The Stolen Bride

The Honeymoon to Remember

I sat on the bed with Emma. Michael wasn't lying. Diary, before me sat a really beautiful cake. I was eating the cake when Michael came in, that woman behind him. "You met my wife, Matthew, didn't you?"

"Yes, daddy Michael."

Diary, Michael had a blank expression on his face, or what my daddy called a straight poker face, when he said, "Hand her the baby, Matthew."

"Yes, Michael." I handed Christy Emma and Michael begin to circle around me.

"Did you mean it, Matthew, to honor and obey me until death do us part?"

Diary, I started to get a really uncomfortable feeling, like the same feeling I got right before my father lost it and started to beat me. I rubbed my neck and looked at his feet. "Yes, Michael."

"See Maddie, I meant our vows, and I was hoping you did too, but the thing is, I don't believe you."

I knelt down, grabbing his legs as I looked up. "I did. I did, I swear."

" Guards."

"Please, Michael, no need to call them. I meant it. I did."

I watched the guards come into the room and tears fell and soaked into Michael's wedding tux.

Michael started pointing towards the things I earned. "Take the bassinet out. Take the TV out and take the diapers out. Leave one bottle, that's it. You can leave the wedding cake and leave the pad for when he's behaving."

"No, I'm sorry. Please, I will leave the baby and go on my honeymoon with you." My thoughts went from Michael to Emma after I saw the bride walk away from the chair she had sat in. I grabbed Emma just as Michael hit me in the face with his belt. I doubled down in pain, holding onto a crying Emma.

"You shouldn't have tried anything stupid, hon." Michael said, leaving.

Christy looked at me with false concern. "I want to help you. I'll be back later."

I nodded my head as I said, "Sorry, Michael." I laid back on the mattress that was now bare after the bedding I earned was removed.

Michael's bride came in hours after Michael had left. She came in with a bottle. "Feed her this and no one will ever take her away from you again. She'll escape this place, and we will bury her in the family plot. I promise."

Diary, I can't believe this heifer even thought about killing my Emma, but I didn't want to test hurting her at this moment, so I said "I can't kill her."

She looked at me with a face that said oh please you totally could, but what she said was "You could join her, you know. I'll sneak you some too later. Just think about it." Then she was gone.

I looked at that bottle half the night and held Emma. She had drunk the bottle Michael left for her hours ago, and I cried as her hunger cries were getting louder and louder. I thought about using the poisoned bottle just to shut her up. When I saw my hands were reaching for it, I hit the intercom button instead.

Michael's irritation came out in his voice. "What do you want, Mrs. Wraith?"

"I forced myself to smile as I said, "It's my honeymoon. I want my husband."

"Not tonight."

"Please, you are leaving tomorrow on your honeymoon with the second wife." I don't know why I said it, diary, it just sounded right. She might have been married first, but she was his second wife and her children would be the second family. Michael didn't respond, but he came in.

The look he gave me was one of bewilderment as he pointed at the second bottle on the small table. "Where did you get that bottle?"

"Your wife gave it to me. She said if I fed the baby, no one will ever take her from me."