“Dad’s not easy to contradict,” I say as politely as I can.
Mom’s scowl deepens. “Regan, I told your father that he’s a stupid, pigheaded, psychotic piece of human refuse. I yelled in his face for ten long minutes. I made ascene, my love. My word, thinking of it now, I’m embarrassed. I raised my voice!”
I snort an undignified laugh. “God forbid! Did you really though?”
“I cut into that man harder than I’ve ever done in our marriage, and he took it. I think he knows, at some level, that this is a monstrous and difficult thing to ask of you. But do you know what he said when I was done?”
I shake my head. “It doesn’t matter now.”
“He said it was the only way he could guarantee your safety. In what’s to come… in these times…” She trails off, looking toward the door. “Well, now you see how I feel about all this, but there’s no changing it. Your father knows best, doesn’t he?”
“He certainly thinks so.”
“And I do too. If your father says this is necessary, then we’ll grit our teeth together and bear it.”
“You’re not the one marrying him.” It comes out an ugly, broken whisper, right on the edge of crying again.
“No, I’m not, and I can’t imagine what you’re going through. Did I ever tell you what my mother said to me the day before I married your father?”
“I don’t remember Grandma all that well.” My mom’s mother is a vague shape in my mind, an old-woman sized hole in my memory: white hair, dour expression. Very old country.
“My mother never spoke out of turn. It’s where I get my impeccable manners from. But that night, she was positively morose. She said to me,Noreen, you’re killing yourself, marrying that oaf of a man, but I can say this about him: he’ll take care of the family, that’s for sure. I never got more from her, about what she meant or what she felt. She was right about him though. He takes care of us and always will.”
I turn to the mirror, trembling. I don’t feel like I’m being taken care of. If anything, I’m being sold like a used car, passed off and tossed aside because I had the gall to get cheated on by the golden child and promised man. Somehow, Kieren’s bad behavior is my fault.
This marriage is my punishment.
“Knock, knock.” Luke appears in the doorway to the bridal suite. “You ready, Regan? Mom, you did an amazing job as always.”
“Of course, dear, it’s what I do.” Mom stands. If she wants to talk more about my upcoming vows, she doesn’t show it. The perfect mask is back on. She walks away and kisses Luke on the cheek. “Deliver her to your father shortly. I plan on making sure this day stays on track.”
He mockingly salutes her. “Yes, ma’am, right away, ma’am.”
I swear, Luke’s the only person in the world that can elicit a smile from her no matter what. She walks off, shaking her head.
He comes over and sits on the couch against the wall. Luke’s in a black suit, tie impeccable, hair swooped back and a touch messy. He drapes an arm sideways and kicks his feet up, studying me.
“What?” I ask.
“You look nice.”
“Wow, thanks, what a ringing endorsement.”
“Seriously Regan. You look great. You nervous at all?”
“Not really.”
“Liar.”
“Yeah, I know.” I dab at my eyes one more time. “Bring me anything to drink by any chance?”
He puts a hand to his chest. “My stars, is the bride asking for alcohol before her happy day?”
“I thought men got shit faced all the time before their wedding.”
“That’s socially acceptable alcoholism.”
“No such thing. Where’s my drink?”
