Perished In Love

Chapter 8

Susan's daily wait for Isaiah initially filled her heart with longing, but as days turned into weeks without his arrival, that longing morphed into a deep, unexplained pain. Each passing day drained color from her face, and her eyes sank with the weight of unspoken sorrow. Eventually, overwhelmed by her emotional turmoil, Susan made a difficult decision-she dropped out of college, leaving her education incomplete.

Returning home, Susan's changed demeanor shocked her parents. Where once there was a lively presence, now they saw only a pale, withdrawn figure with sunken eyes. Concerned and bewildered, her parents tried to comfort her, but Susan's thoughts kept turning to Evelyn. She wished her friend, Evelyn was there to lend support and understanding during this challenging time, but such wishes remained unfulfilled.

Before Isaiah entered her life, Susan had been sheltered from worry, sadness, and anxiety. However, his presence brought a new understanding of restlessness and waiting, feelings she hadn't known before. She couldn't fathom being apart from Isaiah, but now that he was absent, she felt like a mere shell of herself-a living corpse consumed by grief. Days blurred into nights as she spent hours alone in her room, shedding tears over her loss. Despite her deteriorating health, her parents remained unaware of the full extent of her suffering. They had envisioned a bright future for Susan, but now their dreams lay shattered.

Susan's health continued to decline despite treatment from the city's best doctors, leaving her relatives and community in murmurs of concern. Faced with their daughter's worsening condition, Susan's parents made a heart-wrenching decision-to find her a suitable match in marriage. Susan's mother approached her one evening as she sat quietly in her room, her eyes closed in weariness. Her mother gently touched her head, prompting Susan to sigh and meet her gaze with a fleeting smile.

Susan's mother gently asked, "What are you doing?"

"Just sitting," Susan replied softly.

"Are you alright?" her mother inquired with concern.

"Yes, I am fine," Susan assured her.

They sat in silence for a while. Eventually, Susan's mother broke the quietness, her voice tinged with worry, "Susan, my child, we are very worried about you, especially your father. He can't bear to see you like this. Sometimes, he even cries." Her mother paused, gathering her emotions before continuing, "We want you to get married."

"What...?" Susan gasped in surprise.

"Yes, I am talking about your marriage," her mother affirmed.

"But mother... what is the hurry?" Susan queried, taken aback.

"Who is ours in this world besides you? We want to fulfill our wishes through you," her mother explained, trying to hold back tears. "Today or tomorrow, every girl has to enter this sacred bond of marriage. It is true that now might not seem like the time to discuss such things, but your health concerns us deeply."

"Am I such a burden to you?" Susan asked, her voice quivering.

"What are you talking about, my child?" her mother responded with concern.

"I am telling you the truth." Susan said.

"Look, Susan, a daughter can never be a burden to her parents. Parents see their daughter as someone else's future, and they raise her with care. They educate her so she can be a good wife, daughter-in-law, and mother," her mother explained gently.

"But mother, right now I want to stand on my own feet. I want to work, earn money, travel the world, and much more," Susan pleaded.

"What?" Susan's mother exclaimed in surprise. "You and a job? What is the need for you to do a job when we have everything, and it is all yours?"

"But..." Susan began, only to be cut off by her mother.

"Susan, I have seen the changing colors of the world. Those girls are lucky who leave their parents' home for their in-laws' home while their parents are still alive. Girls are never a burden to their parents, but the responsibilities of marriage double the load on their parents' backs. Their peace and sleep are sacrificed, yet they never complain. They find happiness in their daughter's joy, even amidst their own sorrow."

Susan placed both her arms on her mother's shoulders and said earnestly, "My dear mother, may you and father live a hundred years. But please, don't talk about my marriage right now."

"Susan, life is full of ups and downs; one cannot predict anything," her mother reflected, her voice filled with experience. "I have seen life up close. You may not fully understand these things yet. When a child loses the protection of their parents, they fall from their pedestal and shatter on the ground. Believe me, being an orphan is a harrowing experience. An orphan's heart is delicate; even the slightest neglect can crush their innocent spirit. Susan, my daughter, you are our only child. You have no one in this world but us. What will become of you if something happens to us? If you fall into the care of relatives, life will become unbearable. They may provide for your basic needs, but there will be no warmth, only obligation. They may call you their own, but you will not feel it. I don't want people to shun you as an orphan when we are no longer here. So, Susan, let your father and me do what we believe is best for you."

With these words, her mother kissed Susan's forehead and quietly left the room. Susan sat lost in thought, unsure of what to do. She closed her eyes, rested her head on the pillow, and thoughts of Isaiah filled her weary mind. Emotionally and physically drained, Susan drifted into sleep without realizing it.