The Broken Engagement

Part 1

Goldfield - 1920

Key Philips was the most sought out young woman of her time. A time where everyone felt connected to one another and wanted nothing more than love. Or so they explained it to her. Her parents loved her and wanted the best for her. By having her get married to a young man named Beau who would be 16 years of age come November.

"Marriage?" Key and Beau said in unison.

"I've never thought about it before. I am only 15, mother." Key responded fluffing out her dress that she adorned with flowers and colorful sand her dad had brought back from one of his trips from overseas.

"I mean...I'm not opposed to it." Although Beau had a different plan of his own. His families mining business was being depleted because his father and grandfather were gambling it all away in Vegas! He needed money quick and marrying Key was the only way. Her family was loaded since her dad's grandfather did build Goldfield, along with Beau's grandfather, but his grandfather was drinking it away with his dad! Unbelievable. This was his way out. His only way out. Hopefully Cassandra would understand him and go along with the plan.

Beau was smart. He specialized in many things, but being sneaky was his specialty. No one knew that side of Beau though. Key didn't really care for him, but went along with it anyway. She was going to call it off right when she turned seventeen years old. For some reason....she didn't trust him. Her trust in him was waning the more she sat and spoke with him.

"We will have gorgeous children." Beau laid it on thick. Her parents and grandparents were eating it right up. Key, however was not falling for such trickery. She knew guys like this. She knew they only wanted one thing, her father's money.

"Cute. Aren't we a bit young to be talking about children, Beau." It wasn't a question. It was a statement and she was going to let him know that she isn't the one to be played with. Her time is precious unlike him.

"My parents gotten married young and even my grandparents. My grandma married my grandpa when they were both just 13 years old and my Ma and pa, got married when my Ma was 12 and my pa was just about twenty one." He shrugged his shoulders. "So it's common in my family to get married young."

That didn't stop the bile from rising up. She felt sick knowing this information and yet, it was perfectly normal in this time and age. Sadly. Key wanted to smack him, but she didn't.

"I guess." She said, making her parents smile from ear to ear, who was silently listening to what the two were saying.

"He's right princess," Her dad smiled patting Beau on the back, hard. Beau's eyes were bulging out. "It's never too early to get married. At least you'll be married before you're a spinster and then we wouldn't know what to do with you. I'll be embarrassed for sure." Her dad laughed as if it was funny. Her mom did an awkward chuckle and began sewing on the love seat. That's all her mom did, sew, sew and sew. Her mom accomplished nothing in life. That's not who Key wanted to be though.

Key wanted to be somebody! Someone that makes a difference in this world and the next. She wants her legacy to move forward, not backwards. She wanted women to be more than housewives, mothers and doormats. She had dreams that she never told anyone, goals she kept hidden from prying eyes. It was one thing to think about, but it was another to tell.

Women weren't allowed to dream. Think. Have goals. They had one job and one job only. To stay in the house. To be mothers, wives, slaves, doormats and workers for nothing. No matter what they do, women are still getting beat.

Just the other day, Key watched a man beat his wife because the children went to bed a minute late. That's not what she wanted.

".....y." Key blinked back to the harsh reality she lived in.

"Hm?" She asked like the proper young woman she would become.

"Didya hear what I say?" Beau asked as emotions flickered across his face. Key didn't know what those meant and said nothing more.

"Sorry, I was in deep thought." She smiled and that moment her dear old mom decided to pipe up.

"She was deep in thought of the future you two would have." Her mother smiled wildly getting the appropriate response from her father, who was pleased.

Key knew they were wrong, but didn't want to hurt their feelings.

"You're right." She swallowed the lump of disgust that threatened to come out of her body, shredding her insides to pieces and then doing it again.

"Ahahah! I assure you," Beau smirked and grabbed Key's hand, "I will be a man she's worthy of." He kissed her cheek and left. "I'll see you tomorrow at school."

"Please no." Key muttered to herself, praying that no one heard her or will just ignore her.

"I'm so happy for my baby." Her mother stood up and walked the few steps to her and crushed her in a snake like hug. Her dad joined in, too. Key felt anything but happy. She felt an inevitable weight weighing her down. She couldn't tell her parents that. They would be heartbroken. Upset, angry. This time, she would also keep it to herself.

Even though, it would probably kill her later on.