The Sacrifice Of Belladonna

III

NINETEEN THIRTY-NINE

"Belladonna, raise your shoulders back and
stand up straight. You look miserable, honey."

Josette, Belladonna's mother spoke as
she watched her daughter stare miserably in
the ornate framed mirror meticulously crafted
with delicate floral motifs and subtle gilding.

"Well, I am miserable!" She retorted sharply.

"You forced me out of bed this morning to
try on uncomfortably tight dresses. I can hardly
breathe."Josette raised her hands before gracefully dropping them back into the middle of her lap.

"You have been putting this off for entirely
too long. What was I to do?" She questioned.

"It's been a month since Michael proposed and
the wedding is two weeks away-" Josette halted
herself from speaking any further as Belladonna angrily interrupted her. "Michael didn't propose
ma. He announced that my parents gave them
their blessing to marry me!"

Josette heaved a breath, Belladonna,
never failed to remind her of the deep
betrayal she and Clement caused.

"The wedding is happening in two weeks,"
Josette repeated, "It's happening regardless of how
you or me or anyone else feels. Your complaints
are not going to stop this. Just accept it, please."

The air was thick with the scent of roses and
the rustle of silk as Belladonna turned away from
the mirror. Her face, framed by the delicate lace of
a wedding veil contorts with a mix of frustration and sorrow. With a swift, jerky motion, she grabbed the veil, yanking it off her head with trembling fingers.

Her eyes flash with defiance as she faces
her mother, who sits nearby, a mixture of worry
and resignation in her gaze. "This isn't unfair!"
she exclaims, her voice quivering. "I can't marry
Michael just because we need his money!"

Her mother, held a finely embroidered
gown. "You know this is the only way to
save our family," she replies softly, the
words hanging heavy between them.

Belladonna, still clutching the veil, shakes her
head vehemently, her emotions spilling over in the intimate space of the boutique, where dreams and reality collide. The wedding, set for two weeks from now, looms like a shadow over them both.

Internally, Josette felt like a failure for
having to marry her daughter off in order to not lose everything she and Clement had built. Each week that brought them closer to the wedding, she noticed how depressed her daughter was becoming. Something completely unfamiliar to her fiery beacon of light. It broke Josette's heart but what was the alternative?

Encouraging her daughter to end the
engagement and cancel the marriage?

The Evergreens would have hell to pay if that happened. Especially since the whole town now
knew of the upcoming wedding, it was the talk of
the town. Embarrassing the Jacksons and ruining
their last option of a financial safe haven was out
the question. This marriage had to happen.

Josette's eyes filled with tears, her expression pleading. "Please understand, darling. We're out of options. Michael can save us from losing everything."

Dropping the veil onto the plush carpet, Belladonna expressed her raw emotions in the purest form.

"But what about my happiness? My choice?"