SUBSTITUTE BRIDE: A DEBT TO PAY

ANDREA

It wasn’t until my mother called me that morning that I knew my dreams would never materialize.

It was on this day that my entire life took a turn for the worse.

You might be wondering what the fuck I am talking about and I will tell you.

I had the perfect life, a university undergraduate studying law in one of the most prestigious universities in the states.

“You are joking!” I laughed, making sure my mother knew I found her very hilarious.

“Andrea Silva, am I a joke to you? This is quite a serious matter and I want you to treat it with all seriousness” My mother’s stern voice reproached me.

She had to be joking because what she was saying right now was downright unreal and impossible.

“I am not going to drop out of school to marry a man I barely know and just because Camila disappeared on you. Did it ever occur to you that she ran away just to avoid this same situation?” I asked.

Camila was my twin sister and to say we were complete opposites would be an understatement. We were like blood and water in both looks and mannerism; simply put, I was the bland version of my sister who had the most bubbly personality and this she reserved for others. To me, she was an asshole and we had not talked for a long while hence the reason I had no idea she had disappeared.

“That is besides the point, Andrea. We owe that man a lot of money and this is money that we cannot think to pay back. You would know that we had to take out that loan to send your ungrateful self and your sister to the University” my mother scoffed

“So this is my fault?” I muttered.

I knew about the loan but what I had no idea about was the price we had to pay for it.

“I am just saying that it is time for you to do something for the family for once and you are being a little bitch. Your sister would have done this without batting an eyelid” my mother reminded me.

My sister who was conveniently missing, I thought but did not voice out.

“I cannot marry a total stranger, mom. I am not taking Camilla’s place and if she agreed to this then I do not know what you are going to do about that” I argued.

There was no way I was listening to this conversation and my mother right now. I was hoping she would laugh and tell me how much of a scaredy cat I was. Maybe she would say she had been trying to prank me and this was nothing more than that.

“Your father is going to jail if you do not do this and you know what they do to people like us in there” My mother’s soft voice came through my musing.

“I know you think this is the craziest thing but your father is going to go to jail and there will be nothing for you or for me. We will be the talk of the town, our faces out there as debtors. Now you are going to tell me how in God’s name you plan to finish schooling if all of these happen” She raved.

“Was this always the plan?” I asked, my resolve faltering.

As much as I considered whatever this arrangement was totally ridiculous, I wanted nothing to happen to my family and I would do anything to protect them and that anything included marrying a stranger.

“What?” My mother muttered, confused.

“Did you both always plan to sell one of us to this person you owe money?”

“Why would you say that!” Her voice rose.

I sighed, feeling the beginning of a headache.

“I am going to have to call you right back, mom. I have classes now and I have to think about this… it is really a lot to take in right now.” I told her.

“Before you go, Andrea… please know that we are all counting on you. You have to do this for us or our family is ruined” She explained one last time.

“I hear you, mother” I told her.

The line clicked and I reached for the dress I had planned to wear for the day, my head buzzing with thoughts.

I pinched myself to be sure this was not some sort of dream but it wasn’t. I stared at my reflection in the mirror, my blue eyes stared right back at me as if to tell me that this was it.

All the plans I had to finish top of my class, to go to law school… there was no point. I had to get married or it was over for my family.

I collapsed on the bed, the tears coating the tips of my lashes.

What if I find this man and beg him to give my family time to pay up? Would that solve this? I thought to myself.

I did not think it would but it was better to try.

I had not asked my mother the name of the bastard but I intend to find out.

My phone trilled again, it was my father.

I hesitated, knowing he would want to talk about the same thing… marriage.

“Hey Dad” I muttered, picking up after the third ring.

“Come home”

Two words… not a how are you? Or I am sorry your life is going to be upended

“Dad-” I began.

“Come home, Jesse… right this minute or you can forget about being my daughter.”

“But Dad-”

“You are going to do right by us just as we have done right by you whether you like it or not.” He snapped.

The line clicked before I had the chance to say anything else.

The tears came then, blinding me. I sobbed into my empty apartment and then I picked up a duffle bag.

It was time to go home.

Time to get fucking married.