is that a new purchase, Miss? I just saw that now.”  Lucianna said.

“It’s been a long time, I forgot to use, and if I didn’t get a dress from the farthest part of the closet, I wouldn’t be able to see this.” was my response.

We arrived at the private cemetery about a half hour later. I pulled over to the side of the road and parked the car. And Lucianna and I walked in together.

The gate has been opened. Perhaps another visiting relative was buried here as well. Lucianna and I both entered  at the same time.

“Are we still a long way away, Miss?” Lucianna asked.

“We’re almost there,” I replied.

When we turned left, I noticed the gate to my parents’ grave. I made it myself to use in the construction of a house. So they don’t get wet from the rain. I swung open the locked gate. And then I went inside. I stopped bringing flowers because they didn’t want them. However, I was surprised to see fresh flowers on my mother’s grave. Did anyone pay them a visit? Who is he?

“Did anyone else come here, Miss? I think that flower has been here a while, because it hasn’t withered yet,” Lucianna said.

“I’m not sure, Lucianna; I was surprised, too.” was my response.

I went over to my father’s grave. I also stroked the area where his name was written.

“How are you, Daddy? I’m sorry because I just thought of visiting you two, but that doesn’t mean I forgot about you. You know, your woman showed up in your office and you two really have a child. That woman. I was shocked because I couldn’t imagine you could fool mommy, but when that happened, I was ready to accept them. Maybe when mommy found out that you had another child, she punched you. And hung you upside down.”

My mother’s name was caressed with one hand.

“Mommy, how are you? Do you know how much I missed you? It’s been a few years since you left my side, but I know you’re happy where you are now. Just don’t hurt Daddy anymore because he had a children. I don’t have to sweep and clean your house anymore because it’s clean. So I’m leaving. I’ll just visit you again next time.” I caressed the graves of the two of them and

I shut the gate and lock it again.

When we got out, I ran into the man who was watching over this place.

“How are you?” I asked him.

“It’s all right, Ma’am, I just saw you visit again, but a man visited your parents’ grave, and I happened to be here at eight o’clock, so I opened the gate for him,” the man said to me.

My brow furrowed. That is why flowers exist.

“Did he tell you his name?” I inquire.

“No, but he said he was from your parents’ family,” the old man explained.

I simply nodded. I also gave him money.

“What is this for?” he inquired.

“That’s for your expenses and as a thank you for cleaning my parents’ house,” I explained. “Thank you. We’re leaving.”

“I appreciate it.”

And then we exited the cemetery gate. What the old man told me was indelible in my mind. What kind of news did this bring me? Isn’t my mother and father telling the truth? I got in the car and turned it on so Lucianna could join me.

“First, Lucianna, let’s go to the city,” I suggested.

“That’s all right, Miss.”

Our return flight to the city took an hour and a half. I came to a halt in front of the mall.

“Are you planning on buying anything here, Miss?” Lucianna inquired.

“Yes, I’ll get Calvin a new phone and Lara a tablet,” I said.

Lucianna nodded, and the two of us walked into the mall. We go straight to the gadgets section. I went on the hunt for a good phone model.

“It’s just this phone and a tablet, Miss,” I explained.

After that, I paid. I first showed it to Lucianna.

“Don’t you want to buy anything for your child, Lucianna? New clothes and shoes; what about a phone? Does he already have one?” I inquire.

“I already gave him a gadgets on his birthday, Miss,” Lucianna replied.

“Good.”

On our walk through the mall, I was about to collide with Mr. Chin, but I was already hidden in a perfume shelf. I grabbed Lucianna’s hand and yanked her away from me.

“Luciana, let’s go home.”

“What happened, Miss?” Lucianna asked.

He must have been perplexed as to why I had dragged him.

“Mr. Chin is inside the mall; good thing he didn’t see me,” I explained.

He laughed as he looked at me.

“You look like a teenager, Miss, avoiding your stalker,” Lucianna commented.

“I really believe he’s a stalker, and he’s a childish human being when it comes to acting,” I explained.

We’ve already left the mall. I got into my car. Then Mr. Chin appeared outside the mall.

“Hurry up, Lucianna, he’s gone,” I said.

I stopped the car when Lucianna came in. I was sweating profusely when we arrived at the mansion. I opened the gate and got into the car.

I went out with Lucianna.

“Please get some juice, Lucianna; we’re hanging out under the mango tree; I don’t think they’ve arrived yet, so the house is quiet,” I said.

“All right, Miss,” he said as he went inside, leaving me on the bench under the mango.

I was scrolling through Instagram when a photo caught my eye. A picture that made my heart race. Mr. Chin and I as we were still on the beach at the time. So, what is his intention in releasing this photograph of us? And it was the caption that irritated me the most. The caption on the photo reads, “My love of my life.” He allowed the media to ruin my life, which I was trying to avoid. He gave me another reason to dislike him.

So I didn’t notice Lucianna handing me the juice. He poured me into a glass. I drank it all at once. Because of my rage.

My mother hasn’t returned home yet today, despite the fact that it’s twelve o’clock. As a result, I slept alone at home today. The gate swung open. I mistook them for my mother when they walked in. All I could see was Duke’s happy face.

“Did you get a visit here at home, Duke? I thought you went to Amara’s house,” I asked him.

“We’re all going there together; no one will be ahead or behind,” he said.

“Is that so?”

“What’s the deal with your house being so quiet? Where are your mother and Melissa?” Duke inquired.

“Mitch and I went to Uncle Augusto’s beach house last night, but we also went home because she was on duty at the coffee shop,” I explained.

“I see, is it nice there? Maybe we can go there on vacation and skip school; we’ll just rent it,” Duke said.

“It’s beautiful there, and the whole place is quiet. Uncle Augusto will never let it be rented, so we can stay there for free,” I explained.

“Good.”

Duke sat next to me.

“When will Amara’s birthday party begin?” I ask.

“It’s still tonight; she texted me earlier.”

And he was looking down at his phone. Suddenly, his brow furrowed.

“What are you looking at, Duke?” I’ll asked him.

“Mitch’s friend Zaneska Vergara. Featured on social media.” Duke response.

“Why?”

“She’s with someone on the beach. Take a look at this,” Duke said, handing me his phone.

I took a look at the photograph. Duke was correct. Mitch’s best friend on the beach with a man. The woman is dressed in a yellow swimsuit that complements her white skin tone. Because his eyes were small, the man with him appeared to be Chinese. In my head, I smiled.

“They don’t fit together,” only Duke said.

“Do you mind them, as long as they feel the same way.”

“She is far more beautiful and attractive than he,” Duke said.

I’m cracking up.

“It’s as if you don’t eat, you just watch other people’s lives,” I explained.

“Actually, I’m very full, but the hours are ticking away, and even if I stop the time, I won’t be able to do it. I’m nervous, and I don’t know what to do. Because of the confrontation between Amara’s parents and me. I don’t know what the possible consequences of everything will be later,” Duke explained.

“Just have faith in yourself, Duke,” I advised.

“I’m hoping so.”

Despite how much Duke and I talked, we didn’t know what time it was. It was already seven o’clock in the evening when I looked at the clock.Copyright Nôv/el/Dra/ma.Org.

“Do you want to go home to change clothes, Duke?” I asked him.

“No, I’ll just get dressed here; my clothes are already in the car,” he said to me.

He stood up and left the house to get his clothes. He returned a few seconds later with the paper bag. We went inside the house, just the two of us. As I entered the bedroom, I left him in the living room.

I dressed and exited my room.

“Come on, we’ll just go by Mitch’s apartment,” I said.

Duke gave a nod. And he came up to my car.

“Is this your car? It’s nice,” Duke said.

“Yes, is that what we’re bringing, or is it just yours?”

“We’ll just take my car,” Duke said.

We exited the gate. Duke got into the car first, while I shut the gate to our house.

Mitch also texted me to say he had been waiting for me for quite some time.

I got into my car. I was in the front seat, next to Duke. I was just quiet while he drove.