Shine your light upon me

Chapter VII: Wedding Night

After the celebration was over, Mrs. Gregoria made her way in front of the family, a triumphant smile on her face.

"Well, family. It is time for the bride and groom to have their moment alone."

Nieves and Horace exchanged glances, with noticeable surprise. Gregoria on the other hand smiled in pleasure and jumped up and down with happiness.

They were driven by carriage to a large house. Gregoria had booked a charming villa an hour from the village, they had visited it before and as she had loved it, she decided to reserve it for her son and daughter-in-law.

The villa where Nieves and Horace would spend their wedding night was simply stunning. It was surrounded by lush vegetation with brightly colored plants intertwined around the entrance and windows, creating a magical and cozy atmosphere. The villa was made of stone and wood, with charming architecture and artistic details on the windows and doors.

The interior was equally impressive. The furnishings were elegant and antique, with luxurious fabrics and decorative details reflecting refined taste. The living room had a large fireplace, surrounded by comfortable sofas and chairs, creating a cozy and warm atmosphere.

The bride and groom looked at each other, still in awe of the surprise Gregoria had prepared for them. Although they had not wanted this wedding, they could not deny that the villa was a beautiful place to spend their first night as husband and wife. But, despite the beauty of the place, they both knew that their union was far from being a fairy tale.

Nieves recalled in her memory what her mother had told her before getting into the carriage: "Just close your eyes and it will all be over before you know it".

She sat down on the living room couch and let out a sigh. She kicked off her shoes and looked at Horace, who had started smoking again. She was tired, just imagining that her family now wished that she and this boy could look like God brought them into the world only made her guts churn.

After an hour, Nieves began to nod in her seat; Horace noticed.

"Hey, potato sack!" he called to her.

She gave him a murderous look.

"Go to the bedroom," she finally said. Receiving no response, he continued, "I'm not touching you; I told you I'm not messing with a woman who isn't pure."

"Go to hell" she muttered.

Horace let out an unfunny laugh.

"And you still have the gall to take offence?"

"What the devil do you care if I'm pure or not! You refer to me like I'm a piece of dung! You want to know something! NO! I'm not pure!"

Nieves' screams echoed throughout the house. Horace stood silently, trying to process the situation. The woman he had been pestering for as long as he could remember, the one for whom he had given up his freedom in order not to leave her on the street, was telling him to his face that she had given herself to another man before him.

On the other hand, Nieves felt liberated after releasing her long-suppressed feelings. Although Horace's words had hurt her deeply, she found it necessary to express her frustration and anger. She was tired of being treated as an object, a possession to be given to Horace as if it were an unwanted gift.

Horace, on the other hand, was dealing with mixed emotions. He had imagined that Nieves would never give herself away so easily and was surprised to hear her words. Although the thought of her not being 'pure' had tormented him, now that he knew the truth, he didn't know how to feel about it.

There was an awkward silence in the room as they both processed what had just happened. Nieves felt exhausted and emotionally drained by the situation. Horace finally broke the silence.

"Well," he said quietly, "if you're not going up to the room, then I will. Sleep wherever you like."

After the discussion, Nieves took off her dress and put on the pajamas her mother had packed for her. She went out into the courtyard of the villa, finding a beautiful garden that was illuminated by the moon. In the distance she could hear the howling of coyotes and the hooting of owls. For a moment she felt at peace, as if she could finally let go after the busy day.

As she watched the night, she wondered what her beloved Louis was doing. She hoped she hadn't put him in a difficult situation now that she had lied to Horace like that. As far as she knew, her husband was not a troubled man, he liked to dither, yes, but not to get into trouble. She only hoped that his pride wasn't so wounded that he would go and punch Louis in the face.

After his brief exchange with Nieves, Horace went upstairs to the room he was supposed to share with his wife, still uncomfortable from the discussion. He lay down on the bed and looked up at the ceiling, feeling overwhelmed by the situation he found himself in.

Through the window, he looked out at the night landscape. The moon softly illuminated the villa's garden, creating shadows and reflections on the flowers and plants. The sounds of nature filtered through the open window: the chirping of crickets, and the gentle blowing of the wind that kept the room cool.

He felt trapped in a marriage he never wanted, with a woman he did not love and who he now knew was not pure. Anger and confusion consumed him. He wondered if he had made the right decision in abandoning his escape plan. Although he had always been a man of independence and averse to the pressures of society, he now found himself on a path that seemed inevitable.

His thoughts strayed to Louis, the man that Nieves had confessed she had loved. He couldn't help but feel jealous, even though he had no claim on Nieves. The idea that another man had had her before him disturbed him.

As the night wore on, Horace realized that his life had taken an irreversible turn. The darkness of the room seemed to reflect his mood, and he wondered if he would ever find a way to cope with his marriage to Nieves.