SKYE
After the Tatia incident, Acio and I were officially together. I couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement, despite failing to reconcile with my best friend.
My boyfriend had started a company, a cyber security agency, a week after my sister's honeymoon. I knew why he'd always refused dad's offer to work in the family company. Hell, if I were in his shoes I would've declined too.The way they treated Val was appalling, and I wouldn't have wanted to work with them either..
Speaking of my sister, she sat beside me on my bed, completely out of this world. The soft glow of the evening sun cast a warm light on her face but it couldn't hide the exhaustion and worry etched on her features.
What I didn't know was what bothered her. I'd noticed that something was wrong since their return but she'd always brushed me off. Abuelita and Acio were also both worried. Val had spoken to Abuelita before coming to my room but even Abuelita didn't know what was wrong.
She’d lost weight the last time I spoke to her. Val's weight loss was evident and the bags under her eyes made her look tired. Her sunken cheeks seemed to accentuate her beauty but I knew something was amiss. Wasn't she supposed to have the glow of a lovestruck wife but instead she looked like she was mourning though that didn't affect her beauty. Besides what was with the long-sleeved dresses she'd been wearing recently? They only added to my concern.
I wanted her to talk to me but I was running out of patience. I couldn't sit and watch her drown in misery anymore. Something was eating her up, I was sure.
I turned to her, my voice gentle. "What's wrong, Val?”
I asked for what felt like the hundredth time. She turned to me and my heart broke as a sob escaped her lips. I enveloped her in a warm hug, feeling her body shake with sobs.
As we sat there, the silence in my room was broken only by Val's quiet sobs. The occasional chirping of birds created a soothing background noise, but it did little to ease my concern.
I rubbed her back, trying to offer comfort.“What’s wrong? I swear if Reed did anything to you then I'll chop off his balls! We’ll see how he'll be able to make babies and yo_”
“S-Skye...”
My eyes widened in shock as I froze, staring at her in disbelief. Did she...? I thought I'd misheard, but her lips moved again.
“Tell me I'm hearing right. Oh my God! - my ears must be deceiving me! Geez I thought I heard you speak! Ha! I mean that would be so great, right? Always wanted to hear my name from your lips and _”
“Skye.”
I pulled away to look at her. “Oh. My. Gosh.”
“How? When?”
I stared at her with happiness. I knew it! I always knew she'd eventually speak, she couldn't be mute forever. Something significant must have happened to trigger this change.
I wanted to holler in excitement and shower her with kisses but it wasn't the right time for that. I needed to know what's was bothering her.
“Val, tell me what's wrong. Please.”
And she did. My heart went out to her as she recounted her troubles. I listened with mixed feelings as she spoke with so much delay. Her voice was raspy but soft as they came out with great difficulty due to lack of use for years.
As she spoke, the room seemed to grow darker, as if the shadows themselves were listening to her story. The air felt heavier, weighed down by the secrets and pain she shared.
I gritted my teeth when she was done, feeling like murdering someone. “So you mean that Aussie bitch has been harassing you and Raquel is backing her up?”
Valerie shook her head and looked at me with so much anguish I nearly wept.
You don't understand! She signed, having forgotten she could use her mouth now.
“Then make me!” I yelled in frustration as tears stung my eyes. When happiness finally knocking at her door, in the form of her marriage to Reed, life decides to throw shit at her. WHY?
Raquel is being manipulated by her, she signed.
I scoffed, my anger boiling over. “You're her son's wife, dammit! And how the hell has Reed not noticed any of this?”
My question seemed to tear her apart as she shook with sobs as she told me about how everything went wrong during their honeymoon before they came back, how her relationship with Reed had taken a bad turn.
Unconsciously I began to cry too. “You shouldn't have pushed him away, Val. Don't do that and stop bottling everything up when you have people who care for you, people who will do anything for you.”
“It’s too l-late... ”
I wiped her tears with my hand, shaking my head. “It’s never too late.”
I stood up, my determination evident. “I’m going to go over to the mansion and beat the crap out of that loco!”
Valerie stood up. Don't do that. It'll only make matters worse.
“How? We need to teach that bitch a lesson! Nobody fucks with my sister and gets away with it.”
No, please. Raquel won't take it likely.
I grabbed ahold of her arms. “Let’s do this; go home and tell Reed.”
Her eyes widened in horror. She shook her head. “Listen to me! All this nonsense would've ended a long time ago if you'd just confided in your husband. Valerie, Reed will believe you. Show him your bruises. Even without them he will believe you. Trust me on this Val.”
She nodded. I sat her down on the bed. “I’ll give you till tonight to tell him or devil help me, I'll murder that godforsaken witch.” She nodded, and I sat her down on the bed.
I pulled up her sleeves and when I saw the purple bruises on her once flawless skin, my anger surged, wanting to pummel that bitch so bad she repented.
“She did this to you?” I questioned and she nodded. I gritted my teeth, a wave of anger and sadness washing over me as I understood the reason behind her new style. The long-sleeved dresses she wore weren't just a fashion choice but a desperate attempt to conceal the bruises that marred her skin. My heart ached for her.
“The more reason you have to tell Reed. Stop pushing him away. He's your husband,Val”
I sighed as she began to cry, knowing how much she was hurting, knowing I couldn't do anything to ease the pain unless I killed that bitch.
I thought like everyone else this marriage was going to be a life changer for Valerie - a new opportunity to start afresh, to find happiness but misery seemed to follow her everywhere like a curse. She was the epitome of pain.
