One Road, Six Ways

One Road, Six Ways - Part 12

The four girls ,Carla, Thelma, Lorna and Luisa could not find any solution to the problem of Grace. They decided then to slept it over.

The thoughts of Grace was in chaos. One reason contradicts the other that she really don't know what to do.

She thought, she will return the money to Dimitri and go to the police. But, can she be sure that the police will help her? And if she return the money, then the chance of financial gains that could help her parents will be gone! If about honor and dignity, where will it be when he will return the money? The reality was there, she was raped, and worst maybe she could be pregnant. She will marry Dimitri, and if she do, she can have the financial gains and whatever opinions people will have, her honor and dignity would be intact, that's the way or the perception of society especially in the Philippines but how about Carlos? Her boyfriend in the Philippines waiting for her coming back? It's hurt and she started to regret why she had to go abroad, why she had forced her parents one way or another to borrowed money, to financed a dream, a dream that now stumbled and will continue to deteriorate if she made a wrong decision. The reality was also that he hated Dimitri, at least his appearance, but what is appearance if a person really loves you? But even Dimitri really loved her, how about her, was it honest to marry Dimitri without loving him. She did not love Dimitri, it's a fact! She loved Carlos, it's the fact! But there's also the reality, would Carlos still love her if he knew that she was raped and have the possibility of becoming pregnant? And if Carlos, if he really loved her would not mind that she was raped, but Carlos love was only for her joy, how about her parents, her siblings? Also the question, maybe, she was selling herself to Dimitri? A whirlwind in Grace's mind.

The girls were preparing to work but Grace did not.

"You will not work?" Carla asked Grace.

"No, I decided already what will I do, I will marry Dimitri!" Grace told the girls about her decision to marry Dimitri.

For a moment the four girls said nothing, they were surprised.

"Are you sure?" Luisa later on said.

"I thought about why I am here abroad? The reason was to help my parents that our family would raised up from poverty. Blessings sometimes came unexpectedly in a rare way, and we called it blessing in disguise. My grandfather once told me, that when chance come to your life you have to grab it because when it's gone it will never comeback. I knew, if I sacrificed myself, it will benefits many people I loved and who knew maybe also me. Carlos will be hurt but maybe we were not destined to each other. Yes, I will marry Dimitri. He is maybe a blessing in disguise, who knew, if not, the life  what I expected with him could be a hell, then I will consider it my destiny! Yes, I am very sure! I will marry Dimitri!"

The four girls looked at each other. Right or wrong, Grace made a decision and they have to respect it.

"Grace, I wish you good luck then. Maybe you are right, what happened, what Dimitri had done to you was a harsh blessing in disguise but nobody knew about the future! I will pray for your happiness in the future!" Carla said.

"And when will be the wedding?" Luisa asked.

Dimitri was happy to learned that Grace decided to be married with him. Dimitri paid the syndicate, he bought the contract of Grace, so Grace need not to work anymore. And because she's not working anymore, Grace decided to stay with Dimitri in his house. Dimitri was living together with her mother who was a widow. The old woman was happy about Grace and especially for her son who was already a middle aged man that never was married before.

The house of Dimitri was build in a hill, between a vineyard and an orange plantation, all owned by Dimitri. The property of Dimitri as seen, could described him and her mother a well-to-do existence, not surprising that Dimitri could gave an amount to Grace and could paid the syndicate buying Grace's contract.