Charlottetown (Probably on hold forever. Or whenever I decide to update.)

Chapter One: Lisette and Griffin

Chapter One: Lisette and Griffin

            Lisette Woodson sat on her front porch, waiting for her husband to come home. He was on his horse, patrolling the streets and the trails surrounding Charlottetown. It wasn’t necessary; but he insisted on doing it. The only time his job had ever been needed was when a group of drunk cowboys came galloping along and disturbed the peace in the small settlement.

            It was after dark now; it was too dark to see anyone coming. It was obvious he wasn’t coming home until later, after he was drunk. This was happening a lot lately, and Lisette wasn’t happy with it. She had tried talking to him, but there was no words that would convince him to quit this little habit.

            Because of this,  Lisette had started walking at night. She had told herself she was just trying to find her ever-absent husband; but she knew it was because she had to escape to that house of horrors called her ‘home’. But it wasn’t a home. It was a prison, a constant reminder of the pain and absolute dominance men had over her. She had no control over her own life; the little hope she had when she was 10 of going to school and  the big city had been slashed when Bruce had been introduced into her life.

            Lisette had always wanted to rebel against Bruce; be a bad girl for just once in her pathetic life. She had always wanted to go to the city, but Bruce never let her go. She had always wanted to do something risky and adventurous, but her husband acted as a chain, holding her to the house. She wasn't even allowed a kitten or puppy to accompany her on those long days home alone because Bruce didn't allow her to see her friends when she misbehaved.

           Griffin Harvey was out walking, too, and eyed her with a worried look. “Lisette, what are you doing out here alone? It’s cold, you should be at home.” Griffin said approaching her. Lisette shifted her shawl, looking at Griffin’s gray eyes, large with kindness and a sincerity missing from her husband’s hard brown eyes.

            “What are you doing here, Griffin? You should be home with your wife and child. Isn’t that customary for families to do at night?” Lisette asked, avoiding Griffin’s probing expression and questions.

            “Lisette, you shouldn’t be asking the questions. You’re a proper young lady. Proper young ladies should be at home, knitting and attending to babies. Babies that you seem to lack." Griffin said, his soft gray eyes forming a hard edge.

            Lisette let out a small hiss, sick and tired of people thinking they knew what was good for her.

            “Proper young ladies should live in cities. With proper parties and dresses and bows and ribbons, with a husband who doesn’t come home drunk and blubbering about how stupid and inconsiderate his wife is and about how awful his life is. If I’m a proper lady, why don’t I have a good husband and bows and ribbons?” Lisette said, tears threatening to betray her eyes. Lisette didn’t cry, though. The last time she had cried was her wedding night when Bruce had forcefully kissed her on the mouth in front of the wedding party. It had been horrible, and Lisette had run away from him, embarrassing him in front of everyone. Bruce followed her, and slapped her across the face. She cowered away, crying,

            Ever since than, she had vowed to never cry again. To never allow a man to hurt her like that. So she built a wall around her heart, not allowing anything to penetrate it. Years of emotionless relationships and guarded feelings had made this beautiful, soft faced girl a hard-hearted, impassive woman.

            Crying felt good, though. Lisette felt more human than she had in ages. She laid her head on Griffin’s shoulder and let her emotions out for once in her life.

            After years of beatings, drunken insults, and being locked away from human eye every time Bruce went into his jealous rages, Lisette finally had a shoulder to cry on. She felt Griffin gently trace a bruise on her neck, his mouth pressed into a hard line.

            "Griffin? Can I ask you something?" A new question was budding in her mind, a question she had no right to ask, but would do so anyway.

            "Yes?"

            "Why did you marry Myrtle? You don't seem to be very fond of her." She asked hesitantly.

            Griffin laid back in the grass, sighing. This was obviously a difficult question for him.

            "You don't have to answer. I was just... curious." Lisette said, hoping her new friend wouldn't be too offended by her forward question.

            "No, no, you have a right to know. So you want to know why I married her? It was because I had to. I was... wild when I was younger. I had, ah, relations with a lot of women and my father didn't think it was appropriate. So he made me marry my exact opposite, Myrtle. She was our neighbor and the daughter of a nice farmer. Me and my friends used to laugh at her, you see, and we would constantly torture her with mean names and mocking cat calls. We were very cruel, me and my friends."

           Lisette was having a hard time imaging a mean Griffin. He had always been so kind and sweet.

           "Even when I was engaged to her, though, I was rude and mean, and didn't change my behavior and demeanor until we moved here. She wasn't happy, though, so I got drunk and gave her what she wanted. A baby. But that was a mistake, too. She still isn't happy. I don't know what to do anymore." Griffin sighed unhappily. Lisette was very aware that neither of them had happy marriages. Bruce was a monster and Myrtle was a selfish pig. Okay, maybe that is a bit harsh, but Lisette was jealous that such an undeserving woman possessed such a wonderful man.

          So they laid under the moon and stars, both of them unhappy, both of them in a place they didn't want to be. They were trapped by tradition, trapped by those who thought they knew best.

          It wouldn't take long until they started to become happy again, finding bliss in each others arms. But they could not even fathom how much trouble it would cause them in the end.

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(Pic of Lisette on the side...)