Folktale

1840

Forks, Washington

The new year strolled in faster than Izzy had expected. It was the beginning of January and it the matter of four months she's to marry Micheal. The more time passed, the more impatient she grew. She started biting her nails, a new nervous habit that drew her mother crazy. She often spent sunday's service pulling Izzy's hand out of her mouth and place a calming hand on her knee.

But it wasn't the wedding that had her nervous, it was the lie. It was trying on her wedding dress knowing she never wanted to wear it. It was having family dinners with both families, with fake smiles and fake eagerness for the wedding. It was starting to take a toll on her. She often felt ill to her stomach, light headed, feverish. Izzy knew it was her guilt eating her up. A guilt that only ceased when she was with Edward, but more often that not, every time they part, it gets worse.

And it didn't help one night after dinner with the Newton's. She and her parents made it home, Izzy was ready to hide in the safety of her room when her parents stopped her. Mr. Swan called out her name before she could disappear up the stairs and held her back before she could disappear. Her anxiety grew as her father wrapped his hands around her shoulders and gave her a smile.

"We just wanted to tell you how incredibly proud we are of you."

"Watching you with Micheal has sure convinced us that we couldn't have asked for a better daughter," her mother said. "I know it's not easy, love, to have your life planned out from the start to finish, but it is for the good of our community and our people. You'll make us all proud."

"And for that, we have something to give you." Mr. Swan reached in his pocket and pulled out a golden locket. Izzy gasped at the sight of it as he handed to her. "I had this made for you, my darling. If you open it, you'll see our family crest. It's our gift to you, my beautiful daughter. No one deserves it more than you."

"Papa... I can't take it."

"You can and you will." He stepped around her and placed the locket over her chest, locking it from the back.

Izzy felt as if her chest was one fire. As if the place where the locket was touching her was burning her skin.

"You deserve this and so much more," her mother said. "Much more than thankfully Micheal will be able to give you. Take it, child. Take it as a sign of our proudness and our love for you."

Izzy couldn't deny their gift. So, she took it and held it close to her heart. Only then did the dizziness became worse, when her guilt began taunting her, telling her this were the people she was hurting with her selfishness. She had hurt Jane, her best friend who she hasn't spoken to since the day Izzy called her a simple farmer's daughter. The picture was wider now. It wasn't just about Jane, it was about her parents, it was about Micheal and it made her sick to her stomach how much pain she will bring them.

She kept the locket close to her heart, even on the next day as she ran to the church through the heavy storm. No one was in the streets, no one could see her running through the storm, crying and holding the locket to her chest. She stormed in the empty church, soaked and out of breath. She caught sight of Father Tobias in the booth and she knew it was now or never. She walked to the booth and kneeled, bowing her head.

"Forgive me father, for I have sinned."

Father Tobias recognized her voice immediately. He was shocked to think such a sweet girl would have anything to confess to, but whatever it was, it was enough for her to confess to it. So he kept quiet and listened to her.