Through It All

TWENTY TWO

Mrs. Willis losing her temper stands firmly. "Stop slandering your sister this instant!"

"But I am not," exclaims Lucia, her voice breaking. "Tell her Sophie, tell her the truth so I can stop being the black sheep of the family."

"You better get out from my sight right now or else I'll—"

"She's not lying."

Mrs. Willis turns to Sophia dumfounded. "What?"

Lucia satisfied, decides to leave them to discuss it on their own.

"Lucia is right. I did run off to see a man. I used to sneak out of the house really early in the morning," she explains trying to hold back her tears. "But he wasn't my lover, I promise."

Her mother's face turned white as she was telling her. She stumbles backwards and Sophia comes to her aid, helping her down on a chair. "I'm sorry mother, I was so foolish and I regret it so much," Sophia continues as she kneels in front of her astounded mother, tears rolling down her cheeks.

"How long ago was this?" asks her mother after catching her breath.

"A few weeks before the wedding," she replies quietly.

"Who was this man?" she asked sternly.

Sophia blinks, memories flooding her mind. Memories she was able to lock away for the past couple of weeks. "I'm afraid I can't say," She says quietly unable to look at her mother.

"You can't tell your own mother?"

Sophia shakes her head slowly.

Mrs. Willis holds her hands tightly. "Well, it hardly matters. You are married now so it's better if no one knows. You must take this to your grave."

Sophia nods mutely.

"Alright then, I don't think there is anything else to discuss."

"Are you serious?" boomed Lucia's voice from upstairs. "That's it? She gave herself to God knows who and you forgive her?"

Lucia's words hurt Sophia so much that she doesn't dare to look up at her. Their mother tightens her hand in support. Both ignoring her.

"Oh for goodness sake, get in your room, I can hear you screaming from down the street!"

Sophia's face brightens at the sound of a familiar voice. "Gilda!" she exclaims excitedly as she stands hurriedly, Gilda's eyes widen at the sight of the beautiful woman her favorite child came to be. Dropping her basket full of groceries on the floor, she wraps her arms around her, tears of joy forming in her eyes.

"How are you? How's married life?" she asks her once they pull away.

"Oh Gilda," Sophia starts radiantly. "It's so much better than I thought."

Gilda smiles happily for after the wedding took place, Sophia was in her mind almost every second of her day, wondering if marriage was going to destroy her like so many arranged marriages destroyed the young ladies involved.

"Come to the kitchen, and you can tell me all about it."

Sophia turns to look at her mother who nods telling her to go ahead. And she follows Gilda into the kitchen who is now putting jars and vegetables away in their respective spaces.

"So, tell me, how is Mr. Adam Lancaster? Is he a good husband?" Gilda says with a twinkle in her eye.

"He is, surprisingly so," Sophia replies honestly. "We eat breakfast every morning before he goes to work, and before he leaves, he kisses me goodbye, and if he forgets, he turns back from wherever he is just to give me that kiss." Gilda nods wanting to hear more. "We sometimes have lunch together. Either he comes home or I go see him at the shop and we go and have a picnic somewhere. Then when he arrives, the first thing he does is to take me in his arms and embraces me so firmly that I can simply loose myself." She stops abruptly fearing that she has spoken a little too much.