“Isabelle, what’s wrong? Why are you so upset? Calm down, whatever it is, she will forget all about it in no time.” Ashley tried to comfort me.
I raised my head and flinched at the sound of the creaking stairs. It wasn’t over yet, not by a long shot. Nobody fought Elisa Walsh and came out a winner, not even her own daughter. Elisa Walsh would always get exactly what she wanted. Her blonde hair, blue eyes and fair complexion, complemented by her thin waist, would make you believe that she’s as good as an angel and that she never meant any harm. But I knew better than to expect compassion from my own mother. She would crush me without thinking, only to set her plan in motion. Her steps were slow and determined and as she approached my room. I could feel my heart pounding and I could smell her brutal determination. She opened the door and I buried my head back in the pillow. Ashley wanted to say something, but my mother cut her off.
“Girls, go to your room. Isabelle and I have to finish our conversation.” Her voice was made of steel.
Ashley gave me a gentle hug and followed Jane out of the room. I had no intention to face my mother. For a few short moments, she stood there observing me, and then she finally spoke.
“I don’t care if you’re listening or not. But if I were you, I would listen carefully because I will say this only once. I have no power in making you come to your senses and accept this wonderful opportunity,” she said and I raised my head to meet her gaze. I sensed there was a ‘but’ coming. Of course, I was right.
“But I do have the power to renounce you as my daughter and make you leave my house and everything in it. You will be homeless, Isabelle. As for your sister, if you decline this offer, you will rob her of an education and a future. I will be forced to forbid her from attending school, because this family cannot afford that expense anymore. Do you want that on your conscience, Isabelle?” She knew she had won this battle, because she exited my room self -assured and gloating.
I knew she meant every single word of what she had said. She wouldn’t hesitate to throw me out if I disobeyed her. What option did I have? I had no one to turn to and no one who could help me. My mother had managed to isolate us from everybody. I had no friends or family who would come to my aid. She knew I would be forced to accept her crazy demand, because being homeless in Rosemont was far worse than being thrown into a forest filled with wild wolves ready to tear you apart. And she knew that Ashley was my weak spot. I couldn’t allow Mother to do that to her. Of course, she’d left Jane out of her threats because she was her favorite. Jane was Mother’s carbon copy and would probably be thrilled to be married off to a rich stranger if she got the chance to do so. Since I was the epitome of my father’s looks—and as Mother often said, character—I could count on her despising me. A part of me wished he was still alive to protect me from Mother’s delirium. Even though I didn’t remember much of my father, I knew he would have never allowed her to marry me off like that. He had been an alcoholic and those times when he came home drunk and took his rage out on us or Mother were burned in my memory, but he’d had strong moral values when it came to his daughters. Yet he wasn’t there to protect me; he was dead because of alcohol. The day he died, I swore to myself that I would never take a sip of it, even though, in the situation I was facing at the moment, having a strong drink sounded quite appealing.
After staying in my room for a long time, I went downstairs to face my tormentor. She was reading a magazine with her legs crossed and swinging. Putting her magazine down, she turned to me with a sly smile on her face.
“Well, did you come to tell me you’ve finally come to your senses, Isabelle?”
She anticipated my answer and pure desperation covered every part of my being as I nodded in response to my mother’s question. It was my white flag, my surrender. It meant that my life was over.
“I knew you were a smart girl, darling. Now, all we have to do is get you ready for our guest!” She didn’t wait for my reply but continued talking excitedly. “We have so many things to do. We have to get you dressed properly, fix your hair, put the best makeup on and rehearse everything you are going to say when Mrs. Moran arrives. You have to be very presentable for your picture. I am so excited. I can’t even imagine how happy you must be.” She was on cloud nine and I could see the dollar signs were already forming in her eyes.
Chapter Three
For the first time in my life, Mother had spent a fortune on me. Only the best dress and the most expensive shoes would do. She paid for the most expensive hairdresser in town to make my hair look perfect. She also treated me with a visit to the makeup salon. Even though the makeup artists tried to convince her that less was more, she acted like a crazed woman, demanding that they put more powder on my face and to accentuate my eyes or cheekbones more. The real surprise was yet to follow, because after the salon treat, she took me to the electronics store and bought me a cell phone. It was surreal, because apparently she would do anything to cheer me up so I would be in a good mood when the people who needed to seal my fate arrived. When we returned home, she seemed more than happy with the result. Looking at myself in the mirror, I thought I looked pretentious, and way older than I actually was. I looked artificial. I looked like something I was not—I looked like a piece of meat wrapped up in a nice package that was about to be sold.
Mother had instructed me to go to my room and wait there until the woman who worked for the Everett’s arrived. I wasn’t allowed to leave my room until she called for me. It felt like I was sitting on my bed for hours, not having the will to do anything with myself, when Jane opened the door, smiled at me cynically, and said that Mother wanted me to come downstairs. Suddenly, I felt very nervous and I tried to take a deep breath to calm myself down, but it didn’t help. I could hear Mother’s high-pitched voice, trying to woo whoever she conversed with. I entered the room awkwardly and everything went silent. All eyes were on me. There was my mother, a man in a suit, and a woman with a briefcase on her lap. Our eyes met for a moment, but there was something absolutely terrifying about that woman and I could feel her glancing down at me from head to toe. I blushed and looked away.
“This is Isabelle, my eldest daughter, the one I was telling you about,” Mother was saying in a cheerful tone, but the man and the woman remained serious.
“I see…” The woman glanced at me again with what seemed to be a critical look on her face. “You are the one who’s been eager to marry Sebastian? Your mother has told us everything about your secret crush on him.”
My secret crush on a man I hadn’t even seen or heard about until two days ago? Clearly, Mother was a master of deception. Obviously worried that the confused look on my face might give us away, she interfered.
“Don’t be shy darling. What about all those times I caught you looking at his pictures on the Internet?” Mother winked at me and I was more furious than ever.
How dare she lie like that?! We were almost never allowed to use the damned computer unless it was for school, and only then under her supervision. I felt like smacking her right then and there. But the look in her eyes told me everything—remember what happens if you mess up. I smiled shyly and offered a nod as a response. The whole situation was ridiculous. Everybody was talking about the rich heir getting married to a poor girl from Rosemont, like it was a perfectly normal thing. After looking at me for a short while, the woman had a confused look on her face.
“Isabelle, how old are you?” She looked suspicious.
“Nineteen,” I replied simply.
“Almost twenty,” Mother jumped in.
“That makes you seven years younger than Sebastian. I hope that won’t be an inconvenience for you.” She looked my mother’s way like she was the one who had to marry that man and not me.
“Not at all. If anything, I think it’s great that he’s a few years older than my Isabelle,” she stated and turned to me with one of her fake smiles. “Right, honey?”
I took a deep breath instead of replying.
The serious lady to
ok it as an affirmative reply and continued.
“Well, then. I will have to take a photograph of you and email it to Sebastian’s father to see if they think you are—” she inspected my whole length again as if to suggest she thought otherwise than what she was about to say, “—appropriate.”
She stood up and started taking several photographs of me from different positions. I had to pucker up, smile and lift my head up, all the while being cheered by my mother’s mimicking, which were suggesting what I should do with my hands, lips or my hair. When the ‘photo shoot’ ended, the lady immediately returned to her seat and emailed the photographs to somebody who I supposed was the father of my husband-to-be. I could finally take a seat as well.
“Now, before we move on… Richard, would you be so kind and prepare the documents?” She glanced at the man who hadn’t spoken yet.
The man took the documents out of the briefcase and carefully laid them on the table without so much as saying a single word. The woman was obviously the one in charge, because she took it upon herself to explain what the documents meant.
“This is a non-disclosure agreement. If you sign this, it means that anything that was discussed in this room about the Everett family cannot be shared with anyone else. Please sign the document so that we can continue.”
Mother was more than eager to sign the papers and she urged me to do the same, without even giving me the chance to read what I was signing. The woman was apparently very pleased with our cooperation, because her cold mask of a face had produced a dry smile.
“Now that this is settled, we can proceed. My name is Rosario Moran and I am one of the lawyers who work for the Everett family. This is Dr. Richard Mayhem.” The mysterious man who turned out to be a doctor, nodded in response.
Instantly a red flag raised in my mind. Why on earth was there a doctor here? Mrs. Moran was happy to enlighten us.
“The Everett family has only two conditions when it comes to choosing a wife for an heir of their wealth. She has to come from Rosemont, and she has to be a virgin.”
The color suddenly drained from my face and then returned as fire burning through my cheeks. As if she could sense my terror, Mrs. Moran continued explaining what I already knew.
“Dr. Mayhem is here to ensure us that all of the conditions are met, before we decide whether or not you will be presented to the family, or better said, your future husband.”
I felt my body jerk for a moment and I thought I was going to pass out. Would I actually have to go through such embarrassment? I closed my eyes to absorb the anticipating moments of silence, and prayed for a miracle that would make all of this go away. Some distant part of me hoped that Mother would stop this madness and prevent my further humiliation, but there was no such luck.
“Of course, it is understandable that the Everett’s want to make sure my daughter makes a suitable match for their son. Isabelle, dear, please wait for us in your room.” She gripped my hand, warning me it was in my best interest to listen to her.
I stood up and started walking. On my way, I looked at the front door and thought about running away, but it was not an option. I couldn’t sacrifice Ashley’s happiness and besides, there was nowhere for me to go. So, like an obedient dog, I moved up the stairs and into my room. I tried to be calm, but nothing could lessen my panic. What on earth were they going to do to me? Mother followed shortly after and entered the room before the doctor. She was carrying a blue hospital dress which made it clear she wanted to prepare me for the ‘check-up’. I sat numbly on my bed.
“Isabelle,” she spoke to me softly.
I looked into her eyes in desperation and whispered in a broken voice.
“Please, don’t let them do this to me.” I searched for my mother’s protection and comfort, but that was something she wasn’t willing to give.
“It will only take a moment. Just relax and let the doctor examine you. Two minutes of discomfort traded for a life of pleasure. It’s a fair trade, don’t you think?”
Only I didn’t want any of this. Didn’t it matter to her? She handed me the dress and told me to put it on and lie on my back. I had five minutes of privacy to comply with her demand. I was lying on my bed, when I heard the door open and I flinched when the doctor entered the room. Again, he didn’t say a word. He was busy with taking various objects out of his bag. It was clear he could sense my discomfort and panic, but he had no interest in easing my mind before examining me. Instead, he started giving me a number of orders while putting on a pair of white gloves. He told me to spread my legs apart and I complied without hesitation, but my discomfort didn’t escape him.
“You know, you don’t have to do this. There are plenty of other girls who would be more than happy to take your place.” He was annoyed, even though I tried to be as steady as possible. I didn’t even dare to breathe.
He had a flashlight and he was shamelessly observing the most private part of my body. I stiffened when I heard him take something from the metal plate and I tried to be still as his hand approached the area between my legs. No matter how hard I tried to suppress my fears and discomfort, I couldn’t help myself and I jerked violently when the cold metal object touched my skin.
“Jesus Christ girl, if you don’t want to get yourself injured, be still!”
His cruelty made my humiliation even worse, and I closed my eyes in an attempt to stop the tears from coming, but I wasn’t strong enough to fight it. I didn’t make a sound, but trying not to cry was a losing battle. He was rough and when he finished, he gave me a disgusted, quizzical look.
“There, that wasn’t so difficult, was it?” I didn’t dignify him with a response and I kept my eyes closed while he exited the room and told me I can put my clothes back on.
I started gasping for air and crying uncontrollably. Not so difficult? I’d never felt so humiliated and degraded in my life. I was about to be sold like a piece of cattle to a man I had never even met. I had to stop crying, because I knew Mother would flip if those people saw me in this awful condition.
Once I made my way downstairs, I knew Mrs. Moran stared at me suspiciously because it was clear that I had been crying. My face was a mess with swollen eyes, puffed cheeks and ruined makeup. I had seen how terrible I looked in the mirror, but had no will or power to do anything about it. I couldn’t even spare a glimpse at the obnoxious Dr. Mayhem without compromising my barely existing peace. Mrs. Moran finally took her eyes off me and focused on my mother instead.
“We are pleased to inform you that your daughter meets all of the required conditions for the possible future arrangement with Mr. Sebastian Everett.” She looked at me in search of a reaction but I remained as still as a wall.
“I knew my Isabelle would be perfect the moment I heard Mr. Everett was getting married.” Mother stepped in as usual.
“Then my further announcements will be even more pleasing to you,” Mrs. Moran said cynically, as if she wanted to make my mother aware of the fact that she was too upfront about being a shameless gold-digger. “Mr. Everett Senior has already replied to my email, and the Everett’s want to meet Isabelle as soon as next week.”
“That is wonderful.” Mother was beside herself.
“Of course, Isabelle will have to join us on our trip to New York tomorrow, in order to go through further preparations.”
“What kind of preparations?” I couldn’t help but intervene.
“Well, to answer your question. To proceed with this arrangement we have to establish that you are perfectly healthy. That means you will be tested to see if you have any serious diseases, especially the ones that could compromise your ability to have children.” I tensed at her words.
“I see.” It was all I managed to say.
“I’m glad you understand. Now, if you will excuse us, we have to get going. Isabelle…” Mrs. Moran lifted her eyebrows and glanced at me with a warning. “Make sure you are ready by ten tomorrow.”
“You don’t have to worry about that. She will be ready on
time,” Mother happily replied on my behalf, and escorted Rosario and the doctor out of our house.
Chapter Four
The following few days were a roller coaster. For the first time in my life I was leaving the boring stillness of Rosemont, and though it had been something I’d dreamt about my entire life, I wasn’t as nearly excited as I thought I would have been. Somehow, I always thought that leaving Rosemont would feel empowering and liberating. That was not the case. I felt like I was yet to be imprisoned and not liberated.
I had flown in a plane for the first time in my life and although it was quite nerve-wracking, it had been far better than the rest of the experiences that followed my visit to New York. All of the examinations and doctor appointments made me feel like I was some sort of a thing, and not a person. Not to mention how much I hated being subjected to an army of stylists whose facial expressions screamed how inappropriate my country-style look was. I was scheduled to meet the famous Everett family, and my future husband Sebastian, at the end of the week. Questions kept forming in my mind but I had no one to answer them. Why would a rich guy from New York want to marry me when he didn’t even know me? Why did that crazy condition which made Everett heirs marry girls from Rosemont, exist to begin with?
I walked up to the window and took in the beautiful sight of the magnificent city at night. Everybody was rushing and going somewhere, whereas I felt like I was stuck in time—frozen and desperately alone. I didn’t have anyone to talk to, and it was painfully clear that I didn’t fit in. Suddenly, my thoughts wandered off into the future and thoughts about what it would feel like to be married to this mysterious man I had yet to meet, and to live in the huge city that must have been about a million times bigger than Rosemont, filled my mind. I remembered Ashley’s comforting words before I had left home. She’d told me that maybe everything would turn out better than I expected. My silly sister had tried to convince me that maybe I’d like him, or even come to love him after some time. I was a dreamer but I knew better than to fool myself with such childish dreams. I would hope for the best, and that best was that somehow I wouldn’t have to get married after all. I hoped that the results of the examination would be my ticket out of the mess my mother had put me in.
Virtue & Vanity Page 2
