Nakusa, hima [debian ebook reader .TXT] 📗

to happen so soon and without my family.”I told him part truth. “I even noticed that you didn’t like which all added up to my tears…” I didn’t know why I told the last part, I cursed myself later about it.

He observed me shifting uncomfortable as I waited for him to answer. “It’s not that I hate you… It’s just that I’m not yet ready for a serious relationship…”he said. His very words brought solace to my heart so he didn’t hate me.

“You didn’t cry because you hate me?” he asked. I nodded no. He chuckled. “Well, then maybe we could be good friends…”he said extending his hand. I smiled and shook his hand.

“I think we should go back now before mom finds me and scolds me for being careless about your health…”he said standing up. He offered his hand. I stood up myself and started to walk with him.

Linda is not some damsel in distress, she is a strong and independent woman…he thought. Andrew walked me to my room.

I was still put to bed by Mrs. Wilson’s orders. Later that day Anna came in. She hurried to me and hugged me as soon as she closed the door behind.

“I thought Sir Andrew has done something to you…”she cried. “Why would you think so?” “I don’t know…your dress was torn and you were weak and had bruises.” She cried.

It hit me what Andrew was worried about now. My torn dress must have suggested that I was physically abused by someone, no wonder that Anna and Andrew were so much worried about the torn dress.

“What happened? Why did you come back?”She asked wiping away the tears. I told her my story she listened intently.

“What are you planning to do?” she asked. “I don’t know but I have two months time before my… death… to get my sisters settled.” I said. Fresh tears began to flow around her cheeks.


“Linda…”I heard Andrew’s voice at my door. “Yes...?” “I have a surprise for you…”I frowned. “Just get ready and meet me at the front gate…”he said beaming. I nodded still worried about what he was up to. What surprise was he speaking about…? I saw Andrew sitting in his car by the time I reached the front gate…

“Come in…” he said opening the passenger door for me. “Where are we going…?” “It wouldn’t be a surprise if I told you…”he said with a secretive smile on his face. I stared at him and that earned a laugh from him.

I glanced at the familiar paths that would lead to my house…My heart began to race may be I would see my family working in the front garden…She glanced at the sky…No…they would preparing meals now…I sighed. May be they would have some urgent work to tend to and they would be out…I hoped. As we wound through the next road that leads directly to my house…I gasped… I practically pushed my head out the window trying to look at my house… I heard a low chuckle and ignored it.

All my hopes crashed as I saw none in the front garden…I held my head down shaking my head in disbelief… Andrew skid the car to a halt… I raised my head to see that he parked his car right before my house…My eyes went wide like saucers… “Surprise…?” He smiled wide… I jumped practically out of the door eager like a child…
He followed me right behind…”Come on…”I said unable to wait anymore…Andrew saw how her eyes went so wide…they glistened with happiness, he always wanted to see them like that.

I was printing through the front yard and the mushy smell of my home hit me and brought me a pleasant feeling… the creaking woods below my feet were giving me a warm welcome…”What the hell…?” My father’s voice boomed. I hadn’t thought about him… his very voice made me a stumble a bit and Andrew caught me as I stumbled into him. “Watch your step…”he smiled. My father stood up and hurried towards us… “Sir. Andrew…please forgive me for my manners…” my father said with a slight bow…I had never seen him bow in front of anyone like that. Andrew shifted uncomfortably behind me. “It’s okay…sir. Linda wanted to see her family so I just came here to drop her by…” he said.

“Elizabeth…” he shouted. He showed us chairs…Andrew sat in one of the chairs and I didn’t know what to do…I stood uncomfortably…We weren’t supposed to sit in front of father… “Linda…” Andrew gestured me to sit… I sat uncomfortably throwing wary glances at my father.

Mother just walked in time to save me from all the awkwardness… I ran to her at once…she hugged me crying… “Linda…I’ll back in the evening to pick you up…”he said rising from his chair and a slight bow acknowledging my mother…

“Andrew…wait…”I called to him. He stopped and I rushed to him. “Please…don’t go…My sisters would want to meet you…” Andrew stood reluctant but seeing me my pleading face…he nodded. I caught him by his arms and dragged him to the back yard where my sisters would be working at this time… “Jane…”I shrieked as I ran and towing Andrew behind…

“Linda…”Julia ran to me… My sisters gathered around me hugging and crying oblivious of Andrew’s presence. Emma was the first one to notice Andrew standing awkwardly his one hand in mine… “Jane…”she tugged her pointing towards him. My sisters fell back suddenly standing awkwardly. I chuckled.

“Um…This is Andrew…my…” I was cut off when Julia filled the sentence for me…”Your fiancée…” she said with a big smile. I laughed at her. I made the formal introductions… Andrew left promising to come back to pick me up in the evening.

I helped my sisters with the chores and finished serving the lunch to my father who was surprisingly calm and didn’t make any gesture acknowledging my presence. We gathered in our room…

“So…tell me all about it…” Jenny said with exciting smile… my sisters sat round me eagerly waiting for my part of the story… Mom was sitting by the rock chair looking at us… “Oh my god! Is that your engagement ring…” Emma slapped her mouth with wide eyes. “Isn’t this a diamond, mother?” Julia asked examining my finger and tracing the ring delicately with her fingers… My mom smiled at her eying my ring finger.

“Andrew is really good looking, Isn’t he mother?” Jenny asked. “He is pretty decent too. “ Emma observed. Did I ever mention that Emma is very observant girl…nothing missed her intelligent eyes. “You are lucky…” Julia said. “No…he is the one lucky to have our sister…”Jane pointed. Everyone nodded. I saw mom’s eyes wet but I couldn’t miss the glint of pride in her eyes.

“When is the big day…?” Julia asked. “In a month…” I said. “Tell me all about your engagement…” she said. “Well, it came more as a surprise to us… so many people came on that day… everything was perfect like in your fairy tales and Mrs. Wilson made the announcement surprising us both and then…”I said waving my wedding finger in front of them.

“Why was it a surprise…You already knew about the marriage than why was the engagement a surprise…?”Emma asked. I planned my answer very well in my mind before I answered her. “Mrs. Wilson is a woman of surprises…” I said. “But…” “I wish someday that you all see the Wilson’s mansion…It’s really huge…There is a even a pond and a library full of books…”I winked at Jenny. “Mrs. Wilson appointed a teacher for me to teach me to read…”I said looking at mother.

“Did you read any book?”Jenny asked excited. “She let me reads a few selected books written by an author called Jane Austen…I find them really interesting… All her characters are strong and independent woman…” “Wow! I wish I could read them…” “Tell me about Andrew…” Julia said batting her eye lashes as she shied away to mention his name…

“He is really good and caring… He is unlike all other men I have so far met…” I said and I felt how much I missed him already. “He is a doctor in practice…” I added.

“Linda married Andrew and lived happily ever after…” Jenny said clapping her hands with joy… “There are no ever after’s especially for insolent girls like Linda…” her father voice boomed. He stood by the door with his crooked grin. Everyone stood up and went rigid by his appearance out of nowhere.

“Who knows what might happen, she may die soon after a month after her wedding…” He said with a pointed look towards me. “What did you just say…?” I asked walking up to him. Jane pulled me back. “I was just saying that…”his voice trailed off as his malicious smile replaced his face… He knew about the curse or else why would he say that and his secretive smile proved my point. How could he…? I thought he was unaware of this but knowing it was a fatal blow…I knew he hated us but wanting us dead…is something I never expected…Tears began to sting my eyes…Mother enveloped her arms around me…

“Don’t listen to him…He is upset that your life is going well…”Jenny assured. He is not upset about it…he is upset that I still get to live another month… I cried… Mother rubbed my shoulders… “I should go…” I said. “Please…” Julia whispered. I couldn’t stay one more second there… I couldn’t imagine my own family trying to see me dead. Wilson’s doing this… I could understand they never me really or not even related to me to care for me but my own father…? I just ran away from the house and none of them tried to stop.

I ran as tears welled up in my eyes… Thankfully back at the Wilson mansion none noticed me running into my room crying. I cried into sleep. “Linda…” Andrew walked into my room.

“I was told that you came back…” he said frowning. As soon as he saw my wrecked face, he asked. “Did you cry…What happened…?”He asked. “I just couldn’t part my family…”I lied. He looked at me dubiously… “Why did you come back so soon…I thought you would be reluctant even in the evening to come home…”he said. “I thought Mrs. Wilson would need my help…”I said. He was just about to ask something but remained silent.

Andrew left me alone after a while sitting with me for a few awkward moments…





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Publication Date: 11-07-2011

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Dedication:
To all the women around the world and