Turbulent Ties

7-The Meet-Ugly

"I never wish to be easily defined."
- Franz Kafka

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New

As a child, I often listened to a fairy tale that my mother would read to P'Mook and I. It recounted the story of a prince who fell victim to a curse placed upon him by a malevolent witch. This curse would transform him into stone unless he received a kiss from his true love as the first pair of lips to meet his own.

Word of the cursed prince quickly spread throughout the kingdom, attracting numerous individuals who believed they could be the one to rescue him. Sadly, the prince never received the intended kiss, and ultimately succumbed to the petrifying spell.

Mom employed this enchanting tale to instill in us the importance of placing our trust in others, as it was evident that the prince's downfall stemmed from his inability to do so. Deep down, I couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy for the prince, understanding that his inability to trust stemmed from a profound absence of love in his life.

"It will be fine, Newwiee," Earth's voice interrupted my train of thought.

We remained in his car, parked outside the gate of my house. I had asked him to stop so that he could turn back, but he refused to listen.

"I understand. Just go back home, Earth. I am capable of handling this on my own," I reassured him once again.

"I want to accompany you inside. You mentioned that you were not ready to face him yet. So allow me to join you!"

I sighed and turned to face him directly. "Listen, Earth. I understand your intentions. I promise to contact you if anything untoward occurs, alright?"

He took a deep breath and looked at me thoughtfully. "Alright, fine! I won't accompany you inside. However, I am eagerly waiting for your meet-cute to turn into a disaster."

I chuckled at his comment and replied, "You know what, let's stay connected on a call. If you sense anything odd, feel free to enter the house. We can make it more dramatic!" I winked at him.

"Wow! Someone is feeling bold. I like it. Keep me on speakerphone," he suggested.

He took out his phone and called me, causing my phone to vibrate. I picked up the call and he said, "Hello, darling! Ready to spice things up?"

"Always!" I chuckled, opening and closing the car door with a thud. I turned around and waved at Earth, smiling.

I hurried towards the main door, feeling nervous and sweaty. I can't show weakness in front of these intimidating individuals. I need to compose myself. I paused for a moment, gripping the doorknob, as I heard Phuwin's voice from inside. "I'm not tired! I won't leave! Why are you doing this, Dad?"

Phuwin was the only one unaware of the arranged marriage. I'm certain he's causing a commotion. I swiftly pushed open the door, sensing everyone's eyes on me. Without looking at anyone, I simply closed the door.

I slowly looked towards the front and noticed unfamiliar faces. They must be the prospective groom's family. Are there no women in their family? Did his mother not attend today? Or is he, like me, without a mother?

"Where is your son, Uncle Pong? Let me guess, this is your eldest daughter? Everyone is returning home except your son!" A voice filled with frustration reverberates across the room.