All Men Are Not The Same

Two Mistakes

"Mum forced him to marry her?" Maddox asked in disbelief. "This can't be true! This cannot be the truth!"

"I know dear. I also know this can never be the truth. But this is what your dad kept saying dear. That Miranda forced him into that marriage. That he was compelled to live with her even though he could not love her," David explained, his eyes bent down in desolation.

"But why? Why does he say so? Yes, by the way my father mistreated my mother, I can confirm that he did not love her. But I want to know how he could dare say he was forced. Uncle, please tell me everything about my mum. Tell me why she got married to such a person? Especially someone who did not love her," Maddox went breathless while convincing his uncle to narrate his mum's life to him. He was almost begging him to do so.

After much hesitation, David raised his head up and decided to give in to Maddox's incessant pleadings. He felt that his nephew had the right to know the truth. He also realised that the ten-year old boy was much more mature than his age. So, David embarked on an hour-long narration to enlighten Maddox about his mother's past.

"Maddox, your mother Miranda was a very charming lady with a beautiful soul and she was her parents' unique child.

Evan loved her since her school days. At that time, Miranda was not really interested as she was barely sixteen and Evan was nearly ten years older than her. But Evan showed so much interest in her that finally Miranda fell for him even if they came from different social backgrounds. Evan came from a middle-class family while Miranda was from an affluent one.

You know son, when Miranda was around nineteen, her parents wanted her to get married to...to me," David stopped as a highly astonished look grew on Maddox's face.

Then he went on with his narration, "Since I was very young, everyone in the family kept telling me that Miranda and I were made for each other. So, it happened that I also harboured feelings for her unknowingly. That's why when our parents decided to get us engaged, I had no objection. I did not know that Miranda loved Evan and that she was too afraid to tell her parents.

When we were about to get engaged, a few days before the ceremony, I felt like Miranda was unhappy. So, I pestered her with so many questions such that she ended up telling me she loved Evan.

I did not know how to tell the family that Miranda loved someone else, so, I decided to just fly to the USA on the eve of our engagement, leaving a message to my family, telling them that I have changed my mind. I told them that I have decided to pursue further studies and a career abroad and that I was not ready for the engagement. I also told them that... that they should not wait for me and that they should get Miranda married to a good guy as soon as they find one," David stopped and looked down. "And probably that was the biggest mistake I ever made in life. If only I knew of Evan's real intentions. If only."

"Then what happened Uncle?" Maddox asked abruptly as he was impatient to know the whole truth about his parents' relationship.

"When our parents got my message, they were very hurt and angry. Their words about me were filled with hatred and Miranda could not stand all that. She could not bear to hear the family speak bad about me when she knew that I left only for her happiness. She bravely told our families that she was to be blamed for everything. She told them she loved Evan and that this was the real reason why I left.

After that episode, her father who has always been a very strict person disowned her and asked her to leave the house. Her mother tried to handle the situation but in vain. Miranda's mum was heart broken to see her daughter leave but she could do nothing against her husband's wrath. Miranda assured her mother that she will have a good life ahead as Evan was a good person and loved her deeply. Well, that's what she believed," David sighed.

"When Miranda was leaving, her mother gave her all her jewellery asking her to sell them whenever the need for money arises.

And you know, at that time, your father as well was having certain issues in his life. In fact, Evan was also a handsome and well-built young man but was struggling to find a job. He got a marriage proposal from his father's best friend's daughter. She was a rich girl living in Canada. Evan turned down the proposal, supposedly because he loved Miranda.

But when Miranda left home and went to Evan, telling him that her father disowned and disinherited her, Evan was taken aback. He even refused to get married to Miranda. He started making lame excuses. Miranda was crushed down in pain yet she failed to understand that probably Evan did not love her but rather he loved her wealth and beauty. I can say this because later on, in one of the several arguments your parents had, your father told Miranda that she got a proposal from a rich Canadian lady but he refused because of her. When Miranda asked him why he refused, he said that it's because he thought Miranda was both rich and beautiful while the other lady lacked beauty although she was wealthy.

You see Maddox? It means your dad was only infatuated by your mum's beauty and attracted by her wealth. That's why the day Miranda was disinherited by your maternal grandfather, Evan no longer wanted to marry her.

My boy, two mistakes ruined your mother's life. I made the first one by leaving for the USA to allow your mum to marry Evan. And the second one was made by your mum when she cried and begged Evan not to leave her. She went to his house begging him not to reject her. Evan's mum heard her cries and knew that her son was wrong. So, she convinced Evan to marry Miranda. This is why Evan kept blaming Miranda saying that she forced him to marry her. Each time Evan got angry, he would say such harsh words to your mum. You know Maddox, your mum should not have begged him that day," David paused as he saw Maddox shaking his head in disagreement.

"No uncle, my mum must have been very weak at that moment. She had no one by her side. Her father rejected her, and then my dad too was doing the same. My mum's grief totally justified what she did," Maddox defended as droplets of tears rimmed his eyes.

"You are probably right son. But by begging him, she invited doom into her life. You know, Evan's father was also against their marriage as he was angry that his son once turned down his best friend's daughter. So, Evan and Miranda had to get married in the church and they had to take a house of their own to live in. Miranda never complained about the shabby state of their little house even if she was used to a luxurious life. She stayed, fulfilling all her duties as a wife in the hope of winning back her husband's love someday. But this never happened.

Evan kept drifting away from Miranda day by day. Each time they would face some financial problems, he would blame Miranda and curse her for having forced him to marry her. He would say that it would have been better if he listened to his dad and married the girl from Canada. He would accuse Miranda of ruining his life.

Then came the day where everything was shattered completely. It was a night by the end of October 1989, barely four months after their marriage."

David abruptly stopped speaking and his eyes went blank. He was lost in his thoughts.

"What happened on that night uncle?" Maddox asked desperately trying to pull David back to reality.