An Arranged Marriage

An Arranged Marriage
by Angela Raines


Becky Jean Porter, she got married. It was what was called an arranged marriage. You see she was considered an old maid at twenty-three. Her mother had given up on her making a choice so she did it for her. In Hilltop you just didn't hit the old age of twenty-three without being married, or at least being engaged. Becky Jean's father couldn't say nothing once Mother had made up her mind.

On her wedding night she sat and watched DVD's of old Wanted Dead or Alive shows.

Now you may think that is a strange way to spend a wedding night, but Becky Jean and Herbert, that was her new husband, got together and talked everything out before the ceremony. Herbert, he had him a girlfriend, but he was broke. Becky Jean, her parents were rich. You see where this is going. Herbert got the money, Becky Jean got away from her parents. That is what the two of them decided would work best given they had no other choice.

So that night as Becky Jean watched the DVDs in her own house and she felt pretty happy. One of the episodes she saw had Steve McQueen, favorite of her aunt, Lon Chaney, her grandmothers favorite and DeForest Kelly, her favorite. Becky Jean had always liked Star Trek, and seeing a young DeForest Kelly was fun. Life on the Starship Enterprise was always so much simpler that hers. Still she was mighty happy. She had some of her wedding cake, some more champagne and was right pleased with herself. That is until Daddy came knocking on the door of the house.

Well, she thought she had finally gotten rid of Daddy knocking on her door. He used to knock on her door at home and come visit her, especially when Mother was gone. Then she remembered, she was a married woman now and she didn't have to let Daddy through her door any more. She pulled out the shotgun that had been the symbol of her marriage, a gift from Herbert.

Copyright by Doris McCraw 2010, all rights reserved.

Comments

  1. Kathleen ErnstJune 28, 2010 at 9:05 AM

    I like it! And what great practice--writing a short story a month. Way to go!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Lori OrserJune 28, 2010 at 2:44 PM

    This is downright disturbing -- obviously a success in the reaction you wanted from your readers!

    ReplyDelete

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