Book 1: Without Will

Icy Reception

After doing the first dance as husband and wife, I began to think that being married to Fiacre Ellison was not going to be such a bad thing after all. I would hope that my parents would have interviewed him before just handing me off to him.

I am socializing with his parents and family. "So, how long have you and Fiacre been dating before the engagement and wedding?" His older sister Raylene questions me.

I don't know how to answer her question. Should I tell her the truth? That I was thrown into this marriage by my ma and pa. Or should I make up something? I am usually not one to lie, so I was relieved when Fiacre ambles up to us and answers for me.

"Ma and pa threw us together." He comes to my rescue. I sigh a breath of relief that I didn't have to answer that, "I know you know how that feels, Raylene. So, don't go busting her chops about this." He warns his sister.

Raylene puts on an innocent face. "Dear brother, I would not do that. This is both of you guys' big day. I am not that selfish to ruin it by making a scene. Mother and father will kill me later on."

I smile as does Fiacre. "Thank you, dear sister. Now, you be nice to my new wife. Or I will kill you before ma and pa get to you."

They both share a laugh and I walk off to sit with my best friend; Almond. I had not forgotten about my girl in all of this excitement.

She is downing her fifth drink, I am not sure if it is soda or alcohol. But, as I get up on her, I can smell the reeking stench of alcohol pouring from her pores. She looks a mess as well.

I try my best to sit next to Almond in this dress. I smile at her, but she frowns at me. I frown back, "What's going on, Almond?" I ask her picking up one of her empty shot glasses.

She shrugs, "You are having this huge wedding and such. I know that you and Fiacre are going to live somewhere that is huge and nice." She slurs. "Leaving me here to fend for myself and such with these hillbilly country bumpkins." She hiccups.

I stare at her response wide-eyed, not expecting that to come out of her mouth at all. "Well, he is my husband now and you can come stay with us for a while."

Almond sighs aggravated, "That is not the point, Cambria."

I arch my brow, "Then what is the point, Almond?"

"You didn't even want to be married in the first place. I did. You wanted to go off to college and be whatever you wanted to be, without having a husband and kids and all that stuff your mother wanted you to have in the first place. But, now that you have been thrown into a marriage with a guy you barely know but have been crushing on for years, you suddenly accept it?" She asks me.

I know what she is saying and I know it sounds like I am two-faced to the whole concept of getting married early just to cater to my husband or any man. But, that is not what this is about. This is about obeying what my parents tell me to do.

"Almond, I am not accepting this. But, I am not going to sit here and be mean to a man that had no say it in. I can't do that. Plus, you know that I am always trying to obey my parents and do the right thing. My dream of going to college is never far away and it will not be put on hold for anyone or anything." I tell her.

She scoffs, "Psh, yeah right. You will be like Stasha and Tyler."

I resent that. Stasha did the same thing I am doing, she fought hard, but gave into the fact that her parents wanted her to be married to Tyler Lee. The first year Stasha said it was great, Tyler worked hard to give her all that she wanted, but she stayed home. After three years of being married to Tyler, Stasha revealed to me and Almond that Tyler had been cheating on her. After that, we didn't hear from Stasha again.

"I am not. I don't think Fiacre is that type of guy, Almond." I inform her. Truth be told, I knew very little about him myself. "I will get to know him, though." I look over at Fiacre shaking hands with Rueben.

"Yeah, right, Cambria." Almond scoffs again this time with a sick giggle. When she saw she was out of drink, she raises up, "I hope that you are right, though." then drunkenly ambles to the bar.

If I didn't know any better, I would think Almond is jealous that I got married and she didn't or isn't married yet. That has always been Almond's thing: Marriage. Mine was always a better education and life for myself.