La Belle Bête (A Fairytale Retelling) (Adult Perspective Watty 2012)

Emerald was sitting in Anna-Lynn Thatcher’s sunroom, sipping the world’s strangest tea and trying very hard not to laugh the demonic brew out her nostrils. The Mother of Emerald’s ex-fiancé was a stout woman with perfectly grayed hair, done in a neat and orderly bun and without a wrinkle to mar her expensive power suit. The woman's hands were wrinkled and the skin soft, a few faint lines around her mouth indicating that her smile were like her words; a carefully weilded weapon, and her eyes were the same shade as Micah's, only far more intimidating than that man would ever emulate.

The fact that Emi's words had caused this graceful, poised and reserved woman's face to nearly turn purple with throttled rage was just highly amusing to Emi. The best part was the fact that Emerald knew that this woman's indignatious anger was not at all directed towards Emi herself.

"My son did what?" Anna-Lynn Thatcher demanded, her voice calm despite the angry hue to her face.

"He informed me that although I would be wife and mother, I would have to accept his 'discreet' mistresses. And that this 'offer' of his was the best that a woman like I would ever get. He'd also bought the wedding dress he demanded I wear, ensuring that it was too small for my current frame and insisting that I would lose the thirty pounds to fit into it." Emerald explained, amazed at how little the memory hurt now. Back then she had felt humiliated and heart broken, part of her having expected that somehow maybe the man she'd thought Micah to be would be present once they were married, instead of the asshole he had slowly revealed himself to be.

"And what was your response to these demands?" Anna-Lynn asked, her carefully plucked eyebrow arching up like an arrowhead.

"I left him. I gave back the engagement ring and told him we were through. This was over a year ago now Anna-Lynn. And several months ago he started to come back to try and strong arm me into a relationship with him again. However, in the time between now and then I have not only gotten over any feelings I might have held for Micah, I have started a new relationship. Micah is aware of all of this and has...persisted despite my clear requests that he go away." Emerald silently applauded herself for not straight out telling her ex-fiance's mother that she wanted the woman's son to curl up and die.

Anna-Lynn remained silent, sipping her herbal tea and leaving Emerald to wonder what the older woman was thinking. There was a risk in all this, telling Micah's mother about what had happened because this woman might simply bagder her son into some humiliating apology and then expect the engagement to pick up where it left off. She had approved of Emerald joining their family and what Anna-Lynn Thatcher wanted, she generally took and ensured was allowed to keep. It wasn't always a bad trait, this woman was a ferocious human rights advocate that fought hard to get equality for all, and often succeeded.

"You said you have moved on in the year since leaving my son?" Anna-Lynn inquired, making Emi feel a thrill of fear because she had a bad feeling about where this conversation might go.

"Yes, with a good man who makes me very happy. Not that Micah can't be a good man, despite his... relationship demands he had his charming moments. But I don't want to share my life with him anymore. I have lost the trust I would need to be intimate or accept any kind of relationship with him. And there isn't anything he can do to change my mind." Emerald tried hard not to insult the idiot directly. This was his Mother afterall and she'd soon pick on a Grizzly bear mamma than this woman.

Again Anna-Lynn kept her thoughts to herself, her face not revealing a hint of what she was going to say next. Emerald refused to fidget and wondered briefly how much Anna-Lynn would make playing poker with a face that...reflectionless. Finally the older woman sighed and nodded. "I understand Emerald. I do wish things could have turned out differently, I had high hopes for the effect you would have on my son. And the life you two would lead together. But I'm not about to shackle you into a loveless marriage to appease my pride." At Anna-Lynn's words, Emerald looked up with surprise. The woman gave Emerald an honest smile, a little saddness dancing in her eyes. "I would not do to others the same wrongs that were done to me. Micah learned his behaviour from his father, and I did not divorse that man soon enough to teach my son a lesson. I will rectify that error now so that I don't lose any other amazing daughter-in-laws."