[3]

BEATRICE:

It was our family dinner which happened once a month. It was also a month since Drake stepped out of the house, bringing the papers with him. I already received a copy of the divorce paper. With my ex-husband out of my life, I no longer bothered to find the man in the picture.

The best thing to do would be to move on.

Grandfather who would usually host the dinner was absent and said he wanted to rest instead. Yeah. He should. He was already seventy years old, and his body ached all over.

Lyndon, the third child among the children of seven who was next to Everette, was watching us through an online app since he was living abroad and was also working there as an engineer. He was eating too in his pad. Mom had been nagging him to return but he had a lot of excuses saying he could not leave his firm. For all I knew, he was enjoying his single life without Mom dictating him. He also did not want to be arranged to marry someone whom he did not know like what Everette and I experienced.

Next to me was Felicity, the seventh and youngest of the family. Angelica, the fourth child, was silently eating her food as if she did not want anyone to notice her. Among the seventh, she was the one who was an introvert and would always stay in her room as necessary. She rarely joins this gathering. Next to her was Hope, the fifth who was also the rebel.  She was the most outspoken when it came to disagreeing with Mom. Aside from Lyndon, she was giving Mom a headache. Next to her was Penelope, the sixth child who was with her two-year-old son Jacob. She was a single mother who wouldn’t tell us who impregnated her.   

I wished I could feel the same happiness as the hand.

Felicity would be in college in the next school year and said that she would take up business and would like to work with Everette, who was absent right now. He informed me beforehand that something came up that needed his attention and that he and his wife would not be able to join us. Did Everette stop his wife from divorcing him? I wished he would act now before it was too late. Contrary to my situation, Christina loved Everette while my brother? I wished he would make up his mind before it was too late.

If he did not want to lose his wife, he better choose Christina over Eden who was already dead. Besides, why would he continue to cling to someone who was already buried a couple of years ago?

"Did you hear about Vincent, Mom?" Felicity asked. She was chatty among the siblings and was considered the sunshine in my parent's eyes. Whenever she was around, she had this gift to make everyone feel better.

Excluding me.

Not any ounce of happiness would penetrate my heart right now.

"What about your cousin?"

"He was set up. Someone claimed he took responsibility for what happened to them in the club."

Mom's forehead knotted.

"That young man. I asked him a couple of times if he wanted me to set him up. There are e a lot of young women who might be good for him. Look at what happened. Poor Vincent. He would trap a woman without breeding. Like your brother Everette."

Mom was the one who chose Christina among all the women from the prominent status. I did not understand why she was treating Christina badly right now. It did not make any sense at all. 

Christina and I might disagree most of the time, but there were times when she was also being kind to me. If my ex-husband was able to get Mom’s affection, Christina was the opposite.

Felicity clicked her tongue.

"Mom, leave Vincent alone. He is not ready to commit yet. Imagining it, I already feel sorry for his future wife. I don't believe that women should get married to someone whom they don't even love."

Mom sneered. "Watch your words, young lady. Our family has already been following the tradition of being in a fixed marriage. When you graduate from college, you will meet your future husband, too. I am already studying with all the prominent families who could match you."

My heart froze. Felicity will be set up to marry too. Then her husband would divorce her too?

"Mom, I don't want to marry someone I don't even know," Felicity declared.

Mom grabbed a napkin and wiped the corner of her mouth. "Nonsense. You will know him tomorrow."

Tomorrow? Why did it seem as if Mom was in the rush?

“What? I thought I would marry after I finished my college degree. Dad. Say something. I already told you I will choose my own lover."

"Lover nonsense. You will marry the man whom we choose for you. End of discussion. I know what’s best for all of you. Including you, Lyndon. Don’t think I have forgotten about you. If I have some spare time, I will drag you back to our house."

“Mom, I have my work here.”

“I’m not asking you about it.”

In this family, Mom had the authority over all the family decisions. Dad, on the other hand, would just stay quiet and approve of Mom. If he ever contradicts Mom, she will glare at him and shut him up.

Mom and Dad's marriage started with a marriage of convenience, but how were they able to make this marriage last? How could they make it last? Among all the married couples in the family, they were the most successful ones.

I remembered the time when Mom said that it was because of forgiving Dad a lot and understanding him even more. Plus choosing each other until the end. I did everything like what Mom said, but how come my marriage was still destroyed in the end?

My heart ached at the thought of my ex-husband.

I wondered where he was now. Did he eat at the right time? I would usually prepare his breakfast before he went to work. How about now? Who prepared it for him?

Forget that bastard. He did not deserve your time.

Felicity grabbed Dad's hand. "Dad. Say something. Please stop Mommy, okay? Marriage does not appeal to me."

Felicity was closest to Dad and was considered Daddy’s girl. Most of the time, Dad would give in to my sister’s demands.

"Clara…” Dad started.

Mom glared at him. “I won’t allow it. Felicity will marry just like her brother and sister.”

“And suffer the same fate as us?” I interjected.

The dining room went silent all of a sudden and all eyes were suddenly focused on me. Despite being the eldest, I was not the voice among us. It was among Everette, Lyndon, or Hope. Not me. I would go with the flow to avoid clashing with Mom.

“Beatrice. What are you implying?” Mom asked.

I heaved a sigh, dropped the utensils, and stared at my food which I barely touched. Since this morning, I have not been feeling well. It started the next day when I signed the divorce papers. I did not have the strength to go to the doctor and have my checkup.

“Mom, it’s time we break the family traditions. I am against arranging for Felicity to marry someone else.”

Mom dropped the utensils and stared at me. “What the fuck is wrong with you?”

“Clara. Watch your mouth,” Dad ordered. “Jacob is listening.”

“Shut up, Nelson.”

“It’s okay, Dad,” Penelope said. “I covered his ears. But, Mom, please refrain from cursing. My son might follow you.”

“Shut up, too, Penelope. I’m not done with you. You haven’t told me about the father of my grandchild.”

Penelope shut her mouth. When it comes to the father of Jacob, her lips are sealed.

“Don’t tell me I have to witness your fight,” Lyndon said on the screen. “If you’re going to fight, I‘m out of here. Call me later when you have settled everything. Have a great—”

“You’re not going to sign out, Lyndon. I have an announcement to make,” I said, cutting off his words. If I don’t tell it here, when would I be brave enough to announce the truth? I did not want to pretend that I still had a husband in my house.

“O-Okay. What about it, Big Sis? You’re not usually like this. Did something happen between you and Big Brother?” he inquired, referring to my husband. No. Ex-husband. How could I forget that?

“Beatrice. You’re making me nervous,” Angelica whispered. “N-Nothing is going on between you and Big Brother, right?”

I sucked in a breath. “This is an important announcement, everyone.”

“Will you quit our agony? Say it!” Hope expressed.

“Drake and I…” I inhaled deeply. “We got divorced.”