2022 WATTYS SHORTLISTED || After being forced into a marriage by her devoutly religious parents, Aspen's husband is diagnosed with a life-limiting illness, and she must find her purpose as well as fight feelings for her husband's nurse. || Aspen Wat...
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I remember when I told my parents I was pregnant with Gabriel. At first, my mum did this thing where she was silent. Her poker face was better than every doctor and nurse I've seen at the hospital so far, and I could see the anger rising within her with every breath. She exploded eventually, and the amount of 'praying to God' and 'save Jesus' she yelled out were countless. In comparison, my dad seemed calm, collected, and very pragmatic. I remember him praying to God to help us get through it, but he's never been as bad as Mum.
I can see it now: the deathly, contemplative silence. She doesn't know what's happening as she walks through the door without asking. Her eyes fall on Nick, and I know she's suspicious.
"Why do you have a man in your house, Aspen?" she asks.
Dad gives me a suspicious glance as I close the door and immediately, I know he knows.
My parents met at church, but my dad wasn't always religious. They call him a 'born again Christian' in the congregation because he didn't believe at first. He's told me various stories over the years of 'his life before Christ', how he would go out to parties, get drunk and have unsafe sex, how his university years were full of debauchery, and what I would consider fun. When Mum wasn't around, he would tell me he had fun, whereas if Mum was around, he'd say it was never how to act. I never get told anything more about how they fell in love or got married; all I know is that they met at church and that was it.
I've always known my dad believes in Christianity, but I know for a fact that he's just not as strict as Mum. I just wish he had a backbone against her.
"Hi there, I'm Nicholas. Or if you prefer, Nick," he greets her.
"I'm Sarah, this is Graham," Mum answers him. She stays standing, her arms folded. "Why are you here?"
I sigh; of course, she's demanding things from a total stranger. So rude.
I stand in the kitchen with Nick and put the kettle on. "Mum, you just turned up unannounced and you're demanding why I have a friend over? Really?"
"A friend? Aspen, you know the Lord wouldn't like male friends when you're alone—"
"Lucky then that I don't answer to the Lord," I snap.
"Aspen, leave it to me," Nick hisses. He turns to her. "It's fine, Mrs—?"
"Mrs Wilkins," she finishes for him.
"It's fine, Mrs Wilkins. I'm Joel's nurse and have been for the past three months now. Or nearly three months. I've come here to check the flat out for when he comes home and see if it's all in good shape for his needs. I've also been checking in on Aspen; she's been tired lately," Nick says, almost like he's been rehearsing the speech.
